Larry Niven

[idbowman]

So, I'm not a huge Sci-Fi reader (although I did enjoy most of the Dune saga and absolutely love the Ender/Shadow series by Card), but a good friend of mine has been pushing me to read Niven's Ringworld books.

I think there are a few sci-fi readers here...what are your opinions of the series? Just kind of an open question, I guess.

 

[Dave_In_Philly]

So, I'm not a huge Sci-Fi reader (although I did enjoy most of the Dune saga and absolutely love the Ender/Shadow series by Card), but a good friend of mine has been pushing me to read Niven's Ringworld books.

I think there are a few sci-fi readers here...what are your opinions of the series? Just kind of an open question, I guess.

I've never read them so I can't actually answer your question, but since it seems our tastes are similar (not huge sci-fi freak, but a big fan of the Dune and Ender series) and based on your picture I'd say we're pretty close in age (having grown up in the 80's), I'd suggest you take a look at Ready Player One - its not a life changer and its certainly not Crime and Punishment, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.

 

[calipuffer]

I've read the Mote in God's Eye books (the sequel is written by his daughter I believe), and they are enjoyable. Have not read the Ringworld books.

 

[Fazby]

I thought Ringworld was excellent.If you enjoy it, read the second one. I enjoyed that too but not asmuch as the first book. Have not read the third.

 

[deepbass9]

Sorry...much like others here, I can't offer up opinions on Ringworld.


However, if you like noir at all...The Long Arm of Gil Hamilton by Niven is, IMHO, pretty dang superb.

 

[Fight'n Hampsters]

I feel like a broken record..

"I have not read Ringworld"

but...

"Lucifer's Hammer" by Niven and Pournelle is excellent scifi.

 

[Hunter5117]

Have read the 2 original books in the Ringworld series many times but has been years, was really into SciFi when I was younger.

You might want to read the original Crashlander aka "Known-Space" series of short stories first. Not sure where you can get these in one volume, I originally read them as part of the original anthologies when they were published back in the late 60's/early 70's. They really set up the background for the Ringworld novels.

Now you got me wanting to check out the newer books and stories in this series I think Niven has kept writing them all the way up to the current days. There are probably another 2 or 3 series of books that are all interconnected with these that Niven has written over the years.

Never got into the Niven/Pournelle books, I like Jerry Pournelle as a computer writer, used to live for each month's copy of Byte so I could read his column and still enjoy his podcasts, but not his scifi.