>Not sure if Banks intended them to be

Given how the culture ambassador is rewarded by being given an Affront body so he can indulge in Affront culture on even terms, and that the Affront are basically psychopathic Bertram Wooster-types, Banks knew that there was some people couldn't help but love the Affront. Something in humans loves it. Like looking at a file of red wool coated infantry (btw, did you get that the Affront is coded for the British empire?) and thinking "yup, really cool".