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Summary: THIS is why I don't read much science fiction
Review: The first novel was fun - the exploration of a new world, an introduction to new characters in Niven's 'Known Universe'. But this time around, it's a whole lot of two-dimensional characters sitting around discussing theoretical science and (like another customer review pointed out ) leaping to astounding conclusions. Armchair science in the form of an uninvolving novel. And if I never read about 'risathra' again, it'll be too soon...
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Summary: buy the book, not the audio!
Review: The narration of this audio book is horrendous! Practically no voice modulation at all. I'd rather have listened to the Microsoft Accessbility Narrator. If you want this one, buy the book instead!
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Summary: A worthy sequel that takes a little patience
Review: The only real downside to this novel is that it takes a little adjusting to after the first novel. Its hard to explain why but its not a good idea to read this directly after the first book. That aside it is fantastic and expands on the first book dramatically, although it is a little confusing.
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Summary: An incredible sequel that expands upon Ringworld.
Review: The Ringworld Engineers is the sequel to Ringworld. In Ringworld, Larry Niven introduced us to the concept of a world made in the shape of an extraordinarily large ring encircling a star. In this book he gives us answers to questions we might not have even asked about the Ringworld, but that others apparently did. After the publication of Ringworld, Niven received numerous pieces of correspondence from people offering helpful information about the details of how the Ringworld would actually function. Niven took inspiration from the enthusiasm of those people and created the Ringworld Engineers in part to publish the answers to important questions about the structure. Around those answers he has created a thoughtful and engaging story that adds in a positive way to the Ringworld legacy.
The basic premise behind the Ringworld Engineers is that twenty or so years have passed since Louis Wu and Speaker To Animals returned from the Ringworld. Since then, Louis has withdrawn into a life of ascetic practices livened up by his addiction to current stimulation. Speaker to Animals (who has earned his full name of Chmeee for the treasure he brought back from the original Ringworld adventure) lives a prosperous life on Kzin having earned high status from his Ringworld discoveries. The circumstance that brings Louis and Chmeee back to the Ringworld is one quite familiar to them, but the situation they face upon arriving on the Ringworld is quite different than when they left. The Ringworld is moving out of position around the sun and the only way for Louis and Chmeee to find out how to fix it lies with the origins of the Ringworld Engineers.
I found the Ringworld Engineers to be engaging and interesting wholely apart from the original Ringworld. While certainly the references to parts of the original book are made more clear having read that novel, this book is very readable even having read Ringworld many years before. Having said that, I would advise that it is a good idea to read Ringworld first as there are certainly items of that book which are spoiled herein.
The way that Niven engages parts of his other novels of Known Space and entertwines them with this book made me want to go give some of those a shot as well. He truly is a master storyteller and this is one of his best novels on his own. Niven's collaborations with author Jerry Pournelle are also highly recommended. The classic The Mote In God's Eye as well as Footfall and Lucifer's Hammer are all very well done and certainly are must read novels for any Niven fan.
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Summary: Better Than The First
Review: This book is an excellent sequal in that it answers almost every question that cam to mind after people were done reading the first one. This book is about a voyage back to Ringworld, it gives much more deatiled information on the Ringworld, and tells what happens to some old characters like Teela as well. If you were lucky enough to experience the first one, then you must experience the second
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Summary: Good, but not consistent with Ringworld (the first book)
Review: This is a must-read for any fan of Niven's work, especially the known space series. I really enjoyed Niven's further discovery/elaboration of Ringworld engineering.However, I feel that Niven really dropped the ball by trying to impose the Pak on the Ringworld. In Ringworld, Niven identified a human sub-race that had achieved god-like superiority over all other races. In Ringworld Engineers, Niven apparently decides that none of the sub-races are superior to the others, and "notices" certain Pak influences on all of the human sub-races. Wouldn't the creation of a structure such as the Ringworld have been written about in the Pak library (where Pssthpok get the idea to seek out Earth in the novel Protector)? Why not give credit to a more likely races from the known space universe, such as the Slavers, or the Outsiders? By itself, this book is a great read. It is not, however, a compelling addition to the overall storyline of the Real Space series.
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Summary: Ingenious
Review: This is an ingeniously thought out novel. In it, Larry Niven succeeds in reconcilling some of the apparent inconsistencies between the Ringworld books and his other Known Space novels (by demonstrating that the Ringworld was built by the Pak protectors), and incorporates the ideas and questions of his fans (spillpipes, attitude jets, and defense system) into the operation of the Ringworld, while at the same time telling an exciting, and fast moving story. That he manages all three so flawlessly is surely a sign of his genius as a writer. Louis Wu and Speaker to Animals (now known as Chmee) are kidnapped by the Hindmost (puppeteer mate of Nessus from the preious book) and brought to the Ringworld again to steal a technology from it that will ensure the security of Hindmost's political faction on the puppeteer world. Louis Wu, however, ends up stranded alone with little but his wits in the middle of the Ringworld, with no-one but the Ringworld natives to turn to for help. And he does indeed need their help, for the Ringworld is off-centre, and very soon will brush against its sun...
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Summary: Another solid Niven novel
Review: This is money well spent. I enjoyed this novel and spent nearly a whole night reading it in one sitting. I will never tire of Larry Niven when he sticks to Known Space, the best of his fiction areas. I like the Pupperteers, the Kzin, and Pac. Larry delivers a nearly perfect end to the Ringworld series. I have had personal conversations with him back in 1983 and he never intended to make more Known Space books. Note, you should read this novel before reading "Ringworld's Children", due out in Summer of 2004. Enjoy it, I did!
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Summary: Another solid Niven novel
Review: This is money well spent. I enjoyed this novel and spent nearly a whole night reading it in one sitting. I will never tire of Larry Niven when he sticks to Known Space, the best of his fiction areas. I like the Pupperteers, the Kzin, and Pac. Larry delivers a nearly perfect end to the Ringworld series. I have had personal conversations with him back in 1983 and he never intended to make more Known Space books. Note, you should read this novel before reading "Ringworld's Children", due out in Summer of 2004. Enjoy it, I did!
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Summary: Niven Smiven.
Review: This return to the ringworld was both boring and unsatisfying. The Characters are _STILL_ inanimate, the dialogue _STILL_ horrible and plot developments _STILL_ mysterious. While reading Ringworld Engineers I felt left out of the story, quite an odd experience while reading a book. Louis Wu and his 'pals' would constanly leap to conclusions (which were invariably correct) based on literally, almost nothing. I almost feel that Niven knew the story but didnt want to tell it, he'd rather us read 200 pages of bad interaction then suddenly spring a left-field 'conclusion' on us. The 'aliens' were nothing more then oddly shaped/colored humans, bad ones at that, and the 'technical' details on ringworld he added seemed out-of-place, almost as if someone gave him a scientific fact-sheet and he incorperated those facts just to validate himself.. I still wonder what I'm missing, why are these niven books such classics? There are other storys (written in the same era) that blow ringworld away technically and through sheer originality. maybe I've been spoiled by such stories. Anyway I've said it before, and I'll say it again, Read John Varley's Titan Trilogy (Titan, Wizard, Demon) for what ringworld COULD'VE been. email comments appreciated.
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