Alert readers will remember that the math examples of the previous chapter deviated from this. The idea here was also to simulate general-purpose computation inside a mining algorithm, this time by executing randomly generated circuits. The influence of Taoist thought on Le Guin’s writing is also visible in the idea of a cosmic “balance” in the universe of Earthsea. The influence of Norse lore in particular can be seen in the characters of the Kargs, who are blonde and blue-eyed, and worship two gods who are brothers. Early concepts for the Earthsea setting were developed in two short stories, “The… Read More
