History Literature / TheQuantumThief

* HumanoidAbomination: The Sobornost Founders arguably qualify, especially the highly evolved forks from Deep Time in a guberniya. The All Defector has only been seen as a humanoid so far, but then [[NothingIsScarier it's exact nature isn't clear]]

* WhatMeasureIsANonHuman: Sobornost highly values all human individuals (as long as they aren't part of a Zoku). Unfortunately for their gogol slaves, they only apply the term 'individual' to the original copy, regardless of what subsequent copies might feel on the matter.

* BulletTime: Used copiously and a necessity when someone can increase their subject perception of reality.

* {{Brainwashed}}: [[spoiler: The Zadakim along with the majority of the Oubliette. From the Cryptarchs' perspective it's BrainwashingForTheGreaterGood, as the relatively small amount of mind theft they allow and facilitate keeps Sobornost from seriously considering invading.]]

** In the sequel novel, Fractal Prince, the city of Sirr uses a more disturbing form of currency: human minds. The city only exists because of the Wildcode Desert that protects it from Sobornost assimilation, but the Sobornost lust for all the minds forcefully uploaded into the [[GreyGoo Wildcode Desert]] that they can't touch, so they hire the baseline humans of Sirr to "mine" them from the 'Code one at a time in return for scraps of their posthuman technology.

** Also an example that is both ''very'' literal and meta at the same time, doubling as a StealthPun. Early on in the ''Causal Angel'', Le Flambeur visits a place called the Arsenal, where the Zoku have stored a rather sizable collection of [[DoomsdayDevice doomsday device]]s. One piece in particular draws special attention, and true enough, it comes back to play a role in the finale. The (female) character who designed it is called [[GeniusBonus Chekhova]].

** Also an example that is both ''very'' literal and meta at the same time. Early on in the ''Causal Angel'', Le Flambeur visits a place called the Arsenal, where the Zoku have stored a rather sizable collection of [[DoomsdayDevice doomsday device]]s. One piece in particular draws special attention, and true enough, it comes back to play a role in the finale. The (female) character who designed it is called [[GeniusBonus Chekhova]].

** The All-Defector[[spoiler: 's ultimate goal is nothing less than to ''become'' the entire universe.]]

* NiceJobBreakingItHero: In ''The Causal Angel'', [[spoiler:Jean crashes the Zoku's quantum communication network as a distraction in order to rescue Meili. Unfortunately, in doing so, he cripples the Zoku moments before they're attacked by a force of Sobornost ships controlled by the All-Defector.]] Oops.

* ReformedCriminal: Jean initially tries to pull this on Meili to get out of his debt of honor to her. [[spoiler: In the end, it turns out he really has been reformed by the Archon Prison, resulting in his HeroicSacrifice.]]

** Mieli means "mind" in Finnish. Sydän means "heart".

* MoralEventHorizon: [[spoiler: In ''The Causal Angel'' it is revealed that Jean and the Pellegrini were responsible for The Collapse. Upon realizing what he had done, Jean was horrified leading him to abandon her and become the God of Theives. When he learns this again - see MemoryGambit - he decides he wants nothing to do with his past self and becomes even more motivated to save Meili and Child!Chen.]]

** ''Causal Angel'' briefly features Notch-zoku that is devoted to building monuments and whose symbol is a [[MineCraft crudely carved man with a pickaxe]].
** And [[CthulhuMythos Mythos-zoku]]. And [[NeonGenesisEvangelion Evangelion Zoku]]. The Zoku are one big collection of Internet-culture Shout Outs because many of them are supposed to be the very same people who contribute in those today and feel nostalgic about them.

* VigilanteMan: The Zadikim. Undeniably good, protecting the Oubliette from mind thieves and trying to root out the Chryptarchs. [[spoiler: Subverted, as they are the brainwashed, UnwittingPawns of the Chryptarchs.]]

** For its part [[spoiler: the All Defector underestimated Jean in the Chen guberniya and didn't stop to consider making endless perfectly modeled copies of him. This ultimately lead to its and Chen's defeat.]]

* HiddenElfVillage: The Oubliette. Subverted to a degree, as their security is less from isolation and more from the layers and layers and ''layers'' of cryptography, and they allow immigration and tourists to visit.