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out website: www.tor.com
This
is the fourth volume of Larry Niven's 'Known Space' sub-series about 'Ringworld',
a distance artificial big object, well ring actually, surrounding a star. It's
also the smallest books of the series and I can't figure out whether Niven was
completing to a stiff deadline or a thank you to the firemen he dedicated this
book to or out of practice writing without a partner. The thought of closure
for the series also crossed my mind as Niven seemed more focused on a small cast
of characters that had the most influence rather than real obstacles getting in
the way of sorting out the Ringworld's problems and tying up loose ends. 
Much of this story covers Louis Wu's recovery from various injuries in
the Autodoc and seems to becoming an increasingly used deux ex machina for whatever
befells - ie life-threatening injuries - to our human explorer. Tunesmith, the
new Protector of the Ringworld, is employing Wu, Chimee the young Kzin, the Pierson's
Puppeteer Hindmost and Hanuman, a small monkey-like Protector to regain control
and repair of Ringworld. Along the way, a human military ARM team from
a Fringe War off the ring also get in on the act when their anti-matter fuel damages
the world and Wembleth, a human that stumbles in and just hangs around. Characters
pop in and out as needed - not difficult with the teleporting stepping disks available
- with little overall direction unless it's to move the plot along.
As
you can guess from the above, I'm a little disquiet about the entire story, especially
as some of the early chapters is reporting events rather than living them with
the characters although it warms up a little later. The glossary at the front
can be seen as a reminder for long-term fans even if they don't really need it
but I can't see new readers wanting to start with this book without reading the
earlier three.
In many respects, I think Larry Niven was writing by
numbers and isn't quite on form here which is really a shame cos I'm a great admirer
of his stories. If you're a Niven fan then you're going to pick this book up just
to complete the set but don't be disappointed if you come away wishing there was
more.
GF Willmetts |
