Search - Excession (Culture, Bk 5)

This is one of Banks’ ‘Culture’ novels, set in his far-future universe of sentient ships and interstellar civilizations.
It’s just about as opposite to his book “Inversions” where there is barely a clue that it is a “Culture” novel. In this novel, the complex, far-reaching background almost overwhelms the plot – but not quite.
An anomaly (dubbed an “Excession”) has appeared in space? What is it? Is it sentient? Is it potentially a gateway to other universes?
No one knows – but everyone is freaking out over it – from the Special Circumstances division of the Culture, to godlike ships of legend, and other civilizations - such as the mild-mannered Elench and the cruel and barbaric Affront – are being drawn into an ever-spiraling mess…
Meanwhile, an ex-space captain lives peacefully in a state of eternal pregnancy in an isolated tower aboard an Eccentric ship….
An ambassador is recruited with promises beyond his dreams to attempt to kidnap a soul…
And a spoiled bimbo is lured into a mission of seduction, told she will be part of the elite Special Circumstances corps…
All will be drawn into the orbit of the Excession…

I liked this book, but I think I would have liked it more if I had read the earlier books in the series first. I found myself wondering what was going on and who the characters were, and it wasn't until I was halfway through when I realized that it was part of a series. I look forward to reading the earlier books starting with Consider Phlebas.