Sam-Who-Likes-Nothing - Consider Phlebas

I should have liked this book. I thought I'd like it. The Culture is a very cool construct, and Iain Banks is a talented writer with or without the middle initial.

But I didn't like the book. For a number of reasons.

My biggest problem was my dislike of the protagonist. I'm sure I wasn't supposed to like him, as the protag is fighting on the wrong side, but still, the book is an adventure story. If I don't like the protag, I'm not going to care whether he wins or loses. And if I don't...