This answer is spot-on. Excession is definitely NOT an entry point to the series, if there is such a thing. And Consider Phlebas is routinely considered not a g

This answer is spot-on. Excession is definitely NOT an entry point to the series, if there is such a thing. And Consider Phlebas is routinely considered not a great entry point, but people do it anyway because it's chronological. But it's a bit of a snore and it only barely grazes on Culture and doesn't get into any of the meat of the conceit at all, so it sort of turns people off to the series as a whole, I think.