If you want something short and easy, try Elder Race. It’s a novella, but very well done. The good thing about him is that he’s so prolific, there’s a lot to choose from.

The Culture series by Iain M. Banks.

Not sure what it was. Maybe expectations were too high. Tried the first two books and they were fine, just didn’t really trigger anything in me that made me want to keep going.

Good points. And from what I remember of the books, 80% of them was people talking about things that have or will happen, not actually seeing it. I’m not sure a direct dramatasiation of the novel’s would have made great tv.