It’s the time of the Encroachment when a dust cloud will blot out the sun. Count Sessine is about to die for the last time; chief scientist Gadfium receives a message from the Plain of Stones; and Bascule the Teller delves into the Crypt in search of an ant. This book weaves its different narratives together skilfully into a satisfying whole with a great conclusion. Highly recommended as an introduction to Banks, if you want to read something outside the Culture novels.
Some people may be put off by the phonetic spelling of Bascule’s first person narrative, but I had no problems with it. It’s really not much worse than trying to read Scots ;-). In saying that, I have read the book several times before.
