This idea is a significant part of Anathem by Neal Stephenson.
Anathem was so chock full of interesting ideas, too bad the last parts of it were so rushed (or at least felt that way to me).
I always describe it as an excellent 300 page novel crammed into 900 pages.
That's most of Stephenson's books. 90% world building and then 10% story at the end.
Also featured in the 1985 novel Footfall by Niven and Pournelle.
Anathem was so chock full of interesting ideas, too bad the last parts of it were so rushed (or at least felt that way to me).
I always describe it as an excellent 300 page novel crammed into 900 pages.
That's most of Stephenson's books. 90% world building and then 10% story at the end.
Also featured in the 1985 novel Footfall by Niven and Pournelle.