The Quantum Thief
Tähtivaeltaja Award 2012, Locus Award nominee 2011.
The most exciting SF debut of the last 5 years – a star to stand alongside Reynolds and Morgan.
Jean le Flambeur is a post-human criminal, mind burglar, confidence artist and trickster. His origins are shrouded in mystery, but his exploits are known throughout the Heterarchy – from breaking into the vast Zeusbrains of the Inner System to steal their thoughts, to stealing rare Earth antiques from the aristocrats of the Moving Cities of Mars.
Except that Jean made one mistake. Now he is condemned to play endless variations of a game-theoretic riddle in the vast virtual jail of the Axelrod Archons – the Dilemma Prison – against countless copies of himself. Jean's routine of death, defection and cooperation is upset by the arrival of Mieli and her spidership, Perhonen. She offers him a chance to win back his freedom and the powers of his old self – in exchange for finishing the one heist he never quite managed...
The Quantum Thief is a dazzling hard SF novel set in the solar system of the far future – a heist novel peopled by bizarre post-humans but powered by very human motives of betrayal, revenge and jealousy. It is a stunning debut.
Readers also enjoyed
Hannu Rajaniemi
Hannu Rajaniemi is a name that echoes through the corridors of modern science fiction, his stories weaving intricate plots with mind-bending ideas that challenge the very fabric of reality. Born in Finland, Rajaniemi’s deep love for speculative fiction was nurtured from an early age. As a child, he was captivated by the expansive worlds of science fiction and fantasy, and these early influences would go on to shape his distinct narrative voice.
What sets Rajaniemi apart in the world of science fiction is his ability to combine complex, high-concept ideas with deeply human emotions. His debut The Quantum Thief, the first book in the Jean le Flambeur series, dazzles with its intricate world-building, a universe where digital identities, memories, and post-human technologies collide. But Rajaniemi’s genius lies in how he uses these speculative elements to explore questions of identity, free will, and the nature of intelligence—questions that feel as relevant to our world as they do to his far-flung futures.
Jean le Flambeur
Also known as The Quantum Thief Trilogy.
The gentleman rogue Jean de Flambeur is part mind burglar, part confidence artist. He’s known throughout the Heterarchy for his amazing galactic exploits, like breaking into the vast Inner System of Zuesbrains. In the first book of Hannu Rajaniemi’s trilogy, The Quantum Thief, Jean Le Flambeur’s trapped inside the Dilemma Prison, and must wake up every morning to kill himself before his other self can kill him. Filled with mind-bending science, plus mediations on the nature of reality, these interstellar capers are reminiscent of Maurice Leblanc and the science fictional greats.
Jean le Flambeur consists of three books. The current recommended reading order for the series is provided below.
Book Reviews
It's kinda like Ocean's Eleven, only in space! Rajaniemi holds nothing back and pushes the reader into a fully fleshed world and story, and the reader just has to buckle up and enjoy the ride. And boy, what a ride! I loved every confusing twist and turn of it!
A good quantum romp with plenty of action and interesting characters and settings. Rajaniemi makes you work at it a bit, though; the environment is complex and it's up to you to figure it out. There is also a lot attention given to unfinished storylines - you get the sense that there is large saga looming.. Still, I enjoyed it! Will buy the next one as well.