Reviews

Tales of Known Space: The Universe of Larry Niven by Larry Niven

0f_bajor's review against another edition

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adventurous funny lighthearted fast-paced

3.75

spitzig's review against another edition

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3.0

weak. I was hopeful for this book. I loved some of the ideas in a couple of his novels, but the characters were just stereotypes. Like, his aliens were unique but didn't have distinct personalities. One Kzinti is the same as another. The humans were all stereotypes, the most common one being the manipulative, but "good" spy-type of personality. But, I thought maybe character development would be less important in his short stories-he could focus more on the cool SF ideas. But, maybe Niven needs more TIME to develop his SF ideas. Nothing in this book wowed me.

tacanderson's review against another edition

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medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.0

While there's a few gems in this collection of early short stories, most of the stories are either sophomoric in their writing or in one particular case, down right offensive. If you're reading through the Known Universe, you can skip this one. 

markdgrover's review against another edition

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3.0

Stories from the 1960s mostly. Love the sociopolitical world-building over future centuries of human achievement and stupidity. Hate the chauvinism and homophobia.

lotiel's review against another edition

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2.0

The stories feel very much of their time, and the first half are not even imaginative for their time. Some misogyny and a case of very bad homophobia.

flishard's review against another edition

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4.0

Mr. Niven has an amazing ability to draw you into his life, not just his worlds, with a candid manner of writing about the happenings in his worlds and his own life.
A pleasure to have been a part of it.

ericlklein's review against another edition

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5.0

Great collection of stories in the Know Space series.

ninjapigeon's review against another edition

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4.0

Mr. Niven has an amazing ability to draw you into his life, not just his worlds, with a candid manner of writing about the happenings in his worlds and his own life.
A pleasure to have been a part of it.
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