Niven, Larry: Ringworld's Children

[Dave]

There is a Tor books website up for his latest book:

www.tor.com/niven

[greyhorse]

The interesting thing about the Ringworld series up to now, was that each book, at its heart, was about solving a mystery. What is the Ringworld, how does it work, who built it, and what happened to the builders? Now Niven seems to have changed the focus, and is just writing the more common, catastrophy/invasion/hero-saves-the-world type book.

I'm not sure about other readers, but my attention was failing by the time I hit 'Throne'. What do you other people think about this new installment? The scariest thing I read in that link was near the end.

"will have readers eagerly awaiting the next novel in Larry Niven's Ringworld series"

Not sure I can handle a whole new series based in this world.

[Dave]

Originally posted by greyhorse
The interesting thing about the Ringworld series up to now, was that each book, at its heart, was about solving a mystery. What is the Ringworld, how does it work, who built it, and what happened to the builders?

Not having read the book yet, and trying to avoid spoilers, I can't really comment on that with authority, but I think it solves the mystery of 'what if Teela had a lucky child?'

I think that Larry Niven had actually said all he could about the Ringworld. Then he joined the Larry Niven Mailing list hosted by Bucknell University on August 31, 1999. His first post responded to a fan's question about a lucky child of Teela's and the idea was born.

I think he has now been quoted as having further ideas, but whether they will turn into books or not is unknown. There will be more Man-Kzin Wars books, which are also set in Known Space, though in an earlier period. Hal Colebratch who wrote MKW X has written several more stories, but the Kzin just aren't the same anymore.

[Dave]

I'm afraid I thought it was a case of a sequel too far. To tell the truth, I liked Niven's other books more than I ever did the Ringworld series. I think he is an excellent short story writer, and much thought goes into every aspect of his alien species. I also love the 'Man-Kzin Wars' books and his ideas about Organlegging and the Aging Population. I like his fantasy 'Magic Goes Away' and time travel 'Hanville Svetz' books. I also like most of his collaborations. This just didn't do it for me.

[Lensman]

After The Ringworld Throne, which unfortunately is not a worthy sequel to the two Hugo-winners that preceded it, Ringworld's Children is a refreshing return to form. It's much shorter (282 pages), and much more focused-- no one will complain there's no crisis in this book! It also is a return to packing more new mind-expanding ideas into one novel than other authors would have in an entire series. And finally-- finally-- Niven gives us at least a peek at the true Ringworld Engineers. The book also has an Ending, in a way the previous two Ringworld novels didn't, suggesting it will be the last Ringworld novel. But then, Niven intended both the first and second novels to be the last...

Highly recommended!