The Solid State Entity is a collection of
neurologics and other
intelligent electronics, clustered in moon-sized lobes, scattered around a few stars in the series "
A Requium For Homo Sapiens," by
David Zindell. Most of the story around
Her can be found in the 3rd chapter of "
Neverness," which is essentially a prequel to "A Requium For Homo Sapiens."
This nebula-sized goddess communicates across her lobes with tachynoic information flow, and is leaps and bounds above any computer system on Icefall. She has an affinity for ancient Earth poetry, and also goes by the name Klinda of the Flowers. She was once a Warrior Poet. One of only two ever to earn a red ring on each hand. One for killing arts, one for poetry. She is a benign goddess in many respects, but, as Mallory Ringess learned, she speaks in riddles.
Author's Note: I have a hard time chosing between "Person" "Place" "Idea" or "Thing" for this writeup, as by Zindell's book, the SSE is all four. She is an intelligent form, so she may be considered a person, but she is also huge in the physical, so she could be (and is to many in the books) said to be a place. She is an idea to many of the eschatologists, and a thing to those who do not believe in the "gods" and instead refer to them as "mainbrains." What is a noder to do? I will give Her the benefit of the doubt, and call her a person. Kalinda would like that, I think.