Rating: 
Summary: Enjoyable read & classic Larry Niven
Review: I enjoyed this book. I would have given it a 10 but felt it was just a notch below "Ringworld" & "Mote in God's Eye" which I did give a 10 rating to. I recommend reading "Tales of Known Space" (a series of short stories) first, to give a nice background for "Protector" & Larry's other fine stand alone novels.
- BH Dixon
Rating:
Summary: Seminal!
Review: I first read this book over 20 years ago, and I still think it's the novel by which other works of science fiction should be judged. It's conceptually enthralling, leaves plenty of loose ends, but has a driving logic behind its narrative, as well as an incisive wit.And now I want to read it again. And I want someone to pick up the film rights, now the CGI is up to the job, and that goes for Ringworld, too!
Rating: 
Summary: Great sci fi premise, but can be slow
Review: I love Niven's work, and the Pak story line is enjoyable reading. But the middle of the book is very slow and the whole effort reads like a short story expanded into a novel. Great idea, but the execution could have been better.
Rating:
Summary: Good story, but...
Review: I love Niven, and this story is no exception. However, I have a small problem with the science. If I understand relativity correctly, the Pak scout ships would not be able to pass the breeder ships. In effect, both would be going at virtually the speed of light, and the scout ships would lag by a constant amount. Furthermore, a spaceship orbiting a neutron star would have to be moving fast, and in order for a projectile to hit the star, it would have to cancel out all this velocity. Unless the ship were a great number of A.U.'s from the star, a shotgun wouldn't be able to do this. Still, this was one of Niven's earlier works, so let's cut him some slack. All in all, it was quite enjoyable.
Rating:
Summary: all-time favorite
Review: I read all of Niven, and Protector isn't just my favorite of his works, it's my all-time favorite book. Through the Protectors' actions, Niven did a great job convincing the reader that Protectors are hyper-intelligent beings. It's one thing to simply label an alien race "hyper-intelligent" and endow it with magical technology. But Protector brings that to life with descriptive narratives of incredible action, and a carefully thought out plot.
Rating:
Summary: Great for a quick read
Review: I read this book in one night and I loved it. Its not the best sci-fi I've ever read but it sure was an enjoyable distraction for an evening. Its not very deep but its a fun ride with many interesting ideas. Get it and enjoy!
Rating:
Summary: Essential Niven
Review: Imagine a race of beings that:
Are so hyper-intelligent that they never invented computers. It never occured to them to devise a machine to help them think. Abandoned interstellar travel because it was useless. Except to kill off a few close-by competitive races. And they invented interstellar travel w/o computers, remember. Are very long-lived. Maybe immortal. They don't grow old since they always die a violent death. Are amazingly strong with lightning-quick reflexes. Are Very warlike. Are EXTREME XENOPHOBES. And you have to fight them. Actually, this would be a good basis for another Niven book. But Protector does a great job of introducing this race to his future history. The middle third of the story is rather slow, but it picks up again for the final third. Great book. And essential to understand, not just the one or two books that other have mentioned (giving away part of the plot for those books)but the place of Humanity in the Known Space Universe. A Protector could eat a Klingon for lunch. And wouldn't even enjoy it. A Must Read for the space-loving scifi fan.
Rating:
Summary: Essential Niven
Review: Imagine a race of beings that:
Are so hyper-intelligent that they never invented computers. It never occured to them to devise a machine to help them think. Abandoned interstellar travel because it was useless. Except to kill off a few close-by competitive races. And they invented interstellar travel w/o computers, remember. Are very long-lived. Maybe immortal. They don't grow old since they always die a violent death. Are amazingly strong with lightning-quick reflexes. Are Very warlike. Are EXTREME XENOPHOBES. And you have to fight them. Actually, this would be a good basis for another Niven book. But Protector does a great job of introducing this race to his future history. The middle third of the story is rather slow, but it picks up again for the final third. Great book. And essential to understand, not just the one or two books that other have mentioned (giving away part of the plot for those books)but the place of Humanity in the Known Space Universe. A Protector could eat a Klingon for lunch. And wouldn't even enjoy it. A Must Read for the space-loving scifi fan.
Rating:
Summary: The best explanation ever on why it hurts to get old!
Review: In the Protector Niven explains why we look so horrible and why it hurts to get old. His explanations in this book, has me convinced he must be right. (or he is one hell of a writer :-)). It gives the most facinating explanation of the origin of homo spaiens. This is a must
Rating:
Summary: what a great book
Review: Just re-read this for the first time in about 15 years and what a great book it still is. Niven is such a talented writer, the technology and science is fascinating but ultimately it is the small touches that make it work. Contrast this to some of the more recent "hard" scifi which is all tech and no story. He [Niven] is a true master. I only wish he would write some new Known Space books - and, of course, that some of this cool stuff is actually out there!
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