the Algebraist is okay--but it's kind of meandery in the middle and I also guessed the plot twist really early on (thanks to being good at algebra, lol)
if you want good Banks SF, go Culture. Use of Weapons is the best SF book of the past 20 years, bar maybe Light, and even then I think Use of Weapons is probably better. Player of Games is a fun romp. Consider Phlebas, the first Culture book, is space opera (and what Halo cribbed everything from) Excession and Look to Windward are both slightly slighter but still excellently entertaining.
basically--read Use of Weapons, then come back when you want more Culture