Most Popular Books by Larry NIVEN

A new look at Niven''s Known Space, two hundred years before the discovery of the Ringworld

A stellar collection of stories, essays, and more from an award-winning Grand Master of Science Fiction, "a writer of supreme talent" (Tom Clancy). "[Niven''s] impressive body of work is given a stunning showcase in this hefty volume. . . . This is an excellent primer for readers wanting to learn more about Niven''s work." — Publishers Weekly Larry Niven is the New York Times–bestselling author of such classic science fiction novels as Ringworld and Destiny''s Road. His previous collections of nonfiction have been lauded by The Houston Post as "outstanding . . . hours of entertainment" (on N-Space) and by Kirkus Reviews as "grand entertainment" (on Playgrounds of the Mind). Now, Stars and Gods collects a dazzling assortment of Niven''s most eclectic work into one captivating volume. Here are hand-selected excerpts from his novels, including Escape from Hell and the Fleet of Witches series, as well as numerous short stories, nonfiction articles, collaborations, and correspondence. Stars and Gods roams all over a galaxy''s worth of ideas and topics to form a fascinating, kaleidoscopic view of one of science fiction''s most beloved writers.

To house the dying Earth''s inhabitants, a huge architectural ring is constructed in outer space. With gravity, an atmosphere, and a temperate climate, Ringworld gives humanity a new lease on life, but not without frightening consequences.

Welcome to a world like no other. The Ringworld: a landmark engineering achievement, a flat band 3 million times the surface area of Earth, encircling a distant star. Home to trillions of inhabitants, not all of which are human, and host to amazing technological wonders, the Ringworld is unique in all of the universe. Explorere Louis Wu, an Earth-born human who was part of the first expedition to Ringworld, becomes enmeshed in interplanetary and interspecies intrigue as war, and a powerful new weapon, threaten to tear the Ringworld apart forever. Now, the future of Ringworld lies in the actions of its children: Tunesmith, the Ghould protector; Acolyte, the exiled son of Speaker-to-Animals, and Wembleth, a strange Ringworld native with a mysterious past. All must play a dangerous in order to save Ringworld''s population, and the stability of Ringworld itself. Blending awe-inspiring science with non-stop action and fun, Ringworld''s Children, the fourth installment of the multiple award-winning saga, is the perfect introduction for readers new to this New York Times bestselling series, and long-time fans of Larry Niven''s Ringworld.

This funny and insightful science fiction classic introduces Shoogar, the greatest wizard ever known in his village. His spells can strike terror in the hearts of even his most powerful enemies. But the enemy he faces now is like none he has ever seen before. The stranger has come from nowhere and is ignorant of even the most basic principles of magic. But the stranger has an incredibly powerful magic of his own. There is no room in Shoogar''s world for an intruder whose powers match his own, let alone one whose powers might exceed his. So before the blue sun can cross the face of the red sun once more, Shoogar will show this stranger just who is boss.

A special commemoration of this long_running themed science fiction anthology edited by multiple #1 best seller, Larry Niven. Here is the 25th anniversary edition of the original volume that started it all. Includes an all_new introduction by Larry Niven for this re_issue of the first volume in a series that now numbers fourteen volumes and is still going strong. Larry Nivenu0090s bestselling Man_Kzin series begins! The kzin, formerly invincible conquerors of all they encountered, had a hard time dealing with their ignominious defeat by the leaf_eating humans. Some secretly hatched schemes for a rematch, others concentrated on gathering power within the kzin hierarchy, and some shamefully cooperated with the contemptible humans, though often for hidden motives. In war and in uneasy peace, here is the first masterful volume in the Man_Kzin Wars shared universe anthology created by multiple New York Times best_seller, incomparable tale_spinner, and Nebula_ and five_time Hugo_Award_winner, Larry Niven. At the publisher''s request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management).

BOOK TWO IN THE CLASSIC HEOROT SERIES FROM GENRE LEGENDS LARRY NIVEN, JERRY POURNELLE, AND STEVEN BARNES. Some twenty years have passed since the passengers and crew of the starship Geographic established a colony on the hostile alien world of Avalon. In that time, a new generation has grown up in the peace and serenity of the island paradise of Camelot, ignorant of the Great Grendel Wars fought between their parents and grandparents and the monstrous inhabitants of Avalon. Now, under the influence of a charismatic leader, a group of young rebels makes for the mainland, intent on establishing their own colony, sure that they can vanquish any foe that should stand in their way. But they will soon discover that Avalon holds darker secrets still. At the publisher''s request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management). About Beowulf''s Children: "Few writers have a finer pedigree than those here. . . . As one might suspect Beowulf''s Children is seamless . . . absorbing, substantial . . . masterful novel."—Los Angeles Times "Panoramic SF adventure at its best."—Library Journal About prequel The Legacy of Heorot: "Page-turning action and suspense, good characterization and convincing setting . . . may be the best thing any of those authors has written.”—The Denver Post “Outstanding! . . . The best ever, by the best in the field . . . the ultimate combination of imagination and realism.”—Tom Clancy “Well written, action-packed and tension filled . . . makes Aliens look like a Disney nature film."—The Washington Post “Spine-tingling ecological tale of terror.”—Locus About Larry Niven & Jerry Pournelle: "Possibly the greatest science fiction novel I have ever read."—Robert A. Heinlein on The Mote in God''s Eye About Larry Niven: “Larry Niven’s Ringworld remains one of the all-time classic travelogues of science fiction — a new and amazing world and fantastic companions.”—Greg Bear "Our premier hard SF writer.”—The Baltimore Sun"The scope of Larry Niven''s work is so vast that only a writer of supreme talent could disguise the fact as well as he can."—Tom Clancy "Niven is a true master."—Frederik Pohl About Jerry Pournelle: "Jerry Pournelle is one of science fiction''s greatest storytellers."—Poul Anderson "Jerry Pournelle''s trademark is first-rate action against well-realized backgrounds of hard science and hardball politics."—David Drake "Rousing . . . The Best of the Genre."—The New York Times "On the cover . . . is the claim ''No. 1 Adventure Novel of the Year.'' And well it might be."—Milwaukee Journal on Janissaries About Steven Barnes: “Brilliant, surprising, and devastating.”—David Mack “Sharp, observant and scary.”—Greg Bear "Profound and exhilarating."—Maurice Broaddus, author of The Knights of Breton Court “Barnes gives us characters that are vividly real people, conceived with insight and portrayed with compassion and rare skill and then he stokes the suspense up to levels that will make the reader miss sleep and be late for work.”—Tim Powers “[Barnes] combines imagination, anthropology and beautiful storytelling as he takes readers to the foot of the Great Mountain, today known as Mount Kilimanjaro.”—Durham Triangle Tribune on Great Sky Woman

The bestselling coauthors of Beowulf''s Children "have produced another compulsively readable, immensely enjoyable near-future yarn" ( Publishers Weekly). The future is a strange and dangerous place. Chaz Kato can testify to that. He is a citizen of Xanudu, a city-sized artificial island populated by some of the wealthiest men and women on future Earth. A place filled with hidden wonders and dark secrets of technology gone awry. Lenore Myles is a student when she travels to Xanadu and becomes involved with Chaz Kato. She is shocked when she uses Kato''s access codes to uncover the grizzly truth behind Xandu''s glittering facade. Not knowing who to trust, Lenore finds herself on the run. Saturn, a mysterious entity, moves aggressively to break the security breach. With the interests of the world''s wealthiest people at stake and powerful technology at Saturn''s fingertips, Lenore is in a race for her life, against a truly formidable foe. "A fast-paced cloak-and-dagger action adventure, this novel effortlessly moves from the depths of the ocean to the heights of VR to create a dazzling, seamless whole." — Publishers Weekly "Power struggles in a near-future world of privileged floating islands, desperate third-world billions, ninjas, intelligent dolphins, and sharks with arms and computer brains . . . Inventive and wide-ranging." — Kirkus Reviews

Acclaimed writing pair Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle offer a new twist on Dante''s classic tale, Inferno. After being thrown out the window of his luxury apartment, science fiction writer Allen Carpentier wakes to find himself at the gates of hell. Feeling he''s landed in a great opportunity for a book, he attempts to follow Dante''s road map. Determined to meet Satan himself, Carpentier treks through the Nine Layers of Hell led by Benito Mussolini, and encounters countless mental and physical tortures. As he struggles to escape, he''s taken through new, puzzling, and outlandish versions of sin—recast for the present day.

The Barsoom Project is the direct sequel to 1981''s Dream Park. Eviane''s first visit to the-state-of-art amusement arena Dream Park ended in disaster: the special effects had seemed more real than life... until the holograms she was shooting with live ammunition turned out to be solid flesh and blood... and very, very dead. Haunted by the past, rebounding from a lengthy spell in a mental hospital, she has returned to Dream Park to exorcise a nightmare that has become reality. But in Dream Park, nothing is what it seems. The Inuit mythology controlling the images is part of a "Fat Ripper Special" designed to implant new behavioral memes. The players are struggling against the game master, one another, and their own demons. And there is a killer who wants to ensure Eviane never regains her memory...noo matter what it costs. Blending together hard science fiction with topical RPG-like fantasy games, The Barsoom Project is SF at the cutting edge and a classic creation from two of the genre''s most beloved writers. At the Publisher''s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

Bestselling science-fiction superstars Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle combine their talents with those of rising young author Steven Barnes in an extraordinary adventure of humankind''s first outpost in the farthest reaches of space. 5 maps.

A cross-over conclusion to the Ringworld and Fleet of Worlds series finds the Puppeteers of the Fleet of Worlds targeted by rival war fleets after the disappearance of the Ringworld, prompting exiled Puppeteer Hindmost to draw on his knowledge of Ringworld technology to reclaim his power. For decades, the spacefaring species of Known Space have battled over the largest artifact -- and grandest prize -- in the galaxy: the all-but-limitless resources and technology of the Ringworld. But without warning, the Ringworld has vanished, leaving behind three rival war fleets. Something must justify the blood and treasure that have been spent. If the fallen civilization of the Ringworld can no longer be despoiled of its secrets, the Puppeteers will be forced to surrender theirs. Everyone knows that the Puppeteers are cowards. But the crises converging upon the trillion Puppeteers of the Fleet of Worlds go far beyond even the onrushing armadas. One way or another, the fabled race of Puppeteers may have come to the end of their days.

“Niven has come up with an idea about as far out as one can get. . . . This is certainly classic science fiction—the idea is truly the hero.”—Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine When leaving Earth, the crew of the spaceship Discipline was prepared for a routine assignment. Dispatched by the all-powerful State on a mission of interstellar exploration and colonization, Discipline was aided (and secretly spied upon) by Sharls Davis Kendy, an emotionless computer intelligence programmed to monitor the loyalty and obedience of the crew. But what they weren’t prepared for was the smoke ring–an immense gaseous envelope that had formed around a neutron star directly in their path. The Smoke Ring was home to a variety of plant and animal life-forms evolved to thrive in conditions of continual free-fall. When Discipline encountered it, something went wrong. The crew abandoned ship and fled to the unlikely space oasis. Five hundred years later, the descendants of the Discipline crew living on the Smoke Ring no longer remember their origins. Earth is more myth than memory, and no recollection of the State remains. But Kendy remembers. And just outside the Smoke Ring, Discipline waits patiently to make contact with its wayward children.

Packed with Larry Niven and Steven Barnes’s trademark excitement and science-based extrapolation, this thrilling novel introduces readers to Ice Vegas, an extraordinary city of the future powered by nuclear fusion. Carver Reeves is head of security for BALDR, the massive nuclear facility that powers half of Europe, and by extension Ice Vegas, the glittering architectural fantasia of a domed city that has grown up beside it. But before he can peacefully retire, saboteurs infiltrate BALDR, determined to cripple the power plant, destroy the city, and kill hundreds of thousands of people. Carver’s only hope: Spider. The world’s deadliest assassin, Spider is Ice Vegas’s only hope for survival. She must catch the latest scion of a power-hungry Waldemer family, who for generations have been determined to control Earth. Between recounting Spider’s previous missions around the globe, where she’s encountered the Waldemers’ schemes, the present-day mission to thwart the tyrannical fiends once and for all proves so dangerous it may spell the end for Spider and the city she’s come to call home.

A modern science fiction classic, Larry Niven''s Ringworld won the Hugo and Nebula Awards for best novel in 1970. Now this SF classic is adapted into a thrilling manga adventure by Robert Mandell and Sean Lam. In Ringworld: The Graphic Novel, Part One, two-hundred-year-old human Louis Wu is recruited by a two-headed alien named Nessus to join him, a catlike warrior alien named Speaker, and the infinitely lucky human Teela Brown to explore an alien artifact. They find a Ringworld, a ribbon millions of miles long built around a distant sun. The civilization has fallen into savagery, though, and after crashing into the Ringworld, Louis must come up with a clever plan to get back to known space, hundreds of light years away. At the Publisher''s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

Following on from Ringworld and Ringworld Engineers, the ring is still home to many aliens, the puppeteer is still manipulating those he can, and Louis Wu must meet even more new challenges so that the hominid species can survive.