In 'Ringworld,' a group of explorers ventures to a massive artificial ring orbiting a distant star, an unprecedented engineering marvel filled with alien life and breathtaking landscapes. As they navigate this extraordinary environment, they encounter strange civilizations and face life-threatening challenges that test their ingenuity and resolve. The story intertwines themes of evolution, technology, and the search for knowledge in the face of cosmic mysteries. With breathtaking imagination, Niven crafts a narrative that raises profound questions about the nature of life and civilization. Will they uncover the secrets of the Ringworld before it's too late?
By Larry Niven
Published: 1985
"The universe is a big place, perhaps the biggest, and it can be difficult to find meaning in the vastness of it all."
Winner of the Hugo and Nebula Awards for best novel Four travelers come to the ringworld. . . Louis Wu: human and old; bored with having lived too fully for far too many years. Seeking a challenge, and all too capable of handling it. Nessus: a trembling coward, a puppeteer with a built-in survival pattern of nonviolence. Except that this particular puppeteer is insane. Teela Brown: human; a wide-eyed youngster with no allegiances, no experience, no abilities. And all the luck in the world. Speaker-To-Animals: kzin; large, orange-furred, and carnivorous. And one of the most savage life-forms known in the galaxy. Why did these disparate individuals come together? How could they possibly function together? And where, in the name of anything sane, were they headed?
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“The universe is a big place, perhaps the biggest, and it can be difficult to find meaning in the vastness of it all.”
Ringworld
By Larry Niven
Discover a world of knowledge through our extensive collection of book summaries.
Larry Niven is an acclaimed American science fiction author, best known for his vivid world-building and complex characters. He gained prominence with the publication of 'Ringworld' in 1970, which won both the Hugo and Nebula awards. Niven's work often explores themes of space exploration, physics, and the implications of advanced technology. Other notable works include 'The Mote in God’s Eye' (co-authored with Jerry Pournelle) and the 'Known Space' series. His writing style is characterized by meticulous attention to scientific detail and a balance of action, philosophy, and humor.
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