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Sign up todayDestroyer of Worlds
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Learn moreThis book is a prequel to the Ringworld series, which is considered a classic of the science fiction genre.
Two hundred years before the discovery of Ringworld
The newly liberated humans of the Fleet of Worlds now face a new threat besides the sly Puppeteers: the Pak, a very smart and utterly ruthless species who are fleeing the exploding galactic core in an armada of ships at near light speed. The Pak are headed toward the Fleet of Worlds, having destroyed entire planets in their wake. Sigmund Ausfaller, who had been transported by the Puppeteers from Earth to the Fleet, is now sent with his human allies to reconnoiter and divert the Pak. A Pak is captured, but even a well-guarded Pak prisoner can be lethal. Sigmund and the human colonists must cope with many unpleasant surprises between the manipulative Puppeteers, the brilliant, violent Pak, and a new species called the Gwโoth, who seem to be allies but have their own agenda.
Larry Niven is the multiple Hugo, Locus, and Nebula Awardโwinning author of science fiction short stories and novels, including the Ringworld series, as well as many other science fiction masterpieces. His Footfall, coauthored with Jerry Pournelle, was a New York Times bestseller.
Edward M. Lerner worked in high tech and aerospace for thirty years, as everything from engineer to senior vice president, for much of that time writing science fiction as his hobby. Since 2004 he has written full-time. His novels range from near-future technothrillers, likeย Small Miraclesย andย Energized, to futuristic mysteries, likeย The Company Man, to such traditional SF-adventure fare asย Dark Secretย and his InterstellarNet series. Collaborating with Larry Niven, he also wrote the space-opera epic Fleet of Worlds series ofย Ringworldย companion novels. His 2015 novel,ย InterstellarNet: Enigma, won the inaugural Canopus Award โhonoring excellence in interstellar writing.โ His fiction has also been nominated for Locus, Prometheus, and Hugo awards. In shorter forms, his writing has appeared in anthologies, collections, and many science fiction magazines and websites. He also writes about science and technology, most notably includingย Trope ing the Light Fantastic: The Science behind the Fiction.
Tom Weiner, a dialogue director and voice artist best known for his roles in video games and television shows such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Transformers, is the winner of eight Earphones Awards and Audie Award finalist. He is a former member of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.
Reviews
โAn absorbing mix of problems and puzzles and conflicts, space battles and interrogations and negotiations, shot through with fresh takes on familiar tropes and themes. It more than holds its own in the Known Space canon, which ought to be recommendation enough.โ
โThe plethora of aliens and action will appeal to Niven stalwarts and fans of old-fashioned hard SF.โ
โGood, old-fashioned SF, packed with ideas, philosophical musings, and plenty of space action.โ
“Old-fashioned cerebral science fiction, with a huge array of fascinating aliens, subtle interactions between them, and knotty problems for them to solve.”
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