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3.76 AVERAGE
3.76 AVERAGE
Jean de Flambeur is the universe's greatest thief, but he is stuck in prison. Then, someone breaks him out, someone hoping that he will be able to find what he has stolen in the past. The problem? Jean has hidden what he stole from himself as well.
Set in the far future, this book is awash in strange ideas. All bodies are custom created and occasionally virtual. The Mars of the future offers people the option to live like kings for a time, so long as they will also slave in the worst conditions in the future. Memory exists in a cloud that permeates the atmosphere, allowing folks to store information in it to be recalled as necessary. All communication is mediated by a complex series of privacy settings. Plus, there about a dozen Batman wannabes. I'm certain that I didn't understand everything that was going on, but it was a wild ride. One that I recommend.
Set in the far future, this book is awash in strange ideas. All bodies are custom created and occasionally virtual. The Mars of the future offers people the option to live like kings for a time, so long as they will also slave in the worst conditions in the future. Memory exists in a cloud that permeates the atmosphere, allowing folks to store information in it to be recalled as necessary. All communication is mediated by a complex series of privacy settings. Plus, there about a dozen Batman wannabes. I'm certain that I didn't understand everything that was going on, but it was a wild ride. One that I recommend.
challenging
mysterious
slow-paced
There's a famous adage attributed to Arthur C Clarke, that 'any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.' In that sense, The Quantum Thief feels as much like an epic fantasy as it does hard sci-fi.
Set in the far future of our solar system, where minds can be digitised and duplicated, even weaponised - built into nano-tech missiles and used in space battles, or downloaded into the golem like machines that power and protect the mysterious walking city on Mars. This is just a scratch in the surface of the imaginative technologies described throughout this story - described, but often not explained, at least not initially. A lexicon of alien terminology flies out at you as you read this book - representing strange, unexplained quantum technologies, interplanetary factions, alien customs. It certainly makes you feel thrust into the middle of a very unfamiliar universe. Most of the time you have to just roll with it and trust that things will become clear later on, or else disrupt the considerable pacing of the story.
And the story is good, filled with action, and powered along by a good mystery. The characters are interesting, and the tension between them is entertaining. I'm curious to see what situations they find themselves in in the second part.
(3.5 stars)
Set in the far future of our solar system, where minds can be digitised and duplicated, even weaponised - built into nano-tech missiles and used in space battles, or downloaded into the golem like machines that power and protect the mysterious walking city on Mars. This is just a scratch in the surface of the imaginative technologies described throughout this story - described, but often not explained, at least not initially. A lexicon of alien terminology flies out at you as you read this book - representing strange, unexplained quantum technologies, interplanetary factions, alien customs. It certainly makes you feel thrust into the middle of a very unfamiliar universe. Most of the time you have to just roll with it and trust that things will become clear later on, or else disrupt the considerable pacing of the story.
And the story is good, filled with action, and powered along by a good mystery. The characters are interesting, and the tension between them is entertaining. I'm curious to see what situations they find themselves in in the second part.
(3.5 stars)
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
rajaniemi gets so caught up in his world-building that he makes the plot of his book - as well as much of the setting - incredibly opaque. as such, this was a slog.
i read some interwebs feedback that seemed to boil down to "if you don't understand string theory, then you probably won't get this book," to which i respond - isn't it supposed to be the author's job to make the work somewhat accessible to the reader, whether or not they're familiar with advanced maths and/or quantum physics? in that case, i think rajaniemi fails spectacularly - in that he creates a fascinating world that requires a glossary that isn't provided.
also, perhaps this was common knowledge about "quantum thief," but i hate books that sneak in the fact that there is going to be a sequel 3/4 of the way through. it's weak writing. at this point, i'm unlikely to pick up the next books in the series unless rajaniemi goes the way of stephenson and provides a glossary and better action, or the way of mieville, backing up his world-building with solid plots and better writing.
i read some interwebs feedback that seemed to boil down to "if you don't understand string theory, then you probably won't get this book," to which i respond - isn't it supposed to be the author's job to make the work somewhat accessible to the reader, whether or not they're familiar with advanced maths and/or quantum physics? in that case, i think rajaniemi fails spectacularly - in that he creates a fascinating world that requires a glossary that isn't provided.
also, perhaps this was common knowledge about "quantum thief," but i hate books that sneak in the fact that there is going to be a sequel 3/4 of the way through. it's weak writing. at this point, i'm unlikely to pick up the next books in the series unless rajaniemi goes the way of stephenson and provides a glossary and better action, or the way of mieville, backing up his world-building with solid plots and better writing.
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
fast-paced
It took me a bit to get into this one but when I did I was thrilled and amazed. I rushed through it and now want more.
challenging
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes