Larry Niven question

[MG1962]

I was just given, Destroyer of Worlds as an early birthday present. I have discovered it is the third in a series that prequels Ringworld

The other novels are Fleet Of Worlds and Juggler Of Worlds

Does anyone know if each novel is considered a stand alone piece of should I get the other two books first, and read them in order

[dudalb]

Most of Niven's books take place in a Future History which he calls "The Known Universe" so take your pick......

[MG1962]

Most of Niven's books take place in a Future History which he calls "The Known Universe" so take your pick......

Yeah I am very familiar with Niven's body of work especially his "Known Space" material. But like so many things I have totally lost track of the genre over the last 10 years

[The Central Scrutinizer]

I enjoyed his work in the Pink Panther movies.

[MG1962]

lol

[RSL's better half]

I've read a ton of Niven, but am not familiar with this trilogy.

[BenBurch]

I loved his writing, but is this really HIS?

His stuff for years appears to be "Sharecropper" fiction where he provides his universe and a few ideas and a "co-author" writes the book.

First, I would be happier the pretext that he wrote any of it were dropped.

Second I'd be a lot happier if the guy who wrote the thing would use his own imagination and come up with his own stuff.

I'm not sure I will ever read this.

[MG1962]

I've read a ton of Niven, but am not familiar with this trilogy.

Well I was equally suprised. My wife pointed the book out in the new release section of our local bookshop. From what I can gather the two previous books came out in 2007 2008 respectively

[Mark6]

I was just given, Destroyer of Worlds as an early birthday present. I have discovered it is the third in a series that prequels Ringworld

The other novels are Fleet Of Worlds and Juggler Of Worlds

Does anyone know if each novel is considered a stand alone piece of should I get the other two books first, and read them in order
I read "Fleet of Worlds" and found it so bad (and inconsistent with the rest of Known Space history), that I will not bother with subsequent two books.

[Crazyfish]

I enjoyed Niven for years, until he sold out and found it more profitable to sell his name than to actually write anything, except more boring RingWorld prequels/sequels and collaboration crap. zzzzzzzzz
It seems that I can no longer find any SciFi That isn't part whatever of some ever continuing series.
Are there no Writers who can produce a novel that stands on it's own merits? I cant seem to find any.
The Nebula and Hugo's are no longer even a good source of recommended reading. Just more of the same. zzzzzzzzz
The Publishers Print what sells to the current consumer demographics. It shows the lack of literary standards and reading comprehension in todays fan base.
A great example of the dumbing down of the species.
I miss the Grandmasters.

[Mark6]

It seems that I can no longer find any SciFi That isn't part whatever of some ever continuing series.

To each his own. I like continuous "future histories" and worlds writer returns to repeatedly. Of course they can be done badly (like "...of World" books), but if done well I prefer them to standalone novels. One of reasons Alastair Reynolds is my favorite SF writer, and Niven was once.

[MG1962]

I read "Fleet of Worlds" and found it so bad (and inconsistent with the rest of Known Space history), that I will not bother with subsequent two books.

Thanks for the opinion. I just seemed to have lost total touch with the genre. There was a time when there was always great new writers comming through. People you could keep an eye on and see them develope.

Now it just feels like everything is in a pot hole

[dudalb]

Meanwhile brace yourself for the worst raping of a Sci Fi Classic yet:

http://io9.com/5469917/roland-emmerich-wants-to-avatar+up-isaac-asimovs-foundation


The mind just plain boggles.

[BenBurch]

I am re-reading the classics of SciFi. I know at least I will not be disappointed.

[Elizabeth I]

I was just given, Destroyer of Worlds as an early birthday present. I have discovered it is the third in a series that prequels Ringworld

The other novels are Fleet Of Worlds and Juggler Of Worlds

Does anyone know if each novel is considered a stand alone piece of should I get the other two books first, and read them in order

I read Fleet of Worlds. meh.

[Floyt]

I started to read Fleet of Worlds and stopped after 50 pages or so.

It seems that SF grandmasters at some point approach a kind of watershed, forcing them to either become Late Heinlein (declining quality of output and rehashing previous themes) or Late Le Guin (wise storyteller). I fear Niven has jumped the shark at some point when I wasn't looking :(

[MG1962]

Meanwhile brace yourself for the worst raping of a Sci Fi Classic yet:

http://io9.com/5469917/roland-emmerich-wants-to-avatar+up-isaac-asimovs-foundation


The mind just plain boggles.

You know - as much as I adored Asimovs writings, at one stage I owned over 50 of his books. I could never ever get into that series. I tried so many times, but no. It was a total bust. And as far as I know I am the only SF person who doesn't like it

[MG1962]

I started to read Fleet of Worlds and stopped after 50 pages or so.

It seems that SF grandmasters at some point approach a kind of watershed, forcing them to either become Late Heinlein (declining quality of output and rehashing previous themes) or Late Le Guin (wise storyteller). I fear Niven has jumped the shark at some point when I wasn't looking :(

I think it is the same with any creative process. You only have so much to create before you simply become irrelevant. When Niven began writing, the literature and style associated with the genre was very different to what it was 20 later, or even now

[Floyt]

There's great loveliness in a body of work that manages to change and reinterpret itself as the artist gets on in years. Some authors can do that, some can't. Terry Pratchett has shown he can do it. Maybe Niven will yet get it done.

[Wolrab]

You know - as much as I adored Asimovs writings, at one stage I owned over 50 of his books. I could never ever get into that series. I tried so many times, but no. It was a total bust. And as far as I know I am the only SF person who doesn't like it
I have read the series a few times and always get bogged down by the Mule. I cannot stay awake long enough to make any headway.


As for a Foundation movie...I have serious doubts it can be done well as there is so little action involved.

[siqr]

These new Larry Niven novels are written in collaboration with Edward M. Lerner, whom I suspect is responsible for most of the work. Despite the sharecropping he's a pretty kickass author himself. I love his short stories, especially his "InterstellarNet" series; his novel "Fool's Experiments" was really good. As was "Probe"

But these collaborations with Larry Niven aren't worth reading for a newcomer. They flesh out the background of the 'Known Space' stories already written by Niven. If you've read and liked the old stories, these new ones are interesting; otherwise, no.

As for new authors --- there are several as good as the masters of old: Lerner, above; Greg Egan (though his output seems to have dropped recently); Vernor Vinge (likewise); Ted Chiang (ditto); Charles Stross; Paolo Bacigalupi; Peter Watts; Ted Kosmatka...

[MG1962]

These new Larry Niven novels are written in collaboration with Edward M. Lerner, whom I suspect is responsible for most of the work. Despite the sharecropping he's a pretty kickass author himself. I love his short stories, especially his "InterstellarNet" series; his novel "Fool's Experiments" was really good. As was "Probe"

But these collaborations with Larry Niven aren't worth reading for a newcomer. They flesh out the background of the 'Known Space' stories already written by Niven. If you've read and liked the old stories, these new ones are interesting; otherwise, no.

As for new authors --- there are several as good as the masters of old: Lerner, above; Greg Egan (though his output seems to have dropped recently); Vernor Vinge (likewise); Ted Chiang (ditto); Charles Stross; Paolo Bacigalupi; Peter Watts; Ted Kosmatka...

Thanks siqr, I loved all the old stuff of Nivens, that wasn't so old when I read it :rolleyes: I am very familiar with Greg Egan. I am probably one of the few people in the world with a signed, and numbered copy of one of his books

The other recommendations. I will certainly give then a wirl. Sadly Ted Chaing still does not seemed to have produced a novel. His short story "The Story Of Your Life" Is simply breathtakingly good

[siqr]

...I am very familiar with Greg Egan. I am probably one of the few people in the world with a signed, and numbered copy of one of his books

<Envy>

His collection of short stories, "Axiomatic", was mind blowing!
[Ted Chiang's] short story "The Story Of Your Life" Is simply breathtakingly good

I liked that. But I think "Tower of Babylon" is better.

[Elizabeth I]

You know - as much as I adored Asimov's writings, at one stage I owned over 50 of his books - I could never ever get into that series. I tried so many times, but no. It was a total bust. And as far as I know I am the only SF person who doesn't like it

I have read the series a few times and always get bogged down by the Mule. I cannot stay awake long enough to make any headway.

As for a Foundation movie...I have serious doubts it can be done well as there is so little action involved.

I thought the Foundation Trilogy was a lot of work to do just to set up a lame pun as the punch line. Talk about shaggy dog stories...

[Mark6]

I thought the Foundation Trilogy was a lot of work to do just to set up a lame pun as the punch line. Talk about shaggy dog stories...
Which line?

[Elizabeth I]

I thought the Foundation Trilogy was a lot of work to do just to set up a lame pun as the punch line. Talk about shaggy dog stories...

Which line?

Preem Palver = First Speaker

Every bit as bad as Asimov's short story "Shah Guido G."

[wollery]

For modern stand alone sci-fi, in the mould of Niven at his peak, try Jack McDevitt.

[siqr]

... try Jack McDevitt.

"A Talent For War" was awful. It was my first McDevitt. I've avoided him since. Is it typical of his oeuvre?

[Almo]

I enjoyed Niven for years, until he sold out and found it more profitable to sell his name than to actually write anything, except more boring RingWorld prequels/sequels and collaboration crap. zzzzzzzzz
It seems that I can no longer find any SciFi That isn't part whatever of some ever continuing series.
Are there no Writers who can produce a novel that stands on it's own merits? I cant seem to find any.
The Nebula and Hugo's are no longer even a good source of recommended reading. Just more of the same. zzzzzzzzz
The Publishers Print what sells to the current consumer demographics. It shows the lack of literary standards and reading comprehension in todays fan base.
A great example of the dumbing down of the species.
I miss the Grandmasters.

Stephen Baxter: Moonseed. Stand-alone, kinetic, hard sci-fi. Very enjoyable. I recommend it. Also, his Manifold series are supposedly standalones.

[siqr]

Stephen Baxter: Moonseed. Stand-alone, kinetic, hard sci-fi. Very enjoyable. I recommend it. Also, his Manifold series are supposedly standalones.

Also good: The Time Ships, Voyage, Evolution, Traces, Anti-Ice and Titan.