Rating: 
Summary: A HUGE disappointment
Review: Frankly, after waiting for several years for the sequel, I was severely disappointed. Mote was undoubtedly a great book, one of the best first contact novels ever written and I am a HUGE Pournelle and Niven fan, but this book was clearly written to get the publishers and the fans off their backs.The basic plot line was decent enough but the Blaine children, especially the daughter, were just too much! Pournelle and Niven are clearly old men of our parent's generation that really do not understand too much about young women. Frankly, although indispensable the way the plot has been worked out, the Blaine children should have been written out and their tasks performed by some bio-medical researcher from the Institute. And, while I am at it, Pournelle and Niven should move into the 1980s, if not the 1990s or later, as far as the role of women is concerned. While I am far from PC--I like military SciFi don't I?--their view of future societies is far too patriarchal. All in all, Kevin and Horace were the only mildly interesting characters in the book. A great disappointment. You should probably still buy the book to see how the story ends, although the end is slightly predictable, but its far from their best effort. NB: If you haven't read Mote, save your money.
Rating: 
Summary: Great sequel
Review: Good sequel. Compared to many of the sequels on the market today (Hammers slammers; Eye of the world; etc;) this one delivers. While not as good as the first book, much better than most first books out there.
Rating: 
Summary: The beam in your own
Review: How do you write a sequel to one of the greatest books in the sf canon? Maybe you shouldn't. Oh, come on, we're being unfair. This would be an okay book if we weren't comparing it to _Mote in God's Eye_...or, in fact, anything Niven and Pournelle have written without carrying Michael Flynn on their backs. It's okay, all right? In fact, it's pretty good. This book is pretty good. Pretend it stands on its own.
Rating:
Summary: Not a Candle to Mote
Review: I accidentally posted this review on the webpage for "The Mote in God's Eye." I am truly sorry for giving one of the best First Contact books ever written a one-star rating. Frankly, after waiting for several years for the sequel, I was severely disappointed. Mote was undoubtedly a great book, one of the best first contact novels ever written and I am a HUGE Pournelle and Niven fan, but this book was clearly written to get the publishers and the fans off their backs. The basic plot line was decent enough but the Blaine children, especially the daughter, were just too much! Pournelle and Niven are clearly old men of our parent's generation that really do not understand too much about young women. Frankly, although indispensable the way the plot has been worked out, the Blaine children should have been written out and their tasks performed by some bio-medical researcher from the Institute. And, while I am at it, Pournelle and Niven should move into the 1980s, if not the 1990s or later, as far as the role of women is concerned. While I am far from PC--I like military SciFi don't I?--their view of future societies is far too patriarchal. All in all, Kevin and Horace were the only mildly interesting characters in the book. A great disappointment. You should probably still buy the book to see how the story ends, although the end is slightly predictable, but its far from their best effort. NB: If you haven't read Mote, save your money.
Rating: 
Summary: Interesting if you were a big fan of "The Mote in God's Eye"
Review: I am a big fan of "The Mote in God's Eye" and I was enthusiasticabout reading the sequel even though I'd heard it was not asgood a read. (Of course sequels rarely are). However, I still enjoyed reading more about "Moties" and the magnificently constructed world constructed by Niven & Pournelle. Sure it didn't get off the ground as fast, but about half way thru the book I was hooked quite thoroughly and I think that if you love Moties as much as I do, you'll be hooked as well! I gave "The Mote" a 10 rating and I give this sequel a 7. ----- B.H. Dixon
Rating:
Summary: Interesting if you were a big fan of "The Mote in God's Eye"
Review: I am a big fan of "The Mote in God's Eye" and I was enthusiastic
about reading the sequel even though I'd heard it was not as
good a read. (Of course sequels rarely are). However, I still
enjoyed reading more about "Moties" and the magnificently
constructed world constructed by Niven & Pournelle. Sure it didn't
get off the ground as fast, but about half way thru the book
I was hooked quite thoroughly and I think that if you love Moties as much as I do, you'll be hooked as well! I gave "The
Mote" a 10 rating and I give this sequel a 7. ----- B.H. Dixon
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointing and convoluted.
Review: I am sorry, but that is what the majority of the novel is like. The excitement and interest that is pandemic in The Mote In God's Eye is almost, mind you ALMOST, nowhere to be found, though it does have its moments. Gripping Hand's storyline is convoluted and confusing at many points, the characters, some of whom are from T.M.I.G.E. are completely uninteresting and droll or have become so in transition from Mote to Hand. Obscure and boring references to the history of Asia Minor did not help. A poor sequel.
Rating:
Summary: I liked it but then I wrote it
Review: I confess I am weary of having the books I wrote with Niven be put up as by him alone. But it is a good book, and I should not be churlish. I wonder if Barnes and Noble do this to their associates?
Rating:
Summary: Average scifi
Review: I have to agree with other reviewers. This book is not that great. I truly enjoyed "The Mote in God's Eye", a masterpiece, and was eager to go back to its universe. Unfortunately, "The Gripping Hand" is a tedious exercise of authorship. The book is divided into two parts. The first one prepares the actual action in which the moties are involved (no spoiler, this is very predictable). It is just an unbearable tale of space politics and average character development with very little action. The second half is more interesting, and it does make use of some slick ideas, but the story is too fragmented to be exciting. In summary, Larry and Jerry wasted a couple of good ideas, and a lot of the credit they gained from "The Mote".
Rating:
Summary: Average scifi
Review: I have to agree with other reviewers. This book is not that great. I truly enjoyed "The Mote in God's Eye", a masterpiece, and was eager to go back to its universe. Unfortunately, "The Gripping Hand" is a tedious exercise of authorship. The book is divided into two parts. The first one prepares the actual action in which the moties are involved (no spoiler, this is very predictable). It is just an unbearable tale of space politics and average character development with very little action. The second half is more interesting, and it does make use of some slick ideas, but the story is too fragmented to be exciting. In summary, Larry and Jerry wasted a couple of good ideas, and a lot of the credit they gained from "The Mote".
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