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A further short story by the same author, very short and very suspenseful, about a powerful AI facing an existential task: https://qntm.org/transit https://qntm

A further short story by the same author, very short and very suspenseful, about a powerful AI facing an existential task: https://qntm.org/transit https://qntm.org/transit If you like longer stories, then https://qntm.org/ra https://qntm.org/ra. "Magic is real. Discovered in the 1970s, magic is now a bona fide field of engineering. There's magic in heavy industry and magic in your home. It's what's next after electricity." Magic as an abstraction layer.

solstice 6y ago
Ra and Fine Structure are both incredibly engrossing and absolutely mind-bending
beaconstudios 6y ago
Ra sounds similar to "Mother of Learning", another rationalist-adjacent work of fiction about a universe with logical, well structured magic, and a student who gets trapped in a groundhog day scenario: https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/21220/mother-of-learning https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/21220/mother-of-learning Its an excellent story, but very long. I'm not sure if it's longer than Homestuck, but the length is comparable.
- simsla 6y ago
  I really liked mother of learning. If anyone knows anything similar, I'd really like to hear it.
- RangerScience 6y ago
  Both are excellent, but I would definitely not call them similar. What's actually going on, the narrative and prose styles, the kinds of characters, what kinds of things they do with magic, the general vibe - are substantially different between the two. Highly recommend both.
- ItsMattyG 6y ago
  I didn't consider Mother of Learning to have logical, well-structured magic. Curious what gave you that feeling
  - beaconstudios 6y ago
    The idea of mages as essentially just transforming an energy. The fact that there are raw unstructured skills like shaping that influence your ability to perform structured magic, and can be used to build out new forms (in the same way that fundamentals play into real-life disciplines like music and artisanal work). The structure of living beings having mind/soul/body and how these are formed to protect against certain kinds of magic (soul-killing for example). The way the major branches of magic essentially map to specific transforms on mana. It's not axiomatic or anything, but the way magic is structured in the MoL universe feels like it would lend itself nicely to axiomisation in something like a systemic game.
ASalazarMX 6y ago
On the same topic of rational magic, I'm wary to recommend Mage Against the Machine, because it's entertaining but not a great book, yet the premise of Harry Potter meeting Skynet has a lot of lure and potential. I hope the author improves in the next book. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36373428-mage-against-the-machine https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36373428-mage-against-th...
twicetwice 6y ago
I just read Ra on your recommendation (literally just hit the last page and then searched for this thread) and WOW. That just absolutely warped and blew my mind. What an incredible story. Thank you for the recommendation.

solstice 6y ago

Ra and Fine Structure are both incredibly engrossing and absolutely mind-bending

beaconstudios 6y ago

Ra sounds similar to "Mother of Learning", another rationalist-adjacent work of fiction about a universe with logical, well structured magic, and a student who gets trapped in a groundhog day scenario: https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/21220/mother-of-learning https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/21220/mother-of-learning Its an excellent story, but very long. I'm not sure if it's longer than Homestuck, but the length is comparable.

simsla 6y ago
I really liked mother of learning. If anyone knows anything similar, I'd really like to hear it.
RangerScience 6y ago
Both are excellent, but I would definitely not call them similar. What's actually going on, the narrative and prose styles, the kinds of characters, what kinds of things they do with magic, the general vibe - are substantially different between the two. Highly recommend both.
ItsMattyG 6y ago
I didn't consider Mother of Learning to have logical, well-structured magic. Curious what gave you that feeling
- beaconstudios 6y ago
  The idea of mages as essentially just transforming an energy. The fact that there are raw unstructured skills like shaping that influence your ability to perform structured magic, and can be used to build out new forms (in the same way that fundamentals play into real-life disciplines like music and artisanal work). The structure of living beings having mind/soul/body and how these are formed to protect against certain kinds of magic (soul-killing for example). The way the major branches of magic essentially map to specific transforms on mana. It's not axiomatic or anything, but the way magic is structured in the MoL universe feels like it would lend itself nicely to axiomisation in something like a systemic game.

ASalazarMX 6y ago

On the same topic of rational magic, I'm wary to recommend Mage Against the Machine, because it's entertaining but not a great book, yet the premise of Harry Potter meeting Skynet has a lot of lure and potential. I hope the author improves in the next book. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36373428-mage-against-the-machine https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36373428-mage-against-th...

twicetwice 6y ago

I just read Ra on your recommendation (literally just hit the last page and then searched for this thread) and WOW. That just absolutely warped and blew my mind. What an incredible story. Thank you for the recommendation.