Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Sci-fi Author Charles Stross Cancels Trilogy: the NSA Is Already Doing It

Posted by Soulskill on from the can-we-convince-the-NSA-to-spy-on-a-ringworld dept.

doom writes "Charles Stross has announced that there won't be a third book in the Halting State trilogy because reality (in a manner of speaking) has caught up to him too fast The last straw was apparently the news that the NSA planted spies in networked games like WoW. Stross comments: 'At this point, I'm clutching my head. Halting State wasn't intended to be predictive when I started writing it in 2006. Trouble is, about the only parts that haven't happened yet are Scottish Independence and the use of actual quantum computers for cracking public key encryption (and there's a big fat question mark over the latter-- what else are the NSA up to?).'"

8 of 208 comments (clear)

  1. Scottish Independance by LaminatorX · · Score: 5, Funny

    The Scotts are to have a referendum on independance next year, as far as that goes.

    1. Re:Scottish Independance by Bill,+Shooter+of+Bul · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Well, if Europe doesn't want Scotland. We could use a 51st state. Especially one with such great scotch.

      --
      Well.. maybe. Or Maybe not. But Definitely not sort of.
    2. Re:Scottish Independance by DMUTPeregrine · · Score: 5, Funny

      Yes, but what would we do for the 52nd and 53rd states? We need 53, after all, the US is "One nation, indivisible."

      --
      Not a sentence!
  2. Probably writer's block by cold+fjord · · Score: 5, Interesting

    It's probably just writer's block. Intelligence agency interest in on-line games was in the news back around 2006-2008, just like the warrantless wiretapping controversy. If he was going to abandon it for the stated reason I would expect he would have done it then. Besides, this sort of thing hasn't really stopped other writers from creating interesting stories.

    --
    much of left-wing thought is a kind of playing with fire by people who don't even know that fire is hot - George Orwell
  3. See what you have done, NSA ? by Taco+Cowboy · · Score: 5, Funny

    Dear NSA,

    You not only cost us our privacy, the privacy that we treasure so much.

    Now you cost us a good book !

    What else are you going to cost us, NSA ??

    --
    Muchas Gracias, Señor Edward Snowden !
    1. Re:See what you have done, NSA ? by Cryacin · · Score: 5, Funny

      Dear Mr. Stross,

      It is with great regret that we have learned of the discontinuation of your how-to manual, Halting State.

      We have unfortunately not been able to encourage Scotland to secede from the United Kingdom in a timely manner, however, we assure you that our state of Quantum Computing has reached appropriate levels.

      We have been eagerly awaiting your third instalment. Considering your decision to discontinue your series, we would appreciate any notes you have to be emailed. Anywhere will be fine.

      Yours sincerely,

      Manne I. Black
      NSA

      --
      Science advances one funeral at a time- Max Planck
  4. Re:Pick your favourite outcome! by Esteanil · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Definitively a Iain M. Banks world (The Culture)

    --
    I'm a dreamer, the world is my playpen. But hey, I'm a serious person, I can't dream all the time.
  5. New direction for his creativity by namgge · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Perhaps Mr Stross could use his skills to to describe an imaginary world where the government told the whole truth to the electorate, there was a right to privacy, and only politicians were systematically spied on and investigated...

    It sure would be interesting to know what that would be like.