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artofmulata's review against another edition
3.0
This series is fun and there's something about the occasional casualness of the everyday inserted into mythic storytelling that's reminiscent of Zelazny. Not as good as Mr. Zelazny yet, but hopefully with time...
branch_c's review against another edition
3.0
Equally as ambitious as the first in the series, and with the same confident tone. But if anything, this one is even more convoluted, while being somewhat less thematically interesting to me.
Rajaniemi has certainly put a lot of thought into the divergent entities and societies that humanity might evolve into, and I suppose the nature of identity is explored a bit. But the complex setting isn’t conveyed as clearly as it might have been, with unexplained jargon flowing freely, so it comes across as a bit too chaotic, where practically anything can happen. The characters, too, are not quite relatable enough for me, though Tawaddud comes the closest, and I also like Perhonen more than either Jean or Mieli.
The story is certainly slick and polished, but less strikingly original than The Quantum Thief seemed to be. This one reminds me more of Gibson, with a dash of Egan. Worth the read though, and I’ll probably pick up the third volume of I come across it.
Rajaniemi has certainly put a lot of thought into the divergent entities and societies that humanity might evolve into, and I suppose the nature of identity is explored a bit. But the complex setting isn’t conveyed as clearly as it might have been, with unexplained jargon flowing freely, so it comes across as a bit too chaotic, where practically anything can happen. The characters, too, are not quite relatable enough for me, though Tawaddud comes the closest, and I also like Perhonen more than either Jean or Mieli.
The story is certainly slick and polished, but less strikingly original than The Quantum Thief seemed to be. This one reminds me more of Gibson, with a dash of Egan. Worth the read though, and I’ll probably pick up the third volume of I come across it.
berni396's review
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
paddybejesus's review against another edition
5.0
torn between 4 or 5 stars but 5 wins out as i haven't read anything like this in a long time, very dense and not the clearest at point but a great read and an amazing world to immerse yourself in.
tmarthal's review against another edition
5.0
The writing style, technology, world building, characters, and everything is something I enjoy immensely.
bbabyok's review against another edition
4.0
This was a solid follow up to The Quantum Thief and the further adventures of Jean le Flambeur. Putting the pieces of the technology in the story together is enjoyable for me, but I could see where it would get troublesome if that's not something you're into.
robphippen's review against another edition
5.0
What an exceptional book! I have to agree with others that this (and the 'Quantum Thief' before it) require you to hold on tight and trust the author. But that trust is handsomely rewarded. We are led through some truly dazzling technological marvels, dealt with genuine panache.
For me, what sets this book apart is the feeling that the author really loves his characters. Despite the relentless oddity of their circumstances, I found myself empathizing with each one. This is such a rarity in real, proper, hard SF as to be almost unique.
Finally - where next? If you love this book, you might also like Charles Stross's Accelerando, or John Clute's Appleseed which, of all the SF I have read, is the only book that comes close to it for sheer bonkers technology.
For me, what sets this book apart is the feeling that the author really loves his characters. Despite the relentless oddity of their circumstances, I found myself empathizing with each one. This is such a rarity in real, proper, hard SF as to be almost unique.
Finally - where next? If you love this book, you might also like Charles Stross's Accelerando, or John Clute's Appleseed which, of all the SF I have read, is the only book that comes close to it for sheer bonkers technology.
roytoo's review
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
A good second book in the series, but for me the many interspersed storylines lessened my enjoyment.