I09 proves it can actually occasionally cover science fiction literature (as opposed to posts about hi-tech cars and the breathtakingly bad new version of Flash Gordon) by pointing out that Iain M. Banks has a new novel of The Culture out soon. It’s the first set in the society of socialist hyper-technological free-loving gender-swapping pacifistic-but-with-enormous-guns hippies since 2000’s Look to Windward.

And, lo, there’s a preview of the first chapter on Orbit’s website. But for a bit more background, try A Few Notes on the Culture.