Product Description
Larry Greenberg's telepathic tendencies had been trained and developed to a critical level. The trouble was that if these psychic interchanges were strong enough, a man could end up not knowing who he really was. But when Larry's mind is taken over by an alien force, he has to fight to retain his sanity - and divert a disaster that threatens all mankind. And when Larry's mind is taken over by a sinister alien force, he has to fight to retain his sanity - and divert a disaster that threatens all mankind... ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Not Free SF Reader
Stasis end control conflict.


An alien that basically wants to do the Overmind thing ends up on Earth, but things don't go as plan, to the tune of him being frozen in stasis for rather a long time.

Lone enough to wake up and get involved with a search for his global domination gear with an Earth scientist, a specialist in interspecies communication.

Light, short and entertaining book.

Back when Known Space was great
Larry Niven really had a great universe with his "Known Space" series.It was just plain fun and imagnative.Larry has returned back to the Ring World and known space.But Ringworld's Children has pretty much ended the series and there isn't much more that can be done unless somebody decides to be a writer if Larry franchises it.

That being said, I really liked World of Ptavvs.Larry's universe if fun and fairly PG rated, no really offensive stuff here.Indeed, this story goes well with the later Ringworld, Neutron Star stories, and the rest of Know Space.

Basically, in this book the universe is old and there have been several wars of expermination between various species.About a few billion years past the Trints are mind-controlling overlords of the universe.They are double crossed and decided to exterminate life in the universe.Basically, the only thing left alive in the universe is food scum and we all evolved from that.

Fast forward a billion years.Explorers on earth find a frozen statue of an alien.They use a stasis field, turn off the alien's stasis, and a threat comes to earth that could enslave the universe.

Niven write fun and fast.To pass time the mind controlling Alien pays cards and the people who are controlled figure the thing is stupid, it can't spot card patterns.The lesson is clear:people in control don't have to be smart (that was known in 1966 and is still true today).

Niven's high points in writing is in his playground of "Known Space".The novels read fast, are not boring, and are always fun.

Now, this novel was written back in 1966.So, it's a little dated.We pretty much know there are no Martians.

Still, it's fun.I rate it a 4 star.

A decent first novel for Niven.
This is Larry Niven's first novel and the first novel set in his Known Space universe.The plot revolves around the accidental revival by humans of the Thrint Kzanol from a long period of stasis. The mind-sharing between Kzanol and human telepath Larry Greenberg also plays a centrol role.

The first half of the book introduces us to Kzanol and Larry while giving us some background on humanity during Larry's time.The latter half of the novel focuses on a space race to prevent Kzanol from retrieving his telepathic amplifier helmet.This latter half is slow and laden with details that, while scientifically accurate for the time, are boring and in some ways secondary to the advancement of the plot.The characters in the book other than Larry or Kzanol are barely fleshed out and unfortunately the latter half of the book spends a lot of time away from Larry and Kzanol.

The average reader will undoubtedly find this a less compelling introduction to Niven.For introductory Niven try N-Space which gives a good overview of Niven's work or just jump in with Ringworld.

A fan of Niven's Known Space will find some gems worth their time in this novel, such as tidbits about the Thrintun and Tnuctipun, that make the read worthwhile.Overall this is a moderately good work that shows the initial promise which led to Niven's later and better work.

This novel can be found along with two other Known Space novels (A Gift from Earth and Tales of Known Space) in a collection called Three Books of Known Space.

And whatever became of the dolphins?
I first read World of Ptavvs when I was about 16, and remembered nothing of it other than the title when I came across a copy last week. That surprised me a bit since I'd felt fairly strongly about most of Larry Niven's other works--loved Ringworld, hated Footfall.So I grabbed it up and since it's really just a novella, thought I'd finish it rather quickly.World of Ptavvs didn't hold my interest, though, and so I put it aside in favor of other more substantial books and took more than a week to complete it.If this were not the first of Niven's Known Space books, honestly there would be no particular reason to spend time with it.Other reviewers will cover the plot--suffice it to say that this is a real sci-fi gadget-driven-"technology and its consequences" story with cardboard characters--I couldn't even say, afterward, who I thought the main protagonist was.Characters have never been Niven's strong suit, ideas have, and in Ringworld that was no bad thing.But World of Ptavvs lacks the alien environment of Ringworld to a great extent, and so Niven's explorations are less compelling.There were moments of interest, and the idea of a superwar that destroys almost all sentient life in the universe is horrifying, but the method Niven postulates given his own premises is so obviously flawed that it took me a mere 20 seconds to think, "Wait, that doesn't make sense, couldn't they...?"One plot point, the exploration of space by dolphins (!) was completely dropped and seemed almost entirely irrelevant to the story.Completist fans of Known Space will surely want to read World of Ptavvs.Other sci-fi fans might prefer The Apocalypse Troll by David Weber, a work indebted to Niven but in some respects better written; or the Peter F. Hamilton Night's Dawn series.

Background on Known Space
If you haven't discovered Larry Niven, or just recently discovered him, you need to read his early novels that set the tone of more recent work in his future history "Known Space." This book gives the origin of Humans (in the Known Space Universe)and is a great SciFi thrill ride. The story is rather short, especially if you are used to horror stories from the likes of Stephen King and Dan Simmons (who writes SciFi, Horror, and Detective novels)and you won't get the character development that you would with Niven's more recent work like The Ringworld Throne or The Legacy of Heorot. But remember, this was published in 1966.You have to forgive the use of science that has been disproved since 1966 (you can't land on Neptune -- its a gas giant. And the suspected 10th planet in our solar system apparently does not exist).But it is still a great, suspenseful story.If not for the lack of sick, disgusting murders (and the inclusion of spaceships), this could be a horror story. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Some of the best science fiction short stories ever written
This collection contains some of the best science fiction short stories ever written. It includes "Inconstant Moon", a story about the sun flaring up and people on the night side knowing about it due to the brightness of the moon. Since they have knowledge of astronomy, the main characters are simply waiting for the dawn of a new day and the end of the world. This was my favorite story in the collection.
A close second was "Man of Steel" a discussion of the difficulties inherent in Superman from Krypton cross breeding with a human female. The material on the physical difficulties of sex and gestation are factual and entertaining. Niven also demonstrates his scientific knowledge in the stories "Exercise in Speculation: The Theory and Practice of Teleportation" and "The Theory and Practice of Time Travel." As he so clearly demonstrates, the practical difficulties of doing either one are extremely formidable.
I read this book for the first time approximately 20 years ago and enjoyed it just as much this time. If I am fortunate, I will read it again in another 20 years.

Not Free SF Reader
A wildly varying collection from 3 excellent pieces like All the Myriad Ways and Inconstant Moon to the Unfinished Story rubbish.

A couple of essays to be found here too.

All the Myriad Ways : All the Myriad Ways [SS] - Larry Niven
All the Myriad Ways : Passerby - Larry Niven
All the Myriad Ways : For a Foggy Night - Larry Niven
All the Myriad Ways : Wait It Out - Larry Niven
All the Myriad Ways : The Jigsaw Man - Larry Niven
All the Myriad Ways : Not Long Before the End - Larry Niven
All the Myriad Ways : Unfinished Story No 1 - Larry Niven
All the Myriad Ways : Unfinished Story No 2 - Larry Niven
All the Myriad Ways : Man of SteelWoman of Kleenex - Larry Niven
All the Myriad Ways : Inconstant Moon - Larry Niven
All the Myriad Ways : What Can You Say About Chocolate Covered Manhole Covers? - Larry Niven
All the Myriad Ways : Becalmed in Hell - Larry Niven


Murder maybe multiverse.

4.5 out of 5


A specially adapted ramscoop ship pilot gets in trouble in space, when he sees a large golden alien humanoid. He finds himself rescued and transported 12 light years instantaneously back to Earth.

A couple of essays to be found here, too.


3.5 out of 5


Vaguely lost.

3 out of 5


Corpsicle decision.

3 out of 5


Organlegging escape.

4 out of 5


Once upon a time a swordsman battled a sorcerer. As was fairly de rigeur, really.

To paraphrase Guru Bob, 'a good big barbarian with weapon will always beat a good little sorcerer when the magic goes away.'

4.5 out of 5


Maxwell the Demon can do an energy thing.

3 out of 5


Unknown why this is here.

1 out of 5


While not a story as such, Niven satirically pontificates on the damage super spoof would to a human mortal woman, and the possibilities of super surrogacy.

Wonder if Superboy had Element Lad make him some special material condoms on his trips to the 30th century?

3.5 out of 5


Really lunary weather we're having.

4.5 out of 5


Strange party alien trip.

3 out of 5


Ship brain Venus trip.

2.5 out of 5

A genius running wild...
Well , what can i say , we all know that 99% of anything Niven touch becomes pure gold.

And not by mistake either. He's as talented as the devil , and knows it. buy this book to taste a bit of his humor as well ,find out why superman can't have sex with human weman or read a fascinatingarticle about teleportation. there's some fantasy in there to in "Whatgood is a glass dagger". Overall , a wonderfull book , writen lightlyby one of the best writers the world has known.

My first Science Fiction book
I read All the Myriad Ways 20 years ago.It was the first science fiction book I ever read.Thousands of books later I still vividly remember the short stories I read here.If you like Larry Niven don't miss this book.

Excellent; worth the title story alone.
The nonfiction essays, as exercises in informed speculation, are well-done. But my favorite parts of this classic are the two main stories: "All The Myriad Ways," and "Inconstant Moon." Thelatter story is better than "Titanic." I've got an old 1975 copyof this, complete with cheezy 70's computer fonts on the cover.. boy am Iglad my dad bought so many books before I was born! It's well worth seekingout a copy of this one... it will not disappoint. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A fun read - someone tried to kill a man on the moon, but who did it?
I just finished reading THE PATCHWORK GIRL, and I really enjoyed it. It's a detective mystery novel that takes place on the moon in the future. Sounds like good fun doesn't it? This book also has "... over fifty superb interior illustrations by Fernando Fernadez ...", which is an uncommon plus. This story is part of Larry Niven's canon of writings called Known Space. It is out of print, but you can get a used copy here on Amazon.

I disagree with the other reviewer about there being too much gratuitous sex. I wouldn't say it's gratuitous (overly detailed or excessive); it's a minor aspect of the story. This element goes to understanding the socio-cultural aspects of the "Lunies" versus the "Flatlanders" (and "Belters"). It's also part of the lifestyle of the main character, Gil "The Arm" Hamilton.

I thought this story was well thought out. It had a tough to solve engaging "locked room" who-dun-it. The detailed descriptions of the environment, characters, socio-cultural, and historical contexts, plus the fascinating technological/science stuff was engagingly described.

THE PATCHWORK GIRL is also included in the book, THREE BOOKS OF KNOWN SPACE. However, you don't get the illustrations in that volume. This is a classic sci-fi story. Niven has other short stories that take place on Mercury, Venus, Earth, "The" Moon, Mars, Pluto, the asteroid belt, and of course other star systems. It's all good imaginative fun. Check out my Listmanias for information on all of Larry Niven's Known Space stories/books, and in which order to read them.

I hope you enjoy THE PATCHWORK GIRL. Let me know :^)

Not Niven's best
This book is a mystery story, set on the moon.A murder attempt is made, and a woman accused.Gil the ARM must prove her innocence before she ends up in the organ banks.

Though short, I found this story hard to credit.Though the science was well thought out (Niven's trademark), I did not think the characters acted believably.There was also too much gratuitous sex (Niven's other trademark) - the hero sleeps with the accused woman, his real girlfriend, and another woman he meets along the way. ... Read more

Product Description
Jerome Corbell is awakened 200 years after being frozen and finds himself in someone else's body and being chosen to train as a rammer, a starship pilot. Should he fail his training, the state would terminate him and give his adopted body to someone else. June publication date. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Is that all?
This is a very short book.Well book on tape.If your a fan of Larry Niven and you have read A WORLD OUT OF TIME then don't even bother.This is basically the short story that Niven grew into the full book.The reader is quite good but a little too on edge at times and seems prone to giving random inflections to any old word.If your a Niven fan, pick it up.Too bad it's so short.An entire reading of A world out of time could have been fun.

Rammer is A World Out Of Time
Call it "Rammer" or call it "A World Out Of Time", regardless of the title of the book it is a MUST READ for any Larry Niven fan.Do not expect to see any of the "Tales From Known Space" oreven any of the wonderful creatures that populate Larry's universe.Butyou will be spellbound by this alternate vision of Earth seen through theeyes of Jerome Corbell."Revived" after 200 hundred years afterbeing frozen to prevent death from cancer.Watch "JayBee" copein a world beyond his worst nightmares.Imagine the prospect of being"mind wiped" if you make a mistake.This is just the start of astrange journey covering space and time for Jaybee Corbell - corpsicle.

Captivating story, published under another title
I didn't realize that I had this book under another title until looking at the synopsis here.... A World Out of Time...It is an excellent and captivating story, and possably a warning as our technology is fastapproaching this stage.To wake up in a world that is a police state,rebel, and possably find a version of the fountain of youth. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

good intro to the series
If you haven't read any of the Man-Kzin Wars books, then this is a good introduction to the series.If you have, then don't bother with this one.The four stories in this book appear in volumes 1,2,4,and 5.If you want to read All the stories that qualified for the books, then I definitly recommend reading each of the other books.

To the World's Best SF Author:Larry, this is a ripoff!
Dear Larry Niven:I have been a science fiction fan my entire life, and consider you the best SF writer ever, better and more imaginative than greats like Asimov, Bradbury, Clark, or Heinlein.I own every one of your books, except this one, including all the Known Space and Man-Kzin Wars.

I think "The Best of All Possible Wars" is a rip-off, however, as every single story has been published elsewhere.I understand that you like to repackage stories, and I don't blame you, but every book should have at least something new!

I hope you will take kindly this friendly admonition from your
most loyal fan.To all others:you should buy all his other books; they are great reading!

A very nice intro (or refresher) to the Man-Kzin Wars
____________________________________________
The Man-Kzin Wars is probably the best -- and most successful --
of the shared-world series. Now up to #8, it has spawned a "best-
of", and it's pretty good: two Niven shorts, a Bear/Stirling
novelette, and a Pournelle/Stirling short novel.

The Niven opener, "The Warriors"(1966) has a certain clunky
charm - it was his first Kzin story *and* the first story he tried to
sell. He dreamed it up in math class, working up to flunking out
of Caltech, and rewrote it for years, "trying out what I was learning
from my correspondence writing course." It's enough to give an
amateur writer hope.

Niven #2, "Madness Has its Place" (1990), is professional but
minor.In "The Man who would be Kzin"(Bear & Stirling, 1991), a
powerful projective telepath leads the Kzin Second Invasion Fleet
into disaster. It's clever, logical and smoothly-written. I enjoyed
rereading it.

Pournelle & Stirling's "In the Hall of the Mountain King"(1992)
occupies 2/3 of the book. It's not flawless, with a pointless Buford
Early/ARM-as-Illuminati subplot, plus it's a sequel (to "The
Children's Hour") -- but it moves smartly (after a slow start) and if
the ending doesn't raise up the hair on the back of your neck, you
probably shouldn't be reading this stuff.

I believe all 8 of the Man-Kzin collections are still in print, and
the publisher obviously hopes you'll go out and buy more after
reading this "teaser" collection. Be warned -- they're habit-
forming. The series remains high-quality throughout, tho there
are a few clunkers. It's pretty much required reading for Known
Space fans. My personal favorite is Dean Ing's "Cathouse" &
"Briarpatch", actually a novel, awkwardly split between MKW#1
& #2.

Review copyright 1998 by Peter D. Tillman

Great Collection
This book has a great collection of short stories.THere are some that deffinately outshine outhers.It gives you a nice taste of the Man-Kizin Wars series.

An excellent Kzinti intro and feeder for further research
My main concern on getting this book via mail was that the main stories were not written by Niven. I almost sent it back as I imagined that no one could possibly produce stories by proxy. The fist two are by Niven and are a couple of short illustrative tales that explain about the Kzin and the events that led to the war. The last two make up the body of the book and are by the guest authors. If you have not read Niven before start with N-Space (a collection of short stories that will get you addicted), however the guest authors really add value and produce an excellent read. I would recommend this book but you have to know the species and background of the Niven universe to get the most out of it. I would "buy it again". ... Read more

Product Description
This is the sequel to "The Mote in God's Eye". Humankind has spent 100 years agonizing over the threat posed by the only aliens they have ever threatened, the Moties. The three-armed aliens have been quarantined within the confines of their own solar system - until now. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

No, This actually is "Gripping Hand" under a disquise.
Do not spend your money on this.No.This, actually, is the British edition of "Gripping Hand" under a disquise or nom de plume or some such alternate name.I gave "G.H." a two and will give this the same two.As a sequel to "Mote" it is disappointing.If you must have it, buy "Gripping Hand".

Great book, but choose the U.S. version for less cost
This price is only due to the rarity of an import version, with a different title, possibly out of print now. See the other reviews for the U.S. name equivalent :)

"Counter rating"...
I'm giving the book five stars in order to override Glen's review above. My actual rating is closer to four.

Mistake? Book? What?
Is this a real book? What is the reviewer talking about? The sequel to Mote is the Gripping Hand. Is this Mote In Gods Eye under a different name or Gripping Hand under a different name? Given where Mote ended and GH begins there isn't room for a book in between.

GOT IT

It bothered me so I googled it

In the United Kingdom, The Gripping Hand was released as The Moat Around Murcheson's Eye. See also the entry gripping hand about the usage of this term as ...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Gripping_Hand - 13k - Cached - Similar pages

$119.95 for a *paperback*??
this is a terrific book and a worthy sequel to The Mote in God's Eye - but amazon is selling a paperback edition for $119.99???!!! - is this book gold plated?!

go to the local shop and get it ordered in for $19.99...! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Not Free SF Reader
A shot at a shared-world Berserker anthology, with some notable SF writers taking a crack at a range of different types of stories involving these badlife hating metal monsters.The pick of this lot is the first Donalson tale.

Each story has a linking piece preceding it by the editor, who is of course the author of all the other Berserker material.

Berserker Base : What Makes Us Human - Stephen R. Donaldson
Berserker Base : With Friends Like These - Connie Willis
Berserker Base : Itself Surprised - Roger Zelazny
Berserker Base : Deathwomb - Poul Anderson
Berserker Base : Pilots of the Twilight - Edward Bryant
Berserker Base : A Teardrop Falls - Larry Niven


Berserker freeze out

4 out of 5


Marriages hassles and Berserker around.

3 out of 5


Busted berserker bit deal.

3.5 out of 5


Berserker planet trade deal.

3 out of 5


Runagate PereSnik't 'Reen boojum.

3 out of 5


Berserker fortress upload takeover return revenge.

3.5 out of 5




3.5 out of 5

Read More Than One Novel by One.
I can call this novel a link among the science fiction novel's. It is full of fantastic events and very interesting. You can travel through the worlds from one galaxy to another, and take part in a war between the human kind and robots, one of the human dreams'. After Reading This book I ask this question again from myself: Is that true, Can robots disturb human's bright technology?

A rare find
If you love the Berserker stories, then this is a very rare find.Especially if you love stories by Roger Zelazny or Larry Niven ... Read more

Product Description
The sequel to N-Space

Playgrounds of the Mind captures the startling range and variety of Larry Niven's spectacular career, from bestselling novels such as Lucifer's Hammer and The Ringworld Engineers, from his classic short stories of science fiction and fantasy, from his thought-provoking essays and non-fiction, from his innovative and seldom-seen work in comics (on such projects as The Green Lantern Bible), to an advance look at Larry Niven's upcoming projects.

Like N-Space, Playgrounds of the Mind is a feast for Niven's millions of fans-and an impressive tribute to the man Arthur C. Clarke called his "favorite writer."
... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

Science Fiction for Engineers, Part 2
Larry Niven's collection of book excerpts, short stories and essays on science and fiction is a continuation of his earlier collection, N-Space.Niven is known for his Big Ideas and for dialog and characters that don't stand in their way.Few are better at inventing convincingly-alien alien species.But individuals come across as "a credit to their species" rather than as complex personalities.This book mixes representative Niven fiction and his perspectives on writing it.

My four favorites from the forty-nine chapters are:

"The Soft Weapon" is an excellent single-story sample of Niven's fiction.It explains several actual scientific principles, features exotic alien technology, and centers around solving a problem.Everyone behaves true-to-type:The Puppeteers value caution and cowardice, the Kzinti value honor and physical courage, and the humans value "monkey curiosity" and clever solutions.Guess who comes out ahead?

"The Dreadful White Page" is a short short story that lays out Niven's perspective on writer's block.It makes its point.

"The Green Marauder" is a science fiction bar story set in the Draco Tavern.Typical to such stories, the seen-it-all-before human bartender makes casual conversation with an alien and picks up a startling insight.

"Works in Progress" excerpts and discusses The Mote in God's Eye and Fallen Angels, which Niven is working on while writing this book.Not all of his predictions about how they will turn out prove to be accurate.

This book is essential reading for his fans, worth sampling by readers of space opera, and... is not to be mistaken for a how-to guide for would-be writers.The fiction is very good, the nonfiction varies in quality, and the book excerpts will frustrate anyone who has not read the respective books.Keep a pile of them nearby while reading.Satisfied readers may also enjoy Isaac Asimov's Opus 100 and Stephen King's Secret Windows: Essays and Fiction On The Craft Of Writing, which take a similar "author tells his stories and then explains them to you" approach.

Not Free SF Reader
A bit of a hodge-podge collection.To go along with some decent stories, Niven has whacked in a bunch of book excerpts.Good advertising, perhaps, but he also does write an intro about the book to tell how it came to be and seems to be picking pieces to illustrate what he is saying.

However, luckily for this book's rating there is more here than this.There are articles about things like Mega-Dyson spheres, on reviewers, and other pieces like that that improve the score.Even an Irish coffee recipe for a large batch, of all things.

Playgrounds of the Mind : A Teardrop Falls - Larry Niven
Playgrounds of the Mind : from Inferno [short story] - Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle
Playgrounds of the Mind : Rammer - Larry Niven
Playgrounds of the Mind : Becalmed in Hell - Larry Niven
Playgrounds of the Mind : Wait It Out - Larry Niven
Playgrounds of the Mind : A Relic of Empire - Larry Niven
Playgrounds of the Mind : from Lucifer's Hammer [short story] - Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle - Larry Niven
Playgrounds of the Mind : The Soft Weapon - Larry Niven
Playgrounds of the Mind : The Borderland of Sol - Larry Niven
Playgrounds of the Mind : from The Ringworld Engineers [short story] - Larry Niven
Playgrounds of the Mind : What Good Is a Glass Dagger? - Larry Niven
Playgrounds of the Mind : from The Magic Goes Away [short story] - Larry Niven
Playgrounds of the Mind : The Defenseless Dead - Larry Niven
Playgrounds of the Mind : from The Patchwork Girl [short story] - Larry Niven
Playgrounds of the Mind : Leviathan! - Larry Niven
Playgrounds of the Mind : from Oath of Fealty [short story] - Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle
Playgrounds of the Mind : Unfinished Story - Larry Niven
Playgrounds of the Mind : Cautionary Tales - Larry Niven
Playgrounds of the Mind : Dreadful White Page - Larry Niven
Playgrounds of the Mind : Retrospective - Larry Niven and Steven Barnes
Playgrounds of the Mind : The Green Marauder - Larry Niven
Playgrounds of the Mind : Assimilating Our Culture That's What They're Doing! - Larry Niven
Playgrounds of the Mind : War Movie - Larry Niven
Playgrounds of the Mind : Limits - Larry Niven
Playgrounds of the Mind : from The Legacy of Heorot [short story] - Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle and Steven Barnes
Playgrounds of the Mind : The Portrait of Daryanree the King - Larry Niven
Playgrounds of the Mind : The Wishing Game - Larry Niven
Playgrounds of the Mind : The Lion in His Attic - Larry Niven
Playgrounds of the Mind : from Footfall [short story] - Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle
Playgrounds of the Mind : from The Moat Around Murcheson's Eye - Larry Niven
Playgrounds of the Mind : The California Voodoo Game - Larry Niven

Berserker fortress upload takeover return revenge.

3.5 out of 5


Hellish to hold.

3 out of 5


Corpsicle pilot's increase Tau tour.

3.5 out of 5


Ship brain Venus trip.

2.5 out of 5


Corpsicle decision.

3 out of 5


Bearding a puppeteer pirate.

3.5 out of 5


Hot fudge sundae crash calculations.

3 out of 5


Ancient alien stuff with many settings could blow up.

3.5 out of 5


Indestructible interstellar ship interference.

3.5 out of 5


Wirehead story.

2.5 out of 5


The old Warlock still has the mana experimentation thing going on. A werewolf wants in, and he has a problem with a snail dragon as well.

So he goes for a low-tech sneaky solution, with a bit of subterfuge, as well as a bit of magical innovation.

3.5 out of 5


If white-haired, run.

3 out of 5


Investigation of crimes surrounding the long frozen dead and their money and parts.

3.5 out of 5


Procreation and crime discussion.

3 out of 5


Appearances in the record should not be taken as gospel for massive mythical monsters.

3 out of 5


Dodgy escape stuff.

2.5 out of 5


Maxwell the Demon can do an energy thing.

3 out of 5


Immortality search may be of not much interest.

3 out of 5


Dream block.

3 out of 5


Scary horror ride.

3.5 out of 5


Old tourist fancies a drink.

3 out of 5


If you don't sell the scientific recipe for long pig, it will be pirated anyway. Pretty relevant, really.

3.5 out of 5


Pacificism ain't entertainment.

3.5 out of 5


Casual immortality cutoff.

3.5 out of 5


Mama kill.

3 out of 5


Mana ghost.

3 out of 5


Magic stopper.

3 out of 5


Weres dinner.

3 out of 5


Herdmaster question.

3 out of 5


Sailing story.

3 out of 5


Polar penguin puzzle.

3 out of 5




3.5 out of 5

Hard to believe Niven is now one of the Old-Timers . . .
Niven is one of the best known and most successful hand-science sf authors of the 1970s and `80s, especially in his several collaborations with Jerry Pournelle. This is the second selected collection (sequel to _N-Space_) of his short works, essays, and excerpts from novels, and it's a useful introduction to the whole body of his work, from the "Known Space" series and the Draco Tavern tales to the semi-funny time travel stories featuring the reluctant Svetz and the mysteries of Gil "the ARM" Hamilton. I've read all of these before, though some not for many years, and most are enjoyable. I could have done without the novel excerpts, though; if you haven't already read the whole book, you'll have no idea what's going on.

A worthwhile collection of new and old material.
As with any collection of material both new and previously released the reader's satisfaction with this book will vary depending on their experience with the writer.For those not experienced with Niven this book in addition to N-Space will put you into the right frame of mind to explore the rest of Niven's Known Space.

In addition to Known Space, stories set in other Niven arenas such as the worlds of the Draco Tavern and The Magic Goes Away are included.I find these are some of Niven's best pieces of writing and they continue in good stead here.I did not realize until recently that Niven and Pournelle's The Burning City (and sequels) is set in the world of The Magic Goes Away.

I also enjoy Niven's anecdotes and tidbits about conventioning and collaborating with Pournelle and Barnes.I'm not a big drinker so his Irish coffee recipe doesn't do anything for me, but my wife will enjoy having something new to try out when we entertain.

Outside the norm, Niven's Green Lantern bible is an interesting read for a fan of the comic and another good reason to pick this up.

Though I skipped over a fair amount of the material in Playgrounds, having read it already in other books, I still find this a worthwhile addition to my Niven collection.

Good overview of Niven's work
This collection of Larry Niven's work is a good sampler and shows both what makes Niven good and what keeps him from being great.

Niven is a hard science fiction writer, interested in the possibilities of advanced technologies.Although he doesn't always adhere to the laws of physics (his Known Space works rely on hyperspatial travel), he does adhere to as much science as possible.His primary focus is on human-alien interactions and "interesting" worlds, with probably none more well-known than his Ringworld.Even in the featured fantasy stories, there is something of a scientific underpinning to his works.

Niven's ideas are often clever and he is a generally proficient writer, which makes his works overall good.On the other hand, he is not a "great" writer.I can't point to many specific examples, but there is something that is stylistically missing that prevents his work from getting to that higher level.Actually, my main gripe with his style seems to be his descriptive abilities; the concepts he tries to convey are sometimes described unclearly, leaving the reader with only a vague picture of what Niven is trying to show.In a hard science fiction writer - who relies on these scientific concepts as his bread-and-butter - this is a significant flaw.Fortunately, it doesn't happen enough to truly mar his overall work.

So even if Niven (and this collection) has its imperfections, it is generally good and a fun read.For Niven fans, or just those who want to see what type of writer he is, this is a recommended read. ... Read more

Product Description
ADAPTATION OF SCI-FI NOVEL BY LARRY NIVEN & JERRY POURNELLDate: November to December 1993*** Contains Issue #'s 1-2 ***COMPLETE 2-ISSUE RUN (OF A CANCELED 6-ISSUE SERIES)As a doomsday comet approaches the Earth astronomer Timothy Hammer watches as the world descends into chaos...! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Unpolished semi-precious stones in a stone heap
I've read 11 of Larry Niven's SF books but this collection of short stories falls far short of his usual standard. If anything, the collection feel amateurish. Only two of the nine stories held any sort of captivation for me: Hole Man and Fourth Profession. However, even these semi-precious stones in a tub of ugly stones were tarished with underdevelopment. Granted, short stories are supposed to be short, but these stories didn't have a sheen finish. There are better collections of SF than this... take, for example, Neutron Star, also by Larry Niven.

Not Free SF Reader
A very solid collection by Niven, this one.The average here being 3.39.So lots of standard quality stories and only a couple under that.The best work here is the last few stories in the book, barring the crime one, and perhaps Rammer, the first.The Fourth Profession I'd even call a 3.75, I think.

Good enough overall to round up to a 4 for the book as a whole, anyway.

Crime investigation is a recurring motif here, especially when coinciding with the stories with teleport booth technology, or 'flicking' as he terms it.

A Hole in Space : Rammer - Larry Niven
A Hole in Space : The Alibi Machine - Larry Niven
A Hole in Space : The Last Days of the Permanent Floating Riot Club - Larry Niven
A Hole in Space : A Kind of Murder - Larry Niven
A Hole in Space : All the Bridges Rusting - Larry Niven
A Hole in Space : There Is a Tide - Larry Niven
A Hole in Space : $16940.00 - Larry Niven
A Hole in Space : The Hole Man - Larry Niven
A Hole in Space : The Fourth Profession - Larry Niven


Corpsicle pilot's increase Tau tour.

3.5 out of 5


Rocket pistol shooting silly mistake.

3 out of 5


Flash crowd flick-in bustup breakdown.

3.5 out of 5


Clubbing herself to death.

3.5 out of 5


"It's so bloody easy, with these interstellar drop ships." Slowship rescue expensive, but.

3.5 out of 5


Wu Pak Big lure.

4 out of 5


Hard to hide the cash.

2.5 out of 5


Quantum black hole is ridiculous overkill.

3.5 out of 5


Alien alcohol test case quad pill investigation.

3.5 out of 5

Good, if slightly dated, sci-fi
Larry Niven is one of the great sci-fi writers of the 20th century-- and his name is rightly placed alongside Clarke, Asimov, Bradbury, etc.

This particular book, _A Hole in Space_, is a collection of short stories.Many of the stories in this collection are focused on a speculative development known as "displacement" technology-- that is to say, teleportation. As always with Niven, there are three primary concerns: (1) what could this or that technology be used for, (2) what would be its practical limitations, and (3)how might society respond to such a development and how would it change society.Thus, you have stories like "The Alibi Machine", "A Kind of Murder" and "The Permanent Floating Riot Club", all of which involve matters of crime and law enforcement in a world where in-home instantaneous teleportion is available.

Not all of the stories here, are about teleportation technology.My personal favorite, "The Rammer" speculates on what might happen if a person, long frozen in cryogenic suspension, were actually to be revived in some distant future and to find that it was not what he expected or hoped.It also addresses how he intends to use a particular kind of space flight technology called a ramjet to escape this dystopia.Another, "The Fourth Profession" envisions what might happen if it ever became possible to acquire knowledge through the use of pills/drugs that had been coded in a particular way. In it, an ordinary bartender takes four pills (from an alien merchant) that give him knowledge of four unusual professions.

As with any collection of short stories, there are some great ones here, some OK ones, and a few duds.Personally, I think the rescue story "All the Bridges Rusting" is rather dull, while Niven's non-fiction essay on possible superstructural astroengineering (Dyson spheres, ringworlds, disk worlds, etc.)is just that.... an essay listing some things that might conceivably be done.

And, as always with Niven, the stories really seem to be oriented around scientific puzzle solving.How does a futuristic society where privacy no longer is valued find people who might be able to stand being alone on an interstellar starship for 30 years?How to solve a crime when everyone can make a perfect alibi?How to rescue a ship moving at light speed far outside of the solar system?How to discover what powers an alien communications generator on Mars?How to Pretty much every story in here focuses on questions like that-- to some degree or another.

As you may gather from what I've said here about 'problem-solving' and speculative scientific developments, Niven's fiction tends to be oriented around *ideas* and their implications, rather than around characters and their relationships.Some writers explore the complexities of human feelings and motivations-- not Niven, he explores ideas.And, in fact, this emphasis on speculative ideas and scientific problem solving extends even to the point where plot and story seem secondary to it.The real action here is not so much what characters do, but what they figure out and how they they figure it out.Thus, the real climax of the story "There is a Tide" ends up being not some great showdown with the deceptive alien the protogonist just met-- but rather, his figuring out why the oceans (seemingly) moonless plant experience tides.

One criticism that can be leveled against this is that, as a result, Niven's characters tend to be cookie-cutter throwaways... more or less similar in personality, behaviour, attitude, etc.On the other hand, I think it's fair to say that Niven's characters don't *need* to be anything more than that since he's really writing about ideas rather than character in the first place.

One other criticism that I think can be leveled against this book (as well as against other Niven books_ is the degree to which *some* parts of it seem a bit "dated" just three decades later.And by "dated" I don't mean references to 8-track tapes or anything like that... but rather, with 3 decades having gone by since some of these were written, some of the 'speculative scientific ideas' he proposes seem a bit harder to swallow.Also, there are many ways in which our society is already changing that Niven doesn't seem to have anticipated-- take smoking and drinking for instance.His characters usually smoke like chimneys (even aboard spaceships where air is scarce)and drink like fish-- but Niven never seems to have imagined that these sorts of things would be come public health issues. I bring this up not to fault Niven for not having foreseen everything (after all, he's just a writer-- not a prophet), but rather just to illustrate that that there are some features of his fiction that are starting to show their age.Still, that's no reason not to enjoy 'em.

Niven's hard science has the right stuff
Larry Niven is at the top of his form in this collection of short stories, most of which take place in the futuristic realm of his "Known Space" series.Hard science is probably Niven's biggest strength, andhis most effective strategy involves assuming some distinct technologicalbreakthrough, then working out all the physical limitations and socialramifications that said breakthrough implies.For example in"Rammer," the design of the ramjet is interesting, but the cleverway it's used to escape a global tyranny is even more fascinating.Stillmore attractive is the idea of the "displacement booths" whichallow instant transportation from one booth to another.Niven discussesthe exciting possibilities of this technology, particularly its applicationto criminal activities ("The Alibi Machine", "A Kind ofMurder", and the Runyan-esque "The Last Days of the PermanentFloating Riot Club"), but also in reference to an otherwise impossiblespace rescue in "All the Bridges Rusting". "There Is aTide" features space traveler Louis Wu and an unusual death trap;"The Hole Man" shows two scientists in conflict over thepossibility of a quantum black hole, until one of them decides to end theargument once and for all, and "The Fourth Profession" is amemorable tale of a bartender who takes some alien learning pills.Sinceeach story has a solution based on technical data described in theexposition, the reader can try to match wits with the hero, just as inmystery yarns, but be forewarned - Niven has obviously thought long andhard about the various possibilities, while the reader probably hasn't. Meanwhile, there are some fairly good characters, too; the stubborn ramjetpilot, the jaunty criminals, and the concerned bartender all findthemselves put upon by society, but they all find their own ways to getwhat they feel they deserve. "Bigger Than Worlds" is Nivenstripped down to the essentials - no characters, no plot, just afascinating speculative essay describing various types of"super-planetary" artifacts that (human) beings might justpossibly live on someday.Niven isn't shy about his background inmathematics, and much of the book deals with physics and/or astronomy, soreaders who are math-phobic probably won't find this book as entertainingas some of his more fantastic speculations, but fans of hard sciencefiction will definitely want to check this one out.

Teletransportation is available. What does that imply?
This is a collection of nine short stories and an essay. Eight of the stories deal with the implications of having teletransportation technology [the "displacement booths"] available in our planet (social,habitational, criminal, mass behaviour, etc.): for instance, why do youneed cars or planes anymore? Why live in a crowded city?

Niven looks atthe problems that would appear, taking into account most of the essentialfactors, and makes a great analysis of the changes the world would suffer,dressed up as several stories.

The negative side of this book is that theninth story included is a Louis Wu _Known Space_ short story that bears norelation to the rest (besides that, I HATE that Wu character), and makesone feel the space used up by it should have been used by anotherstory.

All in all, it is still a very good book, albeit short. Too badit's out of print. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A rare collection of Niven, including some never seen items
If you really really enjoy Niven, then get this book.There are perhaps 20 pages of previously unpublished work herein, yet they contain an interesting insight to who Larry Niven was, and how he thought.In one interesting short Larry proves that our sun has gone out.Stopped burning.And he sounds sincere, in his slightly sardonic way.As well as supported by observations of the Sun. In its own way, the book is unique. It is obviously a small printing, not unlike the binding on a Master's thesis. I am glad I went to the effort to obtain this book ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Best alien-invasion story ever written?
I still think this is the best alien-invasion story I've ever
read. Granted, it's hard to write a sensible invasion story, given that
a) it's hard to think of a reason for rational aliens to invade, and
b) if they did, they should win overwhelmingly. See rifles vs. spears.

But it makes a great *story*, and N&P have given probably as
reasonable a backstory as anyone could. As an example of high-level
page-turner storytelling, Footfall still rings my chimes. I've read it
three times, plus the last time I picked it up a couple of years ago, to
jog my memory to reply to a post, I got sucked in again and spent the
afternoon rereading the good parts. "Orion will Rise" -- all right!

Footfall is dragged down a bit by dated political background: the
USSR is alive and well here, and is portrayed as considerably
stronger and healthier than it actually was in 1985. I'd skim over the
Russian scenes; in fact the book is pretty slow-moving until the
aliens arrive, so a quick skim of most of this early scene-setting
material is all you need.

And make no mistake, once the action starts, you'll have no futher
complaints. Good stuff, guys.

Here's Amazon's main page for Footfall.

Happy reading!
Peter D. Tillman

Not Free SF Reader
Aliens invade earth.They are warlike, elephantine looking creatures with their own strange hierarchy of dominance and submission.

They take captives for study, and some of these ordinary people are able to learn enough about what goes on to help humanity turn the tables.

This is after a lot of fighting, death, and the nuking of the odd United State.


... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Delightful short stories from the creator of Lord Darcy
Randall Garrett (1927-1987) was a prolific SF and Fantasy writerin the 50s and 60's. He wrote under a number of pseudonyms and collaborations, including `Robert Randall".

He is most famous for his superb series about Lord Darcy, set in a great alternate universe where Richard the Lion Hearted didn't die from a crossbow bolt, and where Magic (under strict rules) has taken over much of what Technology does today. The series is set in the late 20th century. It's one of the best Fantasy Alternate History series out there.

This collection was done in 1982, edited by Randall's friend and collaborator Robert Silverberg. Each short story has a personal introduction by many of Randall's SF author friends. The intros are worth reading.

The stories are a mixed bag of course, since they include his first (showing great promise, but ...) and other selections. The collection contains two Lord Darcy stories, including one I have never seen collected before- starring Captain Darcy in an alternate WWI.

I heartily recommend the omnibus collection "Lord Darcy" (1983).
... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

No New Breakthroughs, Just More of the Same
This book continues in the vein of the magical mythos originally devised by sci-fi master Larry Niven.Niven's concept is that centuries ago, magic was a rare but available technology, requiring substantial training for its initiates, and dependent on the presence of mana, an intangible, but nonrenewable natural resource.As all the mana in an area was used up, magicians simply moved on, until the time when there was no mana left anywhere and the secrets of practicing magic became meaningless lore. Against this backdrop, we are presented with four stories of the days when magic was dwindling, but still alive.

In Niven's "The Lion in the Attic" the last standing tower of the lost continent of Atlantis is converted into a restaurant by its jovial innkeeper.Mysterious visitors from a far land mingle with a confusing mix of mer-people, but the shifting point of view makes it difficult to know whom to side with.As is too typical of Niven's fantasy, the climax is quite clever, but the reader isn't sufficiently involved with the characters to care either way.In Bob Shaw's "Shadow of Wings" a troubled visionary uses a beautiful woman to recruit a reclusive magician.His plan: to assassinate the land's popular ruler before the passage of time turns him into an insatiable tyrant.The ironic twist at the end is amusing, but the story itself is no better than average.Rather better is the engaging "Talisman", in which a beautiful young thief and a wandering magician search for a legendary treasure.What keeps this story crackling is the way the more sympathetic character of the thief is continually trying to outwit the power of the magician, and how she subverts his attempts to retain control over her.The even-handedness of the conclusion should delight readers of both sexes.In "Mana from Heaven", Roger Zelazny shows a modern day sorcerer locked in a deadly struggle with an unknown adversary.Amusing an idea as it is, the modernization doesn't really accomplish anything because Zelazny doesn't choose to tell a particularly timely story.This showdown between magicians could just as easily have happened in the past, and would have if Zelazny hadn't wanted to point out some plans for the future. Still, this isn't a bad story; it just leaves one wishing that it been better integrated into the here and now, else why bother?

Readers who enjoyed Niven's other 'magic' books will certainly enjoy this one - it's pretty much more of the same - the same kinds of personalities, the same kinds of locales, the same easy sexual conquests, and maybe even a little less emphasis on the technological aspects of spell-casting, but science fiction fans who appreciated the technological approach to magic first displayed in "Time of the Warlock" will find little of interest here. ... Read more

Product Description
In the free-fall environment of the Smoke Ring, the descendants of the crew of the Discipline no longer remembered their Earth roots -- or the existence of Sharls Davis Kendy, the computer-program despot of the ship. Until Kendy initiated contact once more.

Fourteen years later, only Jeffer, the Citizens Tree Scientist, knew that Kendy was still watching -- and waiting. Then the Citizens Tree people rescued a family of loggers and learned for the first time of the Admiralty, a large society living in free fall amid the floating debris called the Clump. And it was likely that the Admiralty had maintained, intact, Discipline's original computer library.

Exploration was a temptation neither Jeffer nor Kendy could resist, and neither Citizens Tree nor Sharls Davis Kendy would ever be the same again... ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

Necessary yet drier sequel to Integral Trees
Smoke Ring is a must read for anyone who has already read Integral Trees because in the Smoke Ring book Niven expounds upon the physics, layout and fauna of the system. It's a thrilling ride through the huge trees, bubble ponds and the edible varieties of brush. The same State 'government' is still an issue, as it was in Integral Trees and the other State book named World Out of Time. A post Integral Trees book needed to be written, so this is the sequel. While the plot does flow from the first book, the entire plot feels drier than the original. Character locale is disjointed, hard to follow who is where at the given time. The ending fizzled rather than banged and had some wide open ends... with no sequel in print (how frustrating is that?). There HAD been a book in the works by Niven (years ago) by the title The Ghost Ships. Looks like the story definitely dries out with Smoke Ring. Enjoy the world provided because it only exists in those two books.

The end of Niven's slower-than-lightspeed State that started in World out of Time
This is a nice follow up to the Intregal trees.Now, Larry built a quasi-universe with an all controlling "State" that was established in the novel "World out of time", a very odd novel that Larry took years to write from the time of 1975 until the late 1970s.

The Intregal trees is the immediate follow up to the Smoke world, people live in a zero G enviorment that looks like a giant Smoke Ring (or it's a Ring World less a ring).Basically, it's still Larry's flat characters in a world that is fantastic by any part of the immagination.Personally, I didn't think there was much of a story here.It was more a story about a tribe of humans adapting to life with no gravity.Since I'm a big Niven fan that's not a large deal.Also, since about 90% of the reviewers here are Niven fans it's no big deal.Now, if you're not a Niven fan the book is dry and not with a lot of purpose.If you're part of the Niven fan club then the book is a four.If you're not then the book is a two star book.On average the grade is three stars, a C grade.

Looking back on this book I'm a little perplexed on how the Smoke Ring could work.The radiation from Jupiter would be fatal to any human life in a matter of days."Gold" is a good part of the mass of Jupiter, if Gold's radiation was a fraction of Jupiter, the radiation would kill off all life in the smoke ring in a matter of weeks.

But this is still a fair book.The characters are interesting.We get to see a tribe of teenagers turn into a group of responsbile working adults.Larry takes care of a question of the fatherhood for one character.Also, Larry gets rid of one of the most annoying computers since the infamous HAL of 2001.Somebody said they didn't get the ending.Actually, there is an ending.The last part of the State has to leave the humans.Read the book and you'll get it.

I hope you enjoy this book.You'll read my last Niven review in "Fleet of Worlds" which is ready for release this coming Fall of 2008.My 28 years of reading Larry's books will be at an end.

Thanks for all the fun time, Mr. Van Colt.It has been a pleasure.

Signed

Bill Hensler

Nice world, boring characters....
Smoke ring is the story of humans who colonized a strange world where gravity fluctuates. The people of Citizen's tree are pretty much space hippies, scorning ownership of items, violence, and money. When they rescue the crew of another 'tree' from fire, they become curious about another colony of humans in a distant place called the Clump. At the urgings of an unstable AI computer, citizens set out to explore the clump and discover how backward they trully are. Will Citizen's tree remain the same? Or is their utopian lifestyle forever altered?

I enjoyed Smoke Ring for its world-building, but I was rather lukewarm about the characters. The humans of the smoke ring seemed to be cut from a Heinlein novel. They have multiple wives, live in peace and harmony, and eschew violence and property. The wives are not jealous of eachother, and seem perfectly happy to share their mates. They just did not seem human to me, without a little tribal tension. The hero Rather is an interesting fellow, but we spend most of the novel pining after two different women. The ending of the story posed some interesting questions but left me with a 'that's it?' feeling.

An enjoyable read, but what's the point of making a cool world if you don't inhabit it with characters you want to read about?

Imaginative Revelations
While I enjoy Niven's imagination, I didn't feel like I got enough of it in The Smoke Ring.The story left everything incomplete- don't expect to feel like you have a handle on the story arc when you're finished.I found myself repeatedly skimming sections that talked about everyday life, but in a rather bland way.There was no real emotional depth here, and no well-developed characterization.The characters don't grow, or surprise you.What you expect is what you get.

Yet still I recommend this book, because of the imagination of Niven.True, it only peeks out from time to time here, but those are bold peaks.Niven has an intriguing use of science which he applies to novel situations.He slowly builds more of the possibilities of what it is like to live in the smoke ring.I just wish he'd built that up more- or at least given us a sequel sometime in the last two decades.

Superb
This novel describes the life of human colonists in a very peculiar alien world. They live in the atmosphere of a neutron star that has no habitable planets!!. Although this the sequel to the novel "Integral trees", one does not need to have read it to get a grasp of "The smoke ring". The story has no real plot, but is very gripping nonetheless. The author reveals details of the world and way of life of colonists bit by bit, so one is always finding new concepts in every chapter. It is very good exercise for the imagination. This a mandatory reading for all hardcore SF readers. ... Read more