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The Ringworld Engineers

The Ringworld Series, Book 2

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The Ringworld Engineers

By: Larry Niven
Narrated by: Richard Powers
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About this listen

It’s been 20 years since the quixotic and worldsweary Louis Wu discovered the Ringworld. Now he and SpeakertoAnimals are going back, captives of the Hindmost, a deposed puppeteer leader.

With Louis’ help, the Hindmost intends to regain his status by bringing back such extraordinary treasures from the Ringworld that his fellow puppeteers will have to be impressed. But when they arrive, Louis discovers that the Ringworld is no longer stable - and will destroy itself within months. To survive, he must locate the control center of the legendary engineers who built the planet.

His quest becomes a wild and gripping venture blended with the mysteries and spectacular technologies that only Larry Niven can conjure.

©1980 Larry Niven (P)2011 Blackstone Audio, Inc. Fantasy Fiction Hard Science Fiction Science Fiction

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Critic reviews

"The Ringworld Engineers has all the imaginativeness, convincing detail, and narrative vivacity that have come to be associated with the works of Larry Niven. Furthermore, it answers a lot of questions that have been tantalizing his readers for a long time. Most highly recommended!” (Poul Anderson)
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I really enjoyed this. I had read ringworld in my youth and listened again a few months ago. So thought I would listen to this. It is a bit like a crossover TV series. It brings in stories from other Niven books. HBO series because lots of "reshathra" (no idea of spelling). You will have to listen to understand.

Should be a hbo series.

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There is just enough in this series to keep buying more. Just. I will go one more and make a final decision

Good story but sooooo slow

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I stuck with it for the technical story, but none of the big reveals were that surprising. Characterisation suffered by comparison to the original novel, and there were stupid editorial errors which were so obvious, I cannot understand why they weren't corrected for the recording. There is an obsession with interspecies sex that goes way beyond an interesting cross-cultural comparison. I think Niven was randy when he wrote this, or the joke is so subtle that it escapes me. There are a couple of major plot holes, such as... SPOILER... Niven's assumption that new species of hominid can evolve on the Ringworld but not new pathogens. He bases this on the idea that the builders would not have imported any diseases. Logical, they probably wouldn't. But if new hominids can evolve from the existing inhabitants and exploit different ecological niches, why not new micro-organisms that are pathogenic? Hence, unprotected interspecies sex would be as riddled with danger as the regular kind!

The voice was poorly chosen. Not suitable for the genre and the reader and/or the voice director clearly have no understanding of the genre as evidenced by some very peculiar use of emphasis and pronunciation of terms early on.

But it's not all bad. The last half dozen chapters were quite good.

Niven once said he never intended to write this sequel, and took nearly ten years over it. His reluctance shows.

Louis Wu shags his way across the Ringworld

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This is a classic sifi book . They just dont last long enough. Roll on my next credit

a classic

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Sensible friendships and coworking with diverse alien species! Tange knows humanity needs to learn this obvious outlook for enhancing quality of life for all humans, nature 🤷‍♂️

Credible multiple species interaction

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Characters that will endure in a world & universe of wonder. Lots to interest and cause one to pause to ponder about humanity and life in general. A worthwhile listen - and re-listen.

Another excellent production in this series.

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Sci-fi sequel with charming characters, satisfying payoffs, and a few awkward descriptions from Mr. Niven. The premise unfolds to become more and more intriguing.

Intriguing

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Ringworld Engineers is by far the best of the Ringworld books.
IMPORTANT NOTE: For people new to the Ringworld series - Read “Protector” before you get “Engineers”
(It fits between the first and second book)

This novel is the answer to the riddle “Who Built the Ring and why”

Note: The 1980’s Role Playing Game of Ringworld is based completely on this book.

The original book was well worthy of the awards that it won, however this is a much more complete travelogue around the ring than its predecessor
I rate it has a hard SF novel that that easily competes with Dune and the like because of the vast scale and clean science behind the writing.

Perhaps most importantly it is just a great adventure story that explores the vast structure without getting bogged down in personal angst, politics, or too much scientific theory.
(There’s far too much of that these days in science fiction)

Niven at his very best!

The Best Ringworld Novel

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enjoyable syory as a way to explain how life and cultures may evolve and develop in a future with abundant technology and theories about megastructures, as implausible as a ringworld may be.

enjoyable story

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excellent sequel to Ringworld and extending Niven's 'known space' concepts. slightly dated in the 'futurology' but otherwise a cracking adventure.

still a classic

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