About the book: 2021 / "Culture" is a modern utopia, "a society that adheres to absolute concepts: life/good; death/bad; pleasure/good; pain/bad.” This lack of nuances and halftones conceals many moral and ethical traps that the writer could not help but see. Not to mention the fact that a hedonistic civilization, unlimited in resources, is deprived of an incentive for dynamic development. Banks does not deny this, seeing the only justification for the existence of Culture in the creation of a department of Special Circumstances under the Contact section. The progressive activities of the LLC, which consistently helps underdeveloped worlds, fills the life of the citizens of the Culture with meaning, full of entertainment and pleasure. In the first two books of the series, Ian Banks shows the Culture from the point of view of its enemies, open and secret. The main character of "Remember Phlebus" collaborates with the Idirians who are fighting against the Culture, since he considers their cruel religious empire to be on the side of life. In contrast to the humane and gentle Culture, whose well-being is supported by millions of intelligent machines. Banks, characteristically, does not even think about resolving the contradiction, leaving this task to the readers. That's why they appreciate it. Contents: CULTURE: 1. Remember Phlebus (Translation: Grigory Krylov)2. Player (Translation: Grigory Krylov)3. Selection of weapons (Translation: Victor Fedorov)4. The latest word in technology (Translation: Incanter)5. Excession (Translation: Sergey Frolenko)6. Inversions (Translation: Grigory Krylov)7. View from the windward side (Translation: In Rokhmistrov)8. Matter (Translation: Grigory Krylov)9. Cover Trait (Translation: Incanter) OUT OF THE CYCLE: 1. Algebraist (Translation: Grigory Krylov)