Long ago, eight hundred years prior to the present events in Look to Windward, the results of the war in Consider Phelbas begins to shine on the residents of Masaq Orbital, a very, very large space station. In a final battle across multiple star systems two of those stars are intentionally made to self destruct into a super nova. As this light reaches the station, not too far away another war concluded. This one was a civil war, the Chelgrians fought against each other to determine the future of their civilization.

I finished this relatively quickly after Excession, and Look to Windward is a much different book then the prior. The setting this time takes place almost entirely around a single space station. It was also a lot more introspective as it explores the results of those conflicts, both long ago and fairly recent. And I think this change of storytelling, but the persistence of the world, is something I have grown to really enjoy about this series of books by Ian M. Banks.

I also really appreciate in his stories how he reveals information and their consequences. Especially here where so much of the story is about these past wars and what exactly happened is slowly and deliberately told as tension builds. Two individuals in particular have experiences in those wars and shape who they are now and what leads them in their decisions. All this builds up to a fantastic culmination and creates a kind of story I love where I just need to read another chapter and I truly cannot guess how exactly this ends.

While some might find some of the resolutions somewhat contrived, I found them as realistic twist. And I think some other also reading this after Excession might be disappointed in the change of pace. That book was as excellent in the depictions of space battles as this had great battles, just of a quieter kind.

And now at the end of another this series and I just want more. I had thought about pausing and diving into some others on my current list, but I think I'll stick with this series for now. The next is Matter, and from reading the synopsis I think I can be sure this will also be another change in the kind of story, but I expect still of such great quality.