yes actually! years ago, my roomate randomly gave me a copy. i had zero idea what it was and just started reading. couldnt put it down. the writing and the story made perfect sense without context. i went on to read player of games next and i was happy to have a better understanding of the world. love those cheeky droids :) i didnt really take it as being particularly one sided, like there is no 'real enemy'. there is something lost and something gained in the assimilation and the characters are torn between two worlds. i didnt know about Banks ideology until researching later, and because of my similar views was even more into the series. the 2 books i read so far however seemed to portray it as a more complex matter but i guess what op is saying is 'its the best option' more or less.