I agree with aerovistae and I found the plot of Player of Games particularly weak. Watching the protagonist winning the game thing didn't feel satisfying. It's

I agree with aerovistae and I found the plot of Player of Games particularly weak. Watching the protagonist winning the game thing didn't feel satisfying. It's hard to get excited about a game you cannot understand because it isn't explained. And the big "surprise" regarding a certain character towards the end was lame. It surprised me, a little, only because it seemed too obvious so I expected something more clever. That said, I liked the book because of the Culture.