4 ms·

How funny! Just a few hours ago, I finished reading through Charles Stross' "The Laundry Files" sci-fi/fantasy series. https://www.antipope.org/charlie/blog-st

How funny! Just a few hours ago, I finished reading through Charles Stross' "The Laundry Files" sci-fi/fantasy series. https://www.antipope.org/charlie/blog-static/2020/10/the-laundry-files-an-updated-c.html https://www.antipope.org/charlie/blog-static/2020/10/the-lau... The central premise is that magic and computation are essentially the same thing, information/entropy exchange that can open channels to other multiverse inhabitants when performed at sufficient scale. As computers have become more powerful and widespread, a secret government agencies have been drafting those who stumble upon particularly dangerous algorithms -- which can invoke bugs and close encounters. So the central protagonist of an IT guy for the UK secret ministry, "The Laundry". Visual Basic macros are not allowed!

cglodt 4y ago
I'm also reminded of Max Gladstone's "Craft Sequence" novels, which have some meso-american themes in a universe where "lawyers ride lightning bolts, souls are currency, and cities are powered by the remains of fallen gods". Highly recommended.
tazjin 4y ago
Is it an enjoyable read for tech people? (i.e. no"CSI tech" where suspending disbelief becomes hard)
- lburton 4y ago
  Yes, generally not much in the way of CSI tech... just some magic ;) at least as far as I recall.. the first few books had some pretty amusing 90sish IT stuff but that mostly falls away as the universe gets built / the mc does very little IT.
  - watersb 4y ago
    There is, however, at least one nasty incident of souls sucked away by PowerPoint. You have been warned. :-)
- mudita 4y ago
  The author has a degree in computer science and worked as a programmer and technical writer before becoming a full-time science fiction author, so yes.
  - watersb 4y ago
    IIRC, @cstross (who is on the HN here at times) had his first published work in contributions to the AD&D Monster Manual. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monster_Manual https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monster_Manual Legit. https://news.ycombinator.com/user?id=cstross https://news.ycombinator.com/user?id=cstross
zenron 4y ago
Yeah they are an absolutely fantastic read. Computer Shopper meets James Bond meets Cthulhu.

cglodt 4y ago

I'm also reminded of Max Gladstone's "Craft Sequence" novels, which have some meso-american themes in a universe where "lawyers ride lightning bolts, souls are currency, and cities are powered by the remains of fallen gods". Highly recommended.

tazjin 4y ago

Is it an enjoyable read for tech people? (i.e. no"CSI tech" where suspending disbelief becomes hard)

lburton 4y ago
Yes, generally not much in the way of CSI tech... just some magic ;) at least as far as I recall.. the first few books had some pretty amusing 90sish IT stuff but that mostly falls away as the universe gets built / the mc does very little IT.
- watersb 4y ago
  There is, however, at least one nasty incident of souls sucked away by PowerPoint. You have been warned. :-)
mudita 4y ago
The author has a degree in computer science and worked as a programmer and technical writer before becoming a full-time science fiction author, so yes.
- watersb 4y ago
  IIRC, @cstross (who is on the HN here at times) had his first published work in contributions to the AD&D Monster Manual. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monster_Manual https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monster_Manual Legit. https://news.ycombinator.com/user?id=cstross https://news.ycombinator.com/user?id=cstross

zenron 4y ago

Yeah they are an absolutely fantastic read. Computer Shopper meets James Bond meets Cthulhu.