The Fractal Prince is so far into the future that it is difficult recognizing what humanity has become. What makes it feel real is this very awareness. Instead, the writing moves so fast, so quickly, that it is only the sprinkling of labels and jargon that reminds me that Rajaniemi is even thinking about it.
This is not to say that The Fractal Prince is dry and sodden down by the weight of physics. He just finds a way to weld physics to do what he wants. Unlike the Star Wars, or even Star Trek, universes, where the laws of science are as ignored as any swords and sorcery fantasy (and, indeed, Luke Skywalker may have more in common with the questing, sword welding hero than not), Rajaniemi does not ignore physics. The challenge is such that, as I have seen one reviewer note, I would not recommend Rajaniemi’s The Quantum Thief trilogy to the “uninitiated” to science fiction. Hannu Rajaniemi, though, has found a way to both escape and challenge my mind at the same time.
I did not have that problem when I read this book. I’ll pick up science-fiction or fantasy because I want to escape, relax, and take a break. One of the reasons I read non-fiction and classics is that they tend to challenge me more than the books I enjoy reading the most.
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