The Player of Games by Iain M. Banks

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I thoroughly enjoyed this read. Compared with Consider Phlebas, which I read many years ago, this novel showcases many more aspects of the Culture than the other one. It starts in a Culture planet, with a culture protagonist and then it moves to a non culture planet far, far away. The main protagonist, a successful game player, travels to participate in an intricate game, in an alien empire, in which the winner becomes the Emperor. Loved the Culture world and Philosophy, and I actually liked the main character. The alien world is also so interesting, particularly with respect to their values and philosophy of life, some of which are horrendous and kept in secret. The process of discovery of their ideas and secrets gives this novel extra points. I confess a got a bit bored reading some (not all) of the gaming scenes. Recommend.