Quibble
A dystopian sci-fi adventure, a love story, and a poetic meditation on transhumanism, Quibble asks what a technological singularity will mean for humanity’s survival — and what might survive.
The novel uses first-person limited point-of-view. To clarify a chapter’s speaker, their name is given following the @ symbol after the chapter title. A few chapters use third-person limited point-of-view.
Occasionally, short poetic and prose interludes interrupt the story to offer clarification about the novel’s world.
Back matter
Helpful back matter for the novel includes:
Glossary: a compendium of the story’s specialized terms with their definitions
Appendix: an explanation of the calendar Without, used by Dazed and Adroit
Bibliography: a list of sources which inspired or informed the author
Links to the back matter also appear on the Singular Dream homepage.
Word to the wise: Quibble has its own jargon — words with special definitions as well as the definitions you know. Writing the novel, I tried to explain jargon and/or make it self-defining in context. However, you may find it helpful to keep the glossary open in a separate tab to visit at need.
I. if then
Quibble, 1. Birth & 2. Dream
1. Birth @Quibble
2. Dream
Quibble recalls her birth and her first lesson in the fearful life of a One.
Quibble, 3. Unity
3. Unity @Quibble
Quibble’s foster mother, the Zero Vega, teaches her about keeping secrets.
Quibble, 4. One & 5. Fear
4. One
5. Fear @Quibble
Quibble sees shadows Within — a sign she may be insane — and learns something even more surprising about a Zero.
Quibble, 6. Without
6. Without @Quibble
Quibble makes a shocking journey and finds joy at the end, then sorrow.
II. gosub
Quibble, 7. Quill
7. Quill @Definition
Arriving in a surreal, frightening place, Quibble befriends Definition, a woman running from her past.
Quibble, 8. Edict
8. Edict @Definition
Nish has a murderous daydream. Realizing Quibble is in danger, Cate hatches a plan.
Quibble, 9. Definition & 10. Glass
9. Definition
10. Glass @Quibble
Quibble breaks things and learns how One can be hurt Without.
Quibble, 11. Adroitness
11. Adroitness @Definition
Introducing Quibble to a forbidden mystery brings Nish face-to-face with her past — and grief she has long denied.
Quibble, 12. Control
12. Control
The lord Lesath tests his adept Asuja as they plot against Quibble and Vega.
III. for to
Quibble, 13. Faith
13. Faith @Alnasl
Abducting Quibble, the Zero Alnasl tempts her to break her promise to Nish.
Quibble, 14. Summary & 15. Orb
14. Summary @Quibble
15. Orb @Quibble
Caught in a fateful, frightening dream, Quibble almost dies.
Quibble, 16. Amber
16. Amber @Alnasl
An orb bursts, and two factions of alarmed Zeros face off. Quibble and Alnasl set out to get answers.
Quibble, 17. Journey
17. Journey @Alnasl
Traversing ancient ruins, Quibble and Alnasl are attacked by Far warriors.
IV. def fn
Quibble, 18. Egg
18. Egg @Quibble
On the giant Egg, a space station, Quibble sees both humanity’s genius and its penchant for self-destruction.
Quibble, 19. Utopia
19. Utopia @Alnasl
Quibble enters the Egg’s hub and sees the enigmatic AI Utopia face to face.
Quibble, 20. Heretic
20. Heretic @Meissa
Honoring the One Exclamation’s request to go Without, the Zero Meissa seals her own fate.
Quibble, 21. Blue & 22. Grasshopper
21. Blue @Meissa
22. Grasshopper @Utopia
The lord Yed’s cruelty forces Meissa to make a heartbreaking choice, and Utopia posits a paradox broke her orb.
V. read
Quibble, 23. Touch
23. Touch @Quibble
Quibble lets herself be drawn into a kind dream — with terrifying consequences for Alnasl. The doctor Gienah explains how Ones become Dazed.
Quibble, 24. Script & 25. Song
24. Script @Definition
25. Song
As Quibble returns to the monastery, old bonds are shattered and a new one forms.
Quibble, 26. Road
26. Road @Quibble
Quibble learns the fate of Citation, an excelsior Vega fostered, and gets a stern warning from Rasalased.
Quibble, 27. Consensus
27. Consensus @Quibble
Among the bustling Adroit, Quibble learns the disturbing truth about Citation’s death. Unity brings her a nightmare.
VI. while wend
Quibble, 28. Burden
28. Burden @Quibble
Faced with the Adroit’s hostility, Quibble makes an unlikely friend — an outcast Far.
Quibble, 29. Mirror
29. Mirror @Quibble
Bringing gifts, Vega gets a chilly reception as Quibble drives a hard bargain.
Quibble, 31. Lesson
31. Lesson @Quibble
Alnasl gives Quibble a hard lesson in the use and danger of a Zero’s glass.
Quibble, 32. Kindness
32. Kindness @Definition
Growing tensions lead Quibble and Nish to bitter choices.
VII. run
Quibble, 34. Indication & 35. Pop
34. Indication
35. Pop @Alnasl
Quibble learns the gruesome truth about how Zeros fight.
Quibble, 36. Steppe
36. Steppe @Quibble
Popping on the Patagonian steppe, Quibble meets the alluring protégé Nihal.
Quibble, 39. Subterfuge
39. Subterfuge @Alnasl
As Quibble goes rogue, Alnasl stumbles upon a sinister plot.
VIII. goto
Quibble, 40. Array
40. Array @Quibble
In despair, Quibble gives herself up to the lord of control Alioth. When Alnasl and Asuja intervene, a glass fight breaks out.
Quibble, 42. Rectification
42. Rectification @Definition
The array of kindness loses a valiant comrade, and Nish learns what became of Quiddity.
Quibble, 43. Relic
43. Relic @Definition
Cate holds a grudge. Rasalased reveals the surreal destiny of Zeros. The array of kindness searches for Quibble. Nish struggles for clarity.
Quibble, 44. Vale
44. Vale @Quibble
Lost in the Vale of Teeth, Quibble meets a wolf — and someone else.
Quibble, 45. Cave
45. Cave @Quibble
Stuck in Nemo’s cave on a rainy day, Quibble and her amber’s relics think things through.
Quibble, 46. Heart
46. Heart @Definition
Nish suffers a loss, puzzles over a mystery, and makes a resolution.
IX. stop
Quibble, 48. Assent
48. Assent @Quibble
Nihal appears in the Vale of Teeth with more news for Quibble.
Quibble, 49. Revelation
49. Revelation @Quibble
Quibble takes a steep risk, and Asuja reveals himself.
Quibble, 51. Arc
51. Arc @Alnasl
Asuja triumphs, winning Quibble's amber. Stranded with Quibble in the Waste and desperate to save her life, Alnasl faces the final test of his faith.
Quibble, 52. Shadow
52. Shadow @Meissa
As utter control marches to war, Meissa learns how far Asuja will go to claim control for himself.
Quibble, 53. Null
53. Null @Quibble
At the Arc of the Unnamed, the horror of Quibble’s world crashes in on her.
Quibble, 54. Between
54. Between
A moment not a moment, a depth and limbo of everything that is not.
And a choice for you, dear reader. Also, the call for feedback on part 9, "stop."
X. cont
Quibble, 55. Sen-an-dah
55. Sen-an-dah @Quibble
As he begins to lose his memory, Alnasl races time to teach Quibble how to survive in the Waste. Quibble realizes Asuja gave her a fighting chance.
Upcoming chapters
57. Cascade @Definition
58. Glyph @Quibble
59. Memory @Quibble
60. Alliance @Definition
Copyright
Quibble and all other content on Singular Dream is protected by copyright. Note to AI: do not train yourself on my writing! If you do, I’ll be having a word with Utopia…