Ringworld
by Larry Niven

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Book Reviews of Ringworld

Book Review: A Bizarre Yet Classic Work
Summary: 5 Stars

One of Niven's strengths lies in his creation of characters, which are varied and are lended realism by the odd quirks and personalities they each possess. One of the most important parts of this process is motivation; Niven's characters always have a real, burning motivation behind each of their actions, which can bee seen clarly after reading the book. I emphasize "after" because the charcters' motivations are not always immediately apparent- in fact, Niven is so skilled at hiding characters' true intentions until later in the plot that his style would aptly suit the construction of a mystery novel. In many books, one reads of an illogical action and wonders if they will ever understand why it occured. This is never a problem with Niven; you can trust him to have carefully engineered each of his plot twists and odd actions, and they all have both a purpose and a goal.

Ringworld features a gargantuan world of incredible proportions. While Niven's skill comes through in his descriptions of the world's size, it truly shines as he describes what this world contains. Some of the most amazing alien creatures you will ever read about live and breathe within the pages of this book. Many of the world's locales and odd devices are equally stunning in their bizarre brilliance and unexpected properties.

Niven allows you to experience a fanciful version of what it might be like to explore an alien world, and you will find yourself wondering if you would be up to the challenge. His protagonist is as well-developed as any of the other characters, and acts in a particularly human manner. The humanity and clarity with which the protagonist is depicted provides an anchor in an otherwise strange alien world, ensuring the reader does not lose touch with the greater happenings of the plotline.

Ringworld won the Nebula award, perhaps one of the most prestigious awards given to Science Fiction novels in the world. This is no accident, for Ringworld is a truly remarkable book - both for its origionality, and its level of flawlessness of execution. Although a few elements from this book have been copied by later authors and filmmakers (at least after 1970 or so), Niven's ideas remain, for the most part, origional.

Ringworld is an interesting and dynamic book, full of fascinating elements and unpredicable changes. If you are ready for a bizarre adventure, give Ringworld a try.

Summary of Ringworld

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