I had just gotten off work and was on my way to more work when the phones in my mind rang. It was another seven jobs calling in, begging for my attention.

Ylla's Choice is a spherical city of several million. Its bonsai gardeners should be famous throughout the galaxy; its actors orate well; its corridors are clean, and through the shielded glass windows of a marvelous design, the glowing swirl of gas outside is beautiful.

Most of Banks' Culture stories revolve, in one way or another, around the conflict between the values of the Culture and another civilization's values. . . .

were any blooms open this morning? / did the radio come on?