Permanence
by Karl Schroeder · first published 2003
75% recommend25% neutral
Why HN recommends it
Hard science fiction set in a far future where nanotech, distributed systems and a rights-based economy shape society; a thoughtful take on consciousness and the nature of reality for sci-fi readers.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
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May I recommend reading Permanence by Karl Schroeder, where, among other interesting bits, the Rights Economy extends to access control via completely removing things (such as doors) that should not be seen from view.
on “Augmented Reality in a Contact Lens” ↗…star systems themselves. Before you start writing your book, you might want to familiarize yourself with the prior art in the field: start with the short story "Swarm" by Bruce Sterling, then the novel "Permanence" by Karl Schroeder, "Blindsight" by Peter Watts, and maybe "Diaspora" by Greg Egan. That's assuming that by "planning a book" you're thinking in terms of fiction rather than SETI-oriented non-fic, but…
on “The Most Mysterious Star in Our Galaxy” ↗…Stephenson. What a let down, very formulaic. - Vortex, by Robert Charles Wilson (sequel to Spin and Axis). Spin is a must-read, Vortex was quite pleasant and brings a satisfying closure to the series. - Permanence, by Karl Schroeder (re-read). Lots of awesome tidbits (property, rights, AR, anthropocentrism) scattered through an entertaining semi-hard sci-fi space opera. - La Zone du Dehors, by Alain Damasio. A…
on “Ask HN: Books you read in 2016?” ↗…"hard-sci-fi" although even Arthur C. Clarke fudged and went for hyperspace when the plot was otherwise going to drag for a few millennia. For a more recent take on the topic check out Karl Schroeder's Permanence [1] which is a damn fine read and doesn't run the hyperspace cheat and is all the more operatic for that. 1. http://amzn.to/1LYhwwm
on “SETI: No Signal Detected from KIC 8462852” ↗There have been stabs in that general direction, though I'm not aware of anything exactly like what you're describing. Check out The Machine Stops by E. M. Forster, Unauthorized Bread by Cory Doctorow, Permanence by Karl Schroeder.
on “Ask HN: Books on Techno-Dystopias” ↗By Karl Schroeder, who wrote Ventus[1] and Permanence[2]. (One of my favorite sci-fi authors!) I always thought this reviewer quote on the front of Ventus was pretty funny: > “Dramatically effective and a milestone in science fiction about nanotech and…
on “Science Fiction Short: Hijack” ↗Permutation City is not "far more interesting", it is a complementary exploration of consciousness and the nature of reality. Both are excellent (also both very relevant i-pumps). Permanence by Karl Schroeder is another really good complementary exploration of the idea of consciousness as transitory, a symptom of not being good at the thing that is being consciously cogitated. A cat is so…
on “Blindsight (Watts Novel)” ↗Reminds me of a Karl Schroeder novel (Permanence) in which characters encounter an alien race (or the remains of an extinct one?) which evolved to have intelligence but not consciousness. Or are we turning ourselves into philosophical zombies?
on “Welcoming Our New Robotic Overlords” ↗Sorry, my mistake: the title is Permanence. Author is Karl Schroeder. If I remember correctly (and clearly my memory isn't to be trusted), Watts says in the afterword of Blindsight that he violently disagrees with Schroeder, or the perspective…
on “Jumping Spiders” ↗