“This is certainly one of the best science fiction novels that I have read. I say that because of the lucid and concise writing style, the use of scientific concepts in a way that exceeds most SF novels, and the brilliant imagination of Larry Niven who creates aliens and other worlds and puts you the reader into them with confidence and grace. In the opening sections of the story Louis Wu, a two hundred year-old human is confronted by Nessus, a Pierson's Puppeteer, and offered one of three open positions on an exploration voyage beyond Known Space. Speaker-to-Animals (Speaker), who is a Kzin, and Teela Brown, a young human woman, also join the voyage. Their goal is "Ringworld":
"The ring was more than ninety million miles in radius---about six hundred million miles long, he estimated---but less than a million miles across, edge to edge. It massed a little more than the planet Jupiter."(p 80)
Once the four travelers arrive at the Ringworld the novel becomes a more picaresque tale of their adventures. In spite of this the plot itself had several exciting moments with the group on the proverbial brink of disaster. This novel set in Niven's "Known Space" universe is considered a classic of science fiction literature. It was followed by three sequels, preceded by four prequels, and ties into numerous other books set in Known Space. Many of the concepts displayed in Ringworld were originally presented in earlier novels by the author. The Nebula award-winning novel still retains its ability to charm the reader. ”
jwhenderson wrote this review Wednesday, November 28, 2012.
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