The Causal Angel

August 4, 2014
Rajaniemi's largely satisfying third and final tale of posthuman gentleman thief Jean le Flambeur (after The Quantum Thief and The Fractal Prince) occasionally gets a bit muddled as the plot hits its crescendo. After Jean's rescuer and employer, Mieli, is cast into space, Jean concocts a plan to rescue her with the assistance of former nemesis Matjek, now reincarnated as a child. Meanwhile, Mieli is drawn into the conflict between the Zoku and the Sobornost via the Great Game, and Joséphine, who instigated the events that launched the series, continues her machinations. Rajaniemi's distant future is filled with duplicated bodies and quantum prisons, and at times the relentless terminology ("Founder gogol," "Wang bullet," "qupt") begs for exposition, but context generally prevails for the patient reader, especially one who's read the earlier books. One weakness is the early death of a character who'd seemed destined for more, a symptom of loose ends being too aggressively tied up. But Rajaniemi still offers a thrilling final ride, and fans will walk away satisfied.

The final book in Finnish author Rajaniemi's trilogy begins as the universe's final battle looms. Narrator Roger Wayne's well-paced reading suits the introspective journeys of the story's introspective protagonists. Having failed in his latest scheme, master thief Jean le Flambeur seeks not only to be redeemed but also to rescue his partner, Mieli, who makes an attractive target for almost every group involved in the war. Listeners unused to conceptual science fiction may find themselves struggling to grasp parts of the plot as the story moves around in time and portrays various warring groups. Starting with the first book in the trilogy, THE QUANTAM THIEF, is strongly recommended. J.M. © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine