First edition, first impression. Signed by the author to the title page. The popular fifth book in the Culture series. Original black cloth with silver lettering to spine. Some toning to edges with a little spotting to fore-edge, otherwise very good, in the original and unclipped dust jacket, which has a little browning to the top edge and minor evidence of soft creasing to spine panel, both of which are only visible on verso, very good or better otherwise with none of the often-encountered fading to the spine panel.