Man-Kzin Wars XII (Known Space)
Recent books set in Larry Niven's Known Space Universe: Ringworld's Children (2004) (Amazon), Man-Kzin Wars XI (2005), Destiny's Forge (2006), Fleet of Worlds (2007), Juggler of Worlds (2008).
Now comes Man-Kzin Wars XII (2009) (Amazon). 6 stories:
"Echoes of Distant Guns" Matthew Joseph Harrington. Three vignettes; Grogs influencing Kzin warplans, Earth's ARM tasking a serial killer with inventing a better weapon against Kzin, and an alien race (Pieren?) fighting the Kzin.
"Aquila Advenio" Hal Colebatch & Matthew Joseph Harrington. The alien Jotoki abduct the Roman 9th Legion to fight as mercenaries against the Kzinti, and their descendants are still on a planet. Roman planet! Shades of that old Star Trek episode!
I should note, apparently the whole idea that the Roman 9th Legion "vanished" or was massacred in Scotland by Picts or whatever in 117 A.D. is in doubt these days, per wikipedia, there's evidence that in 121 A.D. the 9th Legion, or some remnant of it, was in the Netherlands. It's possible that the 9th Legion was destroyed in Israel in 132 A.D., or in Parthia.
"The Trooper and the Triangle" Hal Colebatch. Takes place on Wunderland (Alpha Centauri), about a Kzin soldier whose heart isn't really into fighting.
"String" Hal Colebatch & Matthew Joseph Harrington. Slapstick tale of Kzin and humans, in peacetime, investigating a Slaver stasis box. Funny, but seems to be confused: Kzin are cat-like aliens; they aren't related to terrestrial cats. So a key element of this story seems improbable.
"Peace and Freedom" by Matthew Joseph Harrington. Pak, humans, kzin, and a Slaver thrint and four tnuctipun, all out of a stasis field, face off. I had to read through this twice before I could make heads or tails out of it, it was so disjointed. Maybe I need to go reread the story in an earlier volume that this is a sequel to. Still, there's some interesting revelations about some long-term Known Space mysteries; not sure if this is considered Canon by Niven.
"Independent" Paul Chafe. Sort of a noir mystery; smuggler wakes up with partial amnesia; did he commit murder in the lost time? A Kzin helps him investigate.
Apparently in November the 3rd book in the Puppeteer trilogy is coming out, Destroyer of Worlds (Amazon).
Now comes Man-Kzin Wars XII (2009) (Amazon). 6 stories:
"Echoes of Distant Guns" Matthew Joseph Harrington. Three vignettes; Grogs influencing Kzin warplans, Earth's ARM tasking a serial killer with inventing a better weapon against Kzin, and an alien race (Pieren?) fighting the Kzin.
"Aquila Advenio" Hal Colebatch & Matthew Joseph Harrington. The alien Jotoki abduct the Roman 9th Legion to fight as mercenaries against the Kzinti, and their descendants are still on a planet. Roman planet! Shades of that old Star Trek episode!
I should note, apparently the whole idea that the Roman 9th Legion "vanished" or was massacred in Scotland by Picts or whatever in 117 A.D. is in doubt these days, per wikipedia, there's evidence that in 121 A.D. the 9th Legion, or some remnant of it, was in the Netherlands. It's possible that the 9th Legion was destroyed in Israel in 132 A.D., or in Parthia.
"The Trooper and the Triangle" Hal Colebatch. Takes place on Wunderland (Alpha Centauri), about a Kzin soldier whose heart isn't really into fighting.
"String" Hal Colebatch & Matthew Joseph Harrington. Slapstick tale of Kzin and humans, in peacetime, investigating a Slaver stasis box. Funny, but seems to be confused: Kzin are cat-like aliens; they aren't related to terrestrial cats. So a key element of this story seems improbable.
"Peace and Freedom" by Matthew Joseph Harrington. Pak, humans, kzin, and a Slaver thrint and four tnuctipun, all out of a stasis field, face off. I had to read through this twice before I could make heads or tails out of it, it was so disjointed. Maybe I need to go reread the story in an earlier volume that this is a sequel to. Still, there's some interesting revelations about some long-term Known Space mysteries; not sure if this is considered Canon by Niven.
"Independent" Paul Chafe. Sort of a noir mystery; smuggler wakes up with partial amnesia; did he commit murder in the lost time? A Kzin helps him investigate.
Apparently in November the 3rd book in the Puppeteer trilogy is coming out, Destroyer of Worlds (Amazon).