It seems more fantasy vs. "extrapolating from interesting science". The "Butlerian Jihad" was the core concept (and interesting), but all the stuff about foldi

It seems more fantasy vs. "extrapolating from interesting science". The "Butlerian Jihad" was the core concept (and interesting), but all the stuff about folding space, neo-feudalism, etc. doesn't follow from that. You could get "rejection of technology, regression" in a cleaner book I think. Actually, Vinge's True Names would be top on my list (and only 90 pages or so).