Book Review
Title: Ringworld
Author: Larry Niven
Synopsis: This is a science fiction novel about Louis Wu, a 200 year old human, who is asked to join an expedition by a Puppeteer, a very cowardly but extremely advanced species of alien. He is the first to join the expedition. Soon after, a Kzin (incredibly war-like alien) named Speaker-to-Animals joins as well. The last member is another human, coincidentally Louis's new lover, Teela, joins for her extraordinary luck.
The Puppeteer (named Nessus) explains that they will be exploring a new world for the Puppeteers. it is a Ringworld, literally. A world shaped like a ring around a sun, roughly 3 million times the living space of Earth. For their payment, they will receive a new ship with much faster than light capabilities (think one light-year in one-and-a-quarter minutes), along with the plans for the ship.
Now my opinion of this book is varied. The story is ok. I liked the story between Louis and Teela more than anything, but the idea is interesting. The problem with it is that Larry Niven is incredibly verbose. He rambles. However, so much of the story is not revealed until the end. The characters figure things out between themselves, but what they have figured out generally eludes the reader, as it makes little sense in the first place. Teela's luck becomes the focal point of the story, however, that is difficult to understand until it is explained...sometimes things were never explained, and sometimes it was much later, when the characters discussed it again, before you know what they were talking several pages before. It's frustrating. However, the story is worth the read.
Length: 342 p.
Where I got it: It was one of Carusos's books. He brought it when he moved in.
Other info: There is also a sequel called The Ringworld Engineers. I don't know if there's another after that.
Author: Larry Niven
Synopsis: This is a science fiction novel about Louis Wu, a 200 year old human, who is asked to join an expedition by a Puppeteer, a very cowardly but extremely advanced species of alien. He is the first to join the expedition. Soon after, a Kzin (incredibly war-like alien) named Speaker-to-Animals joins as well. The last member is another human, coincidentally Louis's new lover, Teela, joins for her extraordinary luck.
The Puppeteer (named Nessus) explains that they will be exploring a new world for the Puppeteers. it is a Ringworld, literally. A world shaped like a ring around a sun, roughly 3 million times the living space of Earth. For their payment, they will receive a new ship with much faster than light capabilities (think one light-year in one-and-a-quarter minutes), along with the plans for the ship.
Now my opinion of this book is varied. The story is ok. I liked the story between Louis and Teela more than anything, but the idea is interesting. The problem with it is that Larry Niven is incredibly verbose. He rambles. However, so much of the story is not revealed until the end. The characters figure things out between themselves, but what they have figured out generally eludes the reader, as it makes little sense in the first place. Teela's luck becomes the focal point of the story, however, that is difficult to understand until it is explained...sometimes things were never explained, and sometimes it was much later, when the characters discussed it again, before you know what they were talking several pages before. It's frustrating. However, the story is worth the read.
Length: 342 p.
Where I got it: It was one of Carusos's books. He brought it when he moved in.
Other info: There is also a sequel called The Ringworld Engineers. I don't know if there's another after that.