I’ve read about half of them and really enjoy it overall. It’s definitely varied, and I think the best piece of advice is to not start with Consider Phlebas. Popular opinion is that it is a weaker entry. There’s really no chronology so just jump around as you see fit. Player of Games is a good starting point. Use of Weapons is my personal favorite out of what I’ve read.
Start with either A Player Of Games or Use Of Weapons depending on whether you have an interest in Board Games or military/espionage, respectively
Then read the other one
Then read Excession
Then read the rest of the series in any order; because honestly there’s a considerable drop in quality other than those, but by that point you’re already so in love with the setting that “a mediocre Culture book” is still better than “a good book from another series”.
I’ve read about half of them and really enjoy it overall. It’s definitely varied, and I think the best piece of advice is to not start with Consider Phlebas. Popular opinion is that it is a weaker entry. There’s really no chronology so just jump around as you see fit. Player of Games is a good starting point. Use of Weapons is my personal favorite out of what I’ve read.
Absolutely. My general advice is: