Niven, Larry: Man-Kzin Wars

[Dave]

I've just heard that the nineth book in this series will be published in December 2001.

Just like the previous eight books it is a collection of short stories by different writers, some new, some famous; all set in Larry Nivens' known space universe during the period of the Man-Kzin Wars.

These are a series of interstella conflicts, including four wars and many major incidents, spanning 300 years from the mid-24th to the mid-27th centuries. With the help of Puppeteer intervention, all wars were won by humans.

[Dave]

Man-Kzin Wars IX is out in hardback only.

4 stories:

Poul Anderson -- Pele

Hal Colebatch -- His Sergeant's Hour

Paul Chafe -- Windows of the Soul

Larry Niven -- Fly-By-Night

there is a review of the book here:

www.larryniven.org

[Thrint]

Help! One of the books has a story wherein a pack of Kzin hunt a man and a woman for sport and toy with them before the kill. The woman reacts with rage and the man with resignation. What is the name of the story Thanks.

[Dave]

I don't recognise it from that description. I have them all, and I just had a quick scan through them, though I need to re-read them sometime. It could be from Volume 11 which has yet to be published, or it could be a small part of one of the stories set on Wunderland and I just don't remember it. Sorry!

There are some reviews here if that helps: Reviews: Man Kzin War Series

[Thrint]

Dave,

Thanks for the link - 'tho I've already consulted that page. Sometimes I wonder if I'm imagining this, but I "remember" part of the story very clearly...

[zedlav]

I'm sorry to reanimate a thread as old as this (still on the first page, though), but I've just finished Ringworld and The Ringworld Engineers and was looking for more set in the Known Space universe.

I usually do not enjoy military sci-fi and generally avoid it, but, seeing that Man-Kzin Wars use the same universe as Ringworld does and that Niven probably has had something or other to say about the stories included in the compilations, I do hope it's good.

So, how is the series? Would somebody who doesn't like military science fiction be able to enjoy it for the setting, etc? Are the stories well written and cohesive, etc?

[Dave]

Originally Posted by zedlav

So, how is the series? Would somebody who doesn't like military science fiction be able to enjoy it for the setting, etc? Are the stories well written and cohesive, etc?

There are a wide variety of stories in different styles, by different authors. Some are very good, some not so good. Some have sequels, some are stand alone. Some are set firmly and cohesively within the 'Known Space' internal consistency, some are contradictory. One story, 'The Captain's Tiger' even places a Kzin on Earth in 19th Century India, but is one of the best.

I would only class a few as 'Military Science Fiction'. You need to remember that through autodoc drugs and selective breeding Humans were pacifists until after they met the Kzin. Some do deal with the distances and relativistic effects invoved in such a Galactic war. Some are shipboard stories, but most are not.

They are not just about the ARM vs the Kzin, there are all kinds of other stories. Many are set on Wunderland during the occupation, so there are resistance stories and stories about collaboration with the enemy. Some are written from the point of view of the Kzin. Some are set on other Kzin conquered worlds. If you like the Kzin as an alien race, there is much more about their society and its structure, their history, heritage and culture.