[ExI] Look to Windward--Banks

[Keith Henson]

The three SF authors who write the most about the singularity and post
singularity are Vernor Vinge, Charles Stross and Ian M. Banks.  I am
in the middle of re reading _Look to Windward_ (2000) and was struck
by how much of the book was closely related to recent discussions on
this list.

"The Culture" in Bank's universe is a galaxy wide society with
nanotechnology.  It has stabilized beyond the construction of AIs but
remains for the most part in the physical world.

But Banks is keenly aware of the instability of such a state of development.

If you have not read it recently, you can go to Amazon and search
inside the book for "sublime."

Vinge's _Marooned in Realtime_ (1986) is also relevant to the recent
discussions.

Singularity SF is really hard to write.  Everybody who does so knows
they have to cheat or they have no characters the reader can identify
with.

Keith