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The Goliath Stone
The Goliath Stone is a visionary tale from Larry Niven and Matthew Joseph Harrington.Doctor Toby Glyer has effected miracle cures with the use of nanotechnology. But Glyer's controversial nanites are more than just the latest technological advance, they are a new form of life-and they have more uses than just medical. Glyer's nanites also have the potential to make everyone on Earth rich from the wealth of asteroids. Twenty-five years ago, the Briareus mission took nanomachinery out to divert an Earth-crossing asteroid and bring it back to be mined, only to drop out of contact as soon as it reached its target. The project was shut down and the technology was forcibly suppressed. Now, a much, much larger asteroid is on a collision course with Earth-and the Briareus nanites may be responsible. While the government scrambles to find a solution, Glyer knows that their only hope of avoiding Armageddon lies in the nanites themselves. On the run, Glyer must track down his old partner, William Connors, and find a way to make contact with their wayward children.As every parent learns, when you produce a new thinking being, the plans it makes are not necessarily your plans. But with a two-hundred-gigaton asteroid that rivals the rock that felled the dinosaurs hurtling toward Earth, Glyer and Connors don't have time to argue. Will Glyer's nanites be Earth's salvation or destruction?At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
318 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 25, 2013
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About the author
Larry Niven
687 books3,305 followersLaurence van Cott Niven's best known work is Ringworld (Ringworld, #1) (1970), which received the Hugo, Locus, Ditmar, and Nebula awards. His work is primarily hard science fiction, using big science concepts and theoretical physics. The creation of thoroughly worked-out alien species, which are very different from humans both physically and mentally, is recognized as one of Niven's main strengths.
Niven also often includes elements of detective fiction and adventure stories. His fantasy includes The Magic Goes Away series, which utilizes an exhaustible resource, called Mana, to make the magic a non-renewable resource.
Niven created an alien species, the Kzin, which were featured in a series of twelve collection books, the Man-Kzin Wars. He co-authored a number of novels with Jerry Pournelle. In fact, much of his writing since the 1970s has been in collaboration, particularly with Pournelle, Steven Barnes, Brenda Cooper, or Edward M. Lerner.
He briefly attended the California Institute of Technology and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in mathematics (with a minor in psychology) from Washburn University, Topeka, Kansas, in 1962. He did a year of graduate work in mathematics at the University of California at Los Angeles. He has since lived in Los Angeles suburbs, including Chatsworth and Tarzana, as a full-time writer. He married Marilyn Joyce "Fuzzy Pink" Wisowaty, herself a well-known science fiction and Regency literature fan, on September 6, 1969.
Niven won the Hugo Award for Best Short Story for Neutron Star in 1967. In 1972, for Inconstant Moon, and in 1975 for The Hole Man. In 1976, he won the Hugo Award for Best Novelette for The Borderland of Sol.
Niven has written scripts for various science fiction television shows, including the original Land of the Lost series and Star Trek: The Animated Series, for which he adapted his early Kzin story The Soft Weapon. He adapted his story Inconstant Moon for an episode of the television series The Outer Limits in 1996.
He has also written for the DC Comics character Green Lantern including in his stories hard science fiction concepts such as universal entropy and the redshift effect, which are unusual in comic books.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/larryn...
Niven also often includes elements of detective fiction and adventure stories. His fantasy includes The Magic Goes Away series, which utilizes an exhaustible resource, called Mana, to make the magic a non-renewable resource.
Niven created an alien species, the Kzin, which were featured in a series of twelve collection books, the Man-Kzin Wars. He co-authored a number of novels with Jerry Pournelle. In fact, much of his writing since the 1970s has been in collaboration, particularly with Pournelle, Steven Barnes, Brenda Cooper, or Edward M. Lerner.
He briefly attended the California Institute of Technology and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in mathematics (with a minor in psychology) from Washburn University, Topeka, Kansas, in 1962. He did a year of graduate work in mathematics at the University of California at Los Angeles. He has since lived in Los Angeles suburbs, including Chatsworth and Tarzana, as a full-time writer. He married Marilyn Joyce "Fuzzy Pink" Wisowaty, herself a well-known science fiction and Regency literature fan, on September 6, 1969.
Niven won the Hugo Award for Best Short Story for Neutron Star in 1967. In 1972, for Inconstant Moon, and in 1975 for The Hole Man. In 1976, he won the Hugo Award for Best Novelette for The Borderland of Sol.
Niven has written scripts for various science fiction television shows, including the original Land of the Lost series and Star Trek: The Animated Series, for which he adapted his early Kzin story The Soft Weapon. He adapted his story Inconstant Moon for an episode of the television series The Outer Limits in 1996.
He has also written for the DC Comics character Green Lantern including in his stories hard science fiction concepts such as universal entropy and the redshift effect, which are unusual in comic books.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/larryn...
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August 7, 2019
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Nano Nano No No
___________________________________
Goliath Stone is an homage to Robert Heinlein and Heinleinesque libertarianism. That much is clear. The mystery is how an accomplished author like Larry Niven could be responsible for such a disjointed piece of writing.
Here's a few of the authors' literary sins.
-- They have their characters interrupt the narrative seven or eight separate times just to talk about how brilliant science-fiction authors are, and to wax eloquently on the genius of Heinlein and other sci-fi writers. The characters even gush about how smart sci-fi fans are--well, ok, that part's true . . .we are. . . but...
-- Some of the authors’ political statements are so outlandish that not even Wayne LaPierre could say them aloud without blushing. For example, we are told about serial-killer federal agents who use government gun registration data bases to seek out, attack, and murder beautiful women who do NOT own a gun, and therefore cannot defend themselves.
-- There are glaring inconsistencies in the motivations of the main character, a Heineinesque/Captain-Nemoish genius. This character, true to the story’s libertarian roots, bemoans the evils of the nanny-state government that interferes in the personal lives of its citizens. This is fine. It’s good. It’s very Heineinish. But then this same character seeks to solve the problems of the world by secretly infecting every person on Earth with microscopic nanobots that will turn good, right-thinking people into immortal supermen and superwomen, while producing agonizing pain or death in those whose thought-patterns are not acceptable.
OK, you’re probably thinking that the authors’ meant at least some of this stuff to be tongue-in-cheek…and uh…maybe . . . maybe. . . I’m so confused. I only know that this book. .. gave me this horrible. . . horrible...headache… or maybe …maybe. . . it is just those damn nanobots acting up again.
Nano Nano No No
___________________________________
Goliath Stone is an homage to Robert Heinlein and Heinleinesque libertarianism. That much is clear. The mystery is how an accomplished author like Larry Niven could be responsible for such a disjointed piece of writing.
Here's a few of the authors' literary sins.
-- They have their characters interrupt the narrative seven or eight separate times just to talk about how brilliant science-fiction authors are, and to wax eloquently on the genius of Heinlein and other sci-fi writers. The characters even gush about how smart sci-fi fans are--well, ok, that part's true . . .we are. . . but...
-- Some of the authors’ political statements are so outlandish that not even Wayne LaPierre could say them aloud without blushing. For example, we are told about serial-killer federal agents who use government gun registration data bases to seek out, attack, and murder beautiful women who do NOT own a gun, and therefore cannot defend themselves.
-- There are glaring inconsistencies in the motivations of the main character, a Heineinesque/Captain-Nemoish genius. This character, true to the story’s libertarian roots, bemoans the evils of the nanny-state government that interferes in the personal lives of its citizens. This is fine. It’s good. It’s very Heineinish. But then this same character seeks to solve the problems of the world by secretly infecting every person on Earth with microscopic nanobots that will turn good, right-thinking people into immortal supermen and superwomen, while producing agonizing pain or death in those whose thought-patterns are not acceptable.
OK, you’re probably thinking that the authors’ meant at least some of this stuff to be tongue-in-cheek…and uh…maybe . . . maybe. . . I’m so confused. I only know that this book. .. gave me this horrible. . . horrible...headache… or maybe …maybe. . . it is just those damn nanobots acting up again.
August 25, 2013
I'm a long time (more than 30 years) fan of Larry Niven's writing and I wanted to like this book. Unfortunately Niven appears to have joined the ranks of authors who think that promoting a political philosophy is more important than writing a good story.
The book was short (230 pages), overpriced ($11.99) and spent minimal time on the actual story.
It did spend lots of time trying to sell an extremist political philosophy (a Libertarian Ubermensch based 'Government Bad/Capitalism Good' hash - complete with killing about 10% of the worlds population as social engineering/eugenics by one of the *heroes* of the story), and pointless sniping at well established modern science that had nothing to do with the story.
I would like to believe that it is satire of the genre (Niven attempts to suggest that it might be at one point in the story), but knowing Niven's actual politics, I think it is just an overpriced Libertarian wish-fulfillment fantasy with a layer of plausible deniability pasted on.
I have to score this book a miss. If you are a die-hard Niven completionist who must have everything he has written, at least wait until the price falls to something appropriate for such a short book.
The book was short (230 pages), overpriced ($11.99) and spent minimal time on the actual story.
It did spend lots of time trying to sell an extremist political philosophy (a Libertarian Ubermensch based 'Government Bad/Capitalism Good' hash - complete with killing about 10% of the worlds population as social engineering/eugenics by one of the *heroes* of the story), and pointless sniping at well established modern science that had nothing to do with the story.
I would like to believe that it is satire of the genre (Niven attempts to suggest that it might be at one point in the story), but knowing Niven's actual politics, I think it is just an overpriced Libertarian wish-fulfillment fantasy with a layer of plausible deniability pasted on.
I have to score this book a miss. If you are a die-hard Niven completionist who must have everything he has written, at least wait until the price falls to something appropriate for such a short book.
September 8, 2013
The Goliath Stone is one of those books that reads like there are actually two books, one is the actual book and the other is a virtual book that the author/s wrote in their head/s or on liner notes that contain the other half of the story. Not having access to that virtual book, the reader is left to figure out what the authors are not saying. Sometimes this works well, as in, for example, Brin's Startide Rising (where the second story is the space battle amongst the various races and factions). In other cases, as here, it makes the reading process more tedious and challenging.
The overall storyline is pretty straightforward, two pioneering scientists develop practical nanobots. One sends his to space with a basic set of commands. The other programs his to transform himself and the human race into supermen. The bots sent into space become sentient and return to earth as an apparent threat. And a team of newly-transformed humans goes out to meet them. In other hands, this could be a military action swashbuckler.
But the authors approach this as a Terry Pratchett or Douglas Adams, pushing the absurd envelope for humor, and sprinkling obscure science fiction references throughout. There also seems to be a fair bit of political ranting and wish fulfillment beyond what I would consider tolerable. What does hold this book together is the fictional science - practical nanotechnology, presented in the most understandable layman terms and without pedantry, woven seamlessly into the narrative. For this aspect alone, the book is worth the read.
For the serial collaborator, Larry Niven this is his nth co-author in a decidedly colorful, beloved and still-going-strong-at-50 year career as a hard Sf writer. His collaborator this time, Matthew Joseph Harrington, is a past contributor to the Man-Kzin series (bio here). Goliath Stone recalls the near-future thriller, Footfall (co-author: Jerry Pournelle) in its portrayal of geopolitical trajectories and disparate response to a space-bound threat. For this reviewer, I would have preferred a more character-driven effort like the recent Building Harlequin's Moon (co-author: Brenda Cooper). But anyway, a Niven's a Niven. And therefore can be no worse than 3 stars.
The overall storyline is pretty straightforward, two pioneering scientists develop practical nanobots. One sends his to space with a basic set of commands. The other programs his to transform himself and the human race into supermen. The bots sent into space become sentient and return to earth as an apparent threat. And a team of newly-transformed humans goes out to meet them. In other hands, this could be a military action swashbuckler.
But the authors approach this as a Terry Pratchett or Douglas Adams, pushing the absurd envelope for humor, and sprinkling obscure science fiction references throughout. There also seems to be a fair bit of political ranting and wish fulfillment beyond what I would consider tolerable. What does hold this book together is the fictional science - practical nanotechnology, presented in the most understandable layman terms and without pedantry, woven seamlessly into the narrative. For this aspect alone, the book is worth the read.
For the serial collaborator, Larry Niven this is his nth co-author in a decidedly colorful, beloved and still-going-strong-at-50 year career as a hard Sf writer. His collaborator this time, Matthew Joseph Harrington, is a past contributor to the Man-Kzin series (bio here). Goliath Stone recalls the near-future thriller, Footfall (co-author: Jerry Pournelle) in its portrayal of geopolitical trajectories and disparate response to a space-bound threat. For this reviewer, I would have preferred a more character-driven effort like the recent Building Harlequin's Moon (co-author: Brenda Cooper). But anyway, a Niven's a Niven. And therefore can be no worse than 3 stars.
August 22, 2013
Wow, this was bad. And not in a good way. The only reason I stuck it out was because of Bowl of Heaven, Larry Niven's earlier collaboration with Gregory Benford. In some respects, his collaboration with Matthew Joseph Harrington is more ambitious, but the end result is much more uneven and unsatisfying.
The problem is that the authors ignore their own plot. Or to put it another way, the writing here is so pared down and allusive, that I was fully a third of the way into the novel before I could confidently say I knew what the heck was going on. And I only understood some of the broader context when I read the Glossary at the end, which is not a good sign.
Another problem is the tone. This is billed as an end-of-the-world-due-to-rampant-technology thriller, but it really is a chamber piece where there is far more talk, banter and self-referencing than there is actual plot or action. The authors pay homage to Robert Heinlein, but take the schoolboy smuttiness and double entendres to such a level that it quickly becomes incredibly annoying.
There are some good ideas floating around, but these nuggets are hopelessly buried under some mind numbing scientific gobbledygook. Plus there are some eyebrow-raising and rather heavy-handed political and moral statements, which really got my hackles up. Incredibly disappointing.
The problem is that the authors ignore their own plot. Or to put it another way, the writing here is so pared down and allusive, that I was fully a third of the way into the novel before I could confidently say I knew what the heck was going on. And I only understood some of the broader context when I read the Glossary at the end, which is not a good sign.
Another problem is the tone. This is billed as an end-of-the-world-due-to-rampant-technology thriller, but it really is a chamber piece where there is far more talk, banter and self-referencing than there is actual plot or action. The authors pay homage to Robert Heinlein, but take the schoolboy smuttiness and double entendres to such a level that it quickly becomes incredibly annoying.
There are some good ideas floating around, but these nuggets are hopelessly buried under some mind numbing scientific gobbledygook. Plus there are some eyebrow-raising and rather heavy-handed political and moral statements, which really got my hackles up. Incredibly disappointing.
July 27, 2013
I thought there was much potential for this book based on the overview of the story, I couldn't have been more wrong. I don't think I've ever read a Larry Niven book that has left me this disappointed. The story is supposed to be about nano tech that is launched into space to retrieve an asteroid and bring it within Earth orbit, and that part of the story is at least there, but it is surrounded by a whole lot of crap.
To start with, the authors clearly have sex on the brain. There was far more than was necessary to tell the story. Then you have to get around the constant pushing of extreme libertarian wet dream ideas. I have a bit of a libertarian streak in me, but this was more of the extreme end of the ideal, and not very likely to ever be true. Then there is the story in the story of the nano tech let loose on the population and controlled by one single man, and it's treated in the book like this is a good and ethical thing; That's more likely exactly the kind of thing that would scare people half to death about the possibilities of nano technology and has some real deep philosophical questions on ethics buried in it.
In the end I'm glad this ride is over as it was like reading snippets of interesting sci-fi embedded in a whole lot of mediocre thriller writing (the dialogue was difficult to get through at times). Thankfully, if you decide to try this one out it will be over very fast.
August 25, 2013
The biggest problem for me was that I never felt the characters were ever in any danger. They were always vastly more powerful than anyone they were facing--except the sentient nano robots in orbit. When they are finally on the verge of confronting the sentient nanos, the book just stops. Apparently a sequel is intended.
To make the lack of tension worse, there was also a long section of the book where the characters sat in a hotel room and looked things up on the internet.
Apart from that, I found most of the characters annoying because they were snobbish and endlessly fascinated with their own cleverness. To make it worse, there are several sections where the characters sing the praises of science fiction writers. To make that worse, there is a long section in which the characters mock the genre of romance. The lead character claims to have written successful romances using a "formula" and plugging in nouns and verbs like mad libs. I find it ironic that a book that goes on and on about the fair treatment of women (this one does) would adopt such an unfair attitude toward a genre primarily read by women.
To make the lack of tension worse, there was also a long section of the book where the characters sat in a hotel room and looked things up on the internet.
Apart from that, I found most of the characters annoying because they were snobbish and endlessly fascinated with their own cleverness. To make it worse, there are several sections where the characters sing the praises of science fiction writers. To make that worse, there is a long section in which the characters mock the genre of romance. The lead character claims to have written successful romances using a "formula" and plugging in nouns and verbs like mad libs. I find it ironic that a book that goes on and on about the fair treatment of women (this one does) would adopt such an unfair attitude toward a genre primarily read by women.
July 1, 2013
"Brain Candy and a fast read" is what I called The Goliath Stone,Larry Niven's latest Sci-Fi thriller which I reviewed in The New York Journal of Books
It's a novel of big ideas centering on nanotechnology (which of course gets out of control).
Part of science fiction’s pleasure is that it is grounded in familiar elements of genre. Which is not to say that it isn’t intellectual, only that it isn’t highly literary.
It's a novel of big ideas centering on nanotechnology (which of course gets out of control).
Part of science fiction’s pleasure is that it is grounded in familiar elements of genre. Which is not to say that it isn’t intellectual, only that it isn’t highly literary.
August 10, 2013
This book fulfilled two of the major purposes of SF: it extrapolated from current science, looking at how nanotechnology might play out in the future, and it was so bad that readers will certainly say, "I can write better crap than this," and some of them will.
July 27, 2013
Meh. Disappointing effort from Niven and yet another collaborator. Cardboard characters, juvenile politics, thin plot. Feel free to skip this one.
January 18, 2014
The story is adequate: Nanobots sent to an asteroid evolve and, for all reasonable definitions of the word, become intelligent. On Earth, the father of practical nanotechnology has been using his nanobots to subtly improve the human race. What happens when these two new species meet?
Basic Science fiction. Hard to screw up that story, right? Well, give it to Larry Niven to write. It comes out something like this:
Nanobots - did everyone see how smart I am? I'm writing about nanotechnology- sent to an asteroid evolve and -- I'm going to toss in a truckload of pop culture references from the 1960s when I was young, mostly based around Robert Heinlein and other science fiction writers, even though the story takes place in 2052 -- for all reasonable definitions of the word, become intelligent -- intelligent like me; did you notice how intelligent I am? On Earth, the father -- and let's face it, women are smart but they're not that smart so of course nanotechnology is going to have a father -- of practical nanotechnology -- but women are good for sex, give them credit where it is due -- has been using his nanobots -- oh, let's stop the story for several pages so I can tell you ALL about my Libertarian philosophy, which I promulgate by writing sci-fi, because of course a good philosopher never writes a flat out philosophy book, he puts his philosophy into a fun and engaging book, just like Heinlein did, did you notice that Heinlein got his philosophy across without ever writing a philosophy book, and I'm now doing the same just like Heinlein -- to subtly improve the human race. What -- don't I remind you of Robert Heinlein? TELL ME I REMIND YOU OF ROBERT HEINLEIN!! -- happens when these two new species meet? -- I don't know; I end the story just as the two species meet.
Basic Science fiction. Hard to screw up that story, right? Well, give it to Larry Niven to write. It comes out something like this:
Nanobots - did everyone see how smart I am? I'm writing about nanotechnology- sent to an asteroid evolve and -- I'm going to toss in a truckload of pop culture references from the 1960s when I was young, mostly based around Robert Heinlein and other science fiction writers, even though the story takes place in 2052 -- for all reasonable definitions of the word, become intelligent -- intelligent like me; did you notice how intelligent I am? On Earth, the father -- and let's face it, women are smart but they're not that smart so of course nanotechnology is going to have a father -- of practical nanotechnology -- but women are good for sex, give them credit where it is due -- has been using his nanobots -- oh, let's stop the story for several pages so I can tell you ALL about my Libertarian philosophy, which I promulgate by writing sci-fi, because of course a good philosopher never writes a flat out philosophy book, he puts his philosophy into a fun and engaging book, just like Heinlein did, did you notice that Heinlein got his philosophy across without ever writing a philosophy book, and I'm now doing the same just like Heinlein -- to subtly improve the human race. What -- don't I remind you of Robert Heinlein? TELL ME I REMIND YOU OF ROBERT HEINLEIN!! -- happens when these two new species meet? -- I don't know; I end the story just as the two species meet.
November 3, 2017
I feel like this could have been good. there were various interesting ideas, but the writting was scattered and unimagined.
And while I like some of the ideas, it felt like there was only a couple of their concepts fully realized. the rest felt like they added it for convenience sake when writting and not plot.
I felt like I was reading a rough draft or something I could have done in middle school when I would put anything that popped in my mind onto paper.
By the time I reached the last part of the book I was only half paying attention to the story, it was one of the very rare occurrences where I skimmed part of a book.
And while I like some of the ideas, it felt like there was only a couple of their concepts fully realized. the rest felt like they added it for convenience sake when writting and not plot.
I felt like I was reading a rough draft or something I could have done in middle school when I would put anything that popped in my mind onto paper.
By the time I reached the last part of the book I was only half paying attention to the story, it was one of the very rare occurrences where I skimmed part of a book.
August 29, 2013
As Larry Niven ages, the probability that his next book will be good just keeps going down.
This one's a stinker.
In mid-story, the authors talk about a character becoming hugely successful by writing romance novels - using a template and making everything as bad as it could be. I am tempted to read that as being about this book too.
There's no doubt that this is a tribute to, and perhaps a satire on, Heinlein. Whose work I also don't care much for nowadays. But do we really need yet another of those?
The book is full of quotes and allusions, mostly presented as pissing contests between the characters as they try to come up with things the others don't know. I think I got most of them, so I'm not complaining out of frustration.
The whole nano thing is ludicrous. It goes beyond SF, past magic, and well into fantasy. I mean, bots that respond to voice commands?
The libertarian characters have a laughable Tea Party approach, criticizing any and all organizations while pretending they don't have huge staffs and resources; screaming about individual freedoms while they infect the whole world, killing vast numbers and using a Mike Hammer justice system; and so on. What a load of cobblers!
There's the Niven standard dialogue between geniuses -- A: I wonder ... B: Yes, that's been bothering me too. A: Helium? B: Unless they ... A: No, not in this gravity. B: But what if ... A: Nah, takes too long from the L5 point.
Followed by what must be Harrington's contribution: "We seeded it with unobtainium oxide, which of course will react if they use their adeledicnander drive, freeing ions that will makes the surface frogs convulse and spit out selenium perforate, which on sinking to the bottom will accelerate evolution planetwide, and in minutes giant intelligent trees will be shooting unlikelium-tipped bio-bullets at the invaders." To which the other guy replies, "Of course. Obvious thing to do."
The "entities" are also an interesting society. Are they individually free, or are they a hive mind? Individuals appear to be disposable when it serves a collective purpose. And they have developed separate "personalities" that are in charge of things. We never hear what the libertarian heroes think of this.
The whole Alice born-Muslim, discovers-sex thing was appalling. Not because they went there - that was almost a good idea - but just because it was so nudge-nudge, wink-wink, high-schoolish.
Our main hero is also insufferably smug. I'm sure the others could only stand him because they weren't much better.
And, worst of all, they have a plot that is becoming far too common these days: heroes who can effortlessly do anything against an opponent that can also effortlessly do anything. In this case, the authors have obviously recognized that this can't work, because they
If this steaming pile has a sequel, I won't be reading it. Never thought I'd say that about a Niven book; I own most of his first 20 or so.
This one's a stinker.
In mid-story, the authors talk about a character becoming hugely successful by writing romance novels - using a template and making everything as bad as it could be. I am tempted to read that as being about this book too.
There's no doubt that this is a tribute to, and perhaps a satire on, Heinlein. Whose work I also don't care much for nowadays. But do we really need yet another of those?
The book is full of quotes and allusions, mostly presented as pissing contests between the characters as they try to come up with things the others don't know. I think I got most of them, so I'm not complaining out of frustration.
The whole nano thing is ludicrous. It goes beyond SF, past magic, and well into fantasy. I mean, bots that respond to voice commands?
The libertarian characters have a laughable Tea Party approach, criticizing any and all organizations while pretending they don't have huge staffs and resources; screaming about individual freedoms while they infect the whole world, killing vast numbers and using a Mike Hammer justice system; and so on. What a load of cobblers!
There's the Niven standard dialogue between geniuses -- A: I wonder ... B: Yes, that's been bothering me too. A: Helium? B: Unless they ... A: No, not in this gravity. B: But what if ... A: Nah, takes too long from the L5 point.
Followed by what must be Harrington's contribution: "We seeded it with unobtainium oxide, which of course will react if they use their adeledicnander drive, freeing ions that will makes the surface frogs convulse and spit out selenium perforate, which on sinking to the bottom will accelerate evolution planetwide, and in minutes giant intelligent trees will be shooting unlikelium-tipped bio-bullets at the invaders." To which the other guy replies, "Of course. Obvious thing to do."
The "entities" are also an interesting society. Are they individually free, or are they a hive mind? Individuals appear to be disposable when it serves a collective purpose. And they have developed separate "personalities" that are in charge of things. We never hear what the libertarian heroes think of this.
The whole Alice born-Muslim, discovers-sex thing was appalling. Not because they went there - that was almost a good idea - but just because it was so nudge-nudge, wink-wink, high-schoolish.
Our main hero is also insufferably smug. I'm sure the others could only stand him because they weren't much better.
And, worst of all, they have a plot that is becoming far too common these days: heroes who can effortlessly do anything against an opponent that can also effortlessly do anything. In this case, the authors have obviously recognized that this can't work, because they
If this steaming pile has a sequel, I won't be reading it. Never thought I'd say that about a Niven book; I own most of his first 20 or so.
November 1, 2015
Absolutely disappointing. As several already said, the most disappointing book from Larry Niven. A couple of nice ideas, but no explanation or development, so that they sounds more like magic than science. The character development is completely absent, with a remarkedly heinleinian "old man at the helm, younger pair dong the acting, and lover-of-the-old-man appearing during the story". Some pitiful excuse to add a generous quantity of sex, some judicious sprinkling of stereotypes and several unnecessary "deus ex-machina" ("oh, let me resurrect this guy here before we board our spaceship and are out of here") make for a quick read with less heft than a pulp magazine. Avoid if possible.
March 5, 2017
Yet another winner from Niven! An awesome story about nanotech in the hands of an altruistic/benevolent brainiac with quick wit, lots of sci-fi lore and a good bit of humorous inuendo to boot! He basically takes the 'evil genius' theme and stands it on it's head to make the 'heroic genius' who's plan pretty much fixes all the world's problems. I found this one to be a rapid read page-turner that kept my brain trying to play catch-up because my eyes would not stop! I highly recommend this book to all as an Awesome Read! Thanks Larry!
August 28, 2013
Larry Niven has done it again - the man that brought you The Mote in God's Eye, Lucifer's Hammer and The Legacy of Heorot is back. I'm unfamiliar with Matthew Joseph Harrington but I envy him getting the chance to write with Niven. As usual the science leaves me a little behind (okay more than a little), but the characters make up for it. They are full and rich and fun to be around. I have to wonder why this man is not in charge of our space exploration - really! If you read hard science fiction - don't miss this one!
June 20, 2016
Tor should be ashamed for publishing this disaster. And what Niven was thinking for putting his name on this title, I do not know. The book consists of a huge series of disjointed scenes. In addition, it has the most obscure references that just about everyone has never heard of. The plot barely holds together to the end (which doesn't really exist). Most of the book is people rejuvenated by nanos running around saying "Look at us, we are awesome". Don't waste your time on this one.
July 23, 2013
Love this book. I want to rate it a 6 ;) Stargate SG-1's replicators meet Jason Bourne meets Dennis Miller. Niven and Harrington put together a very engaging story. The brilliant mind of William Connors, aka Mycroft Yellowhorse, uses nanobots to make the world a better place while another group of nanobots, sent into space years before, develops a society of its own. Great fun!
June 29, 2013
So this guy is a great brilliant supergenius and superhero. His special cause is ending rape. So he develops these nanobots that will make us physically perfect and mentally healthy- and infects everybody in the world without asking permission!!!
July 21, 2013
A funny sci-fi story with interesting concepts and some really interesting thoughts of where nano-technology could take us.
July 30, 2013
I read about a third of this one, then realized that I was dreading my nightly reading time because it meant I had to slog through a few more pages of this thing. At that point I quit reading it.
October 3, 2013
Cutting edge SciFi....Larry Niven has a Classic wit along with complete mastery of the subject matter involved.
Robert Murphree
Robert Murphree
July 28, 2013
Very technical in it's scientific descriptions but some humor reminiscent of Hitchhikers Guide.
August 8, 2013
Very cool ideas on the applications of nano technology, and where some of it may lead. I also like the side commentaries on a lot of the political challenges of the current culture in the US.
May 19, 2021
Larry Niven is at it again. A SciFi author of more than 40 years, and just keeps getting better. I need to read some Terry Prachett next, Niven seems to like him a lot.
June 19, 2024
I'm giving this three stars because it was, I have to say, kind of fun to read, (though it is hard to believe), with fun science and a breezy style. I did finish reading it, and giving a 3 to such books is my general rule. But in most ways this was bad. The people giving it 1 or 2--they're not wrong.
It has a great premise: Some men researching nanobots (nanites?) have sent a bunch of them up to intercept an asteroid that has some chance of hitting earth in the future, and now decades after they lost contact, an even bigger asteroid is headed to earth, apparently driven by those lost creatures. That's fun. And it starts okay. One of the guys responsible for that mission gets tracked down where he's hiding in Europe and gets whisked to safety just ahead of law enforcement. Now it's time to figure out what's going on and solve the problem.
After that, it's all about some weird wish-fulfillment from the authors, remaking the world using nanites and hubris in a way that would shock Thanos.
You expect some cat-and-mouse between the researchers and government agents, and there's a little of that about 90% through the book, but really not much, and there's almost zero tension. In fact, almost nothing actually happens. Most of the middle is made up of the main characters sitting around, piecing together all the crazy stuff that nanites have done behind the scenes for them and the world over the last 25 years or so, things they're just figuring out. They're basically googling for half the book, saying, "Oh, here's another thing." It's a lot of silly conversations with pointless inside jokes, references, and allusions, especially to Heinlein and other SF writers, interspersed with endless double-entendres that they all laugh at way too hard. The characters constantly fawn over each other in ways that make no sense to the reader.
Also, the love for all things libertarian is jarring and annoying.
And there are frequent references to the global warming scam (as this is set somewhat in our future) in such a way that it's clear that the authors, despite using pretty impressive hard science, here in the real world really don't believe in *that* bit of science, and in the process they destroyed what suspension of disbelief I had left. (I should have DNFed. Truly.)
But the worst are the hideous and weird revelations that come out about what has already done, secretly, unilaterally. Using nanites spread by viruses, Connors, the scientist behind most of the things happening in the book, has made decisions for the whole world in such a glib, light way that any sensible person should be horrified. Apparently, millions of bad guys died (fevers and stuff) when the nanites secretly infecting everyone judged them as too violent to allow to continue. Decent people were healed or rejuvenated, and it was engineered so that babies could be conceived only in cases when the woman climaxed during procreation, cutting the birth rate way way down. Stuff like that--just imagine the weirdo political extremist that you knew in high school making life-and-death decisions for the rest of the world, changing humanity and society in ways that could never be undone.
Remaking the world like a grandiose Dr. Jekyll with a god complex and a juvenile sense of humor.
It gave me the creeps in the same way as a borrowed book I once read about preppers, a novel where they make America safe for guns and god and Christian Nationalism. This one tied that one for most horrible, skewed world view I've ever read.
Oh, yeah, wait--in the midst of this, the scientist behind it all is using his nanite-perfected physique to win all the events at the olympics. Why? Why?
Man, I swear, this book really seemed like it was gonna be cool.
Not recommended.
It has a great premise: Some men researching nanobots (nanites?) have sent a bunch of them up to intercept an asteroid that has some chance of hitting earth in the future, and now decades after they lost contact, an even bigger asteroid is headed to earth, apparently driven by those lost creatures. That's fun. And it starts okay. One of the guys responsible for that mission gets tracked down where he's hiding in Europe and gets whisked to safety just ahead of law enforcement. Now it's time to figure out what's going on and solve the problem.
After that, it's all about some weird wish-fulfillment from the authors, remaking the world using nanites and hubris in a way that would shock Thanos.
You expect some cat-and-mouse between the researchers and government agents, and there's a little of that about 90% through the book, but really not much, and there's almost zero tension. In fact, almost nothing actually happens. Most of the middle is made up of the main characters sitting around, piecing together all the crazy stuff that nanites have done behind the scenes for them and the world over the last 25 years or so, things they're just figuring out. They're basically googling for half the book, saying, "Oh, here's another thing." It's a lot of silly conversations with pointless inside jokes, references, and allusions, especially to Heinlein and other SF writers, interspersed with endless double-entendres that they all laugh at way too hard. The characters constantly fawn over each other in ways that make no sense to the reader.
Also, the love for all things libertarian is jarring and annoying.
And there are frequent references to the global warming scam (as this is set somewhat in our future) in such a way that it's clear that the authors, despite using pretty impressive hard science, here in the real world really don't believe in *that* bit of science, and in the process they destroyed what suspension of disbelief I had left. (I should have DNFed. Truly.)
But the worst are the hideous and weird revelations that come out about what has already done, secretly, unilaterally. Using nanites spread by viruses, Connors, the scientist behind most of the things happening in the book, has made decisions for the whole world in such a glib, light way that any sensible person should be horrified. Apparently, millions of bad guys died (fevers and stuff) when the nanites secretly infecting everyone judged them as too violent to allow to continue. Decent people were healed or rejuvenated, and it was engineered so that babies could be conceived only in cases when the woman climaxed during procreation, cutting the birth rate way way down. Stuff like that--just imagine the weirdo political extremist that you knew in high school making life-and-death decisions for the rest of the world, changing humanity and society in ways that could never be undone.
Remaking the world like a grandiose Dr. Jekyll with a god complex and a juvenile sense of humor.
It gave me the creeps in the same way as a borrowed book I once read about preppers, a novel where they make America safe for guns and god and Christian Nationalism. This one tied that one for most horrible, skewed world view I've ever read.
Oh, yeah, wait--in the midst of this, the scientist behind it all is using his nanite-perfected physique to win all the events at the olympics. Why? Why?
Man, I swear, this book really seemed like it was gonna be cool.
Not recommended.
July 22, 2013
I read Niven and Pournelle's Lucifer's Hammer once upon a time and I remember it ever so fondly, the (dated) hard science, the social deconstruction, the mob psychology, the tension and terror and ambition and high-minded goals and the big cast of characters. Loved it.
When I saw that another Big Rock book had been published with Larry Niven's name on it, I may have set my expectations a bit too high. Where Hammer is steak and potatoes and really good IPA, Stone is roadside carnival popcorn. It's decent but not very satisfying and you can tell it's been sitting in that bag under the heat lamps for a while.
Around 2020, a team of scientists launches experimental nanobots into space in hopes of mining the wealth of the solar system. The project apparently fails when communication is lost, but some 30 years later an asteroid piloted by the nanos is on a collision course with Earth and the scientists must reassemble to save the day. In the meantime one of the scientists has secretly infected the world with more nanos that improbably eliminate disease, kill rapists and bullies, advance women's rights, regrow amputated body parts, improve memory, halt the advance of deserts, and reverse the aging process.
The book is packed with two things: science fiction literary references (I got a lot of them but I could tell I was on the outside of the joke much of the time) and mildly bawdy sex humor. All the newly nano-youngified scientists just can't keep their hands off each other.
The prose is adequate. The dialogue is occasionally humorous but mostly clunky. The plot structure, which jumps between timelines for a while, is handled clumsily. (I did enjoy the descriptions of the evolution of nano "civilization", as institutions such as war and economy are invented.)
I think The Goliath Stone would have fared better as part of an anthology, it's really just a short story in novel clothes and the pants don't fit.
When I saw that another Big Rock book had been published with Larry Niven's name on it, I may have set my expectations a bit too high. Where Hammer is steak and potatoes and really good IPA, Stone is roadside carnival popcorn. It's decent but not very satisfying and you can tell it's been sitting in that bag under the heat lamps for a while.
Around 2020, a team of scientists launches experimental nanobots into space in hopes of mining the wealth of the solar system. The project apparently fails when communication is lost, but some 30 years later an asteroid piloted by the nanos is on a collision course with Earth and the scientists must reassemble to save the day. In the meantime one of the scientists has secretly infected the world with more nanos that improbably eliminate disease, kill rapists and bullies, advance women's rights, regrow amputated body parts, improve memory, halt the advance of deserts, and reverse the aging process.
The book is packed with two things: science fiction literary references (I got a lot of them but I could tell I was on the outside of the joke much of the time) and mildly bawdy sex humor. All the newly nano-youngified scientists just can't keep their hands off each other.
The prose is adequate. The dialogue is occasionally humorous but mostly clunky. The plot structure, which jumps between timelines for a while, is handled clumsily. (I did enjoy the descriptions of the evolution of nano "civilization", as institutions such as war and economy are invented.)
I think The Goliath Stone would have fared better as part of an anthology, it's really just a short story in novel clothes and the pants don't fit.
October 28, 2013
On the surface, this is a story of the not-too-distant future with (mostly banned) nano-tech. The major characters are sketched just well enough so the reader can identify them. Sexual attraction seemed to substitute for character development (which is not uncommon in modern fiction, unfortunately). The dialogue, at times, seemed contrived, or at least did not flow logically. There was a bit of time jumping at the beginning. The prologue (which I found the most enjoyable part of the book) spans from 5 billion years ago to 2051 AD. Chapter 1 then begins (logically) in 2052, jumps back to 2026, forward to 2052 again, then detours to 2027, before settling in to 2052 for the rest of the story. It felt like the story wasn't sure where to begin.
As a pulp sci-fi tale, this story is all right, but there must be some kind of joke or satire intended here that I did not quite get. I assume something like this is going on mainly because of several references to the great satirical fantasy writer Terry Pratchett, as if the authors are saying, 'See, we're doing the same thing!'
Um, no. Sorry. Not even close. But there are obvious internal contradictions, which might be satirical attempts—-cynical overtones and references to Heinlein, bashing contemporary science(Real science stopped in 1987? Global warming is a hoax?). But the biggest internal contradiction is the character Mycroft Yellowhorse. He's the super-rich, super-strong, super-fast, super-smart, super-hero/villain. He can also change color. (Ain't nano-tech wonderful?) His pet peeve is a loathing of rape (can't argue with that), and he's taking action to eliminate it (and many other human failings) by infecting everyone on Earth, without their permission or knowledge, with nano machines that kill them if they misbehave. This is satire, right? I figured it must be, but it didn't have the lighthearted wit necessary to pull it off. It's no Pratchett.
As a pulp sci-fi tale, this story is all right, but there must be some kind of joke or satire intended here that I did not quite get. I assume something like this is going on mainly because of several references to the great satirical fantasy writer Terry Pratchett, as if the authors are saying, 'See, we're doing the same thing!'
Um, no. Sorry. Not even close. But there are obvious internal contradictions, which might be satirical attempts—-cynical overtones and references to Heinlein, bashing contemporary science(Real science stopped in 1987? Global warming is a hoax?). But the biggest internal contradiction is the character Mycroft Yellowhorse. He's the super-rich, super-strong, super-fast, super-smart, super-hero/villain. He can also change color. (Ain't nano-tech wonderful?) His pet peeve is a loathing of rape (can't argue with that), and he's taking action to eliminate it (and many other human failings) by infecting everyone on Earth, without their permission or knowledge, with nano machines that kill them if they misbehave. This is satire, right? I figured it must be, but it didn't have the lighthearted wit necessary to pull it off. It's no Pratchett.
February 3, 2017
*MINOR SPOILERS BELOW*
This is one of the few novels I have read in many years now by Larry Niven (with co-author) Matthew Joseph Harrington and I found it a very mixed blessing.
The story overall is a very interesting look and possible development of nanotechnology -- taken somewhat to the extreme (though in a *overall* positive way). I liked this a lot.
However, there is several aspects within the book I found both annoying and troubling:
The first of these is Larry Niven's denial of the reality of climate change. It is difficult to think that such a hard science fiction writer as Niven could denial that our world is growing warmer, but indeed he does. And he does so, repeatedly throughout the novel -- so much so that it took me repeatedly out of the story. (Even though this denialism in Niven's work might have been "excused" (no, not really) since this was written in 2013, I recently read he still clings to this belief.)
Next there is an underline sexism with regards to women and rape in this book that I really came to dislike the more I read. One of the main male characters has set up the nanites to prevent and/or punish those who commit rape of women. Of *women*. There is just a passing mention to children being raped and even then the focus is on girls, with only one a single-word reference to *boys*. There is absolutely no mention in the book of the fact men can also be raped.
Finally, the entire premise of the book carries with it a political/social cross of dictatorial libertarian as being ever-so-great! It becomes such a major theme of the story that it becomes extremely troublesome.
If these elements in the novel had not been present, I think it would have been a far better novel worthy of a much better rating.
. . .
This is one of the few novels I have read in many years now by Larry Niven (with co-author) Matthew Joseph Harrington and I found it a very mixed blessing.
The story overall is a very interesting look and possible development of nanotechnology -- taken somewhat to the extreme (though in a *overall* positive way). I liked this a lot.
However, there is several aspects within the book I found both annoying and troubling:
The first of these is Larry Niven's denial of the reality of climate change. It is difficult to think that such a hard science fiction writer as Niven could denial that our world is growing warmer, but indeed he does. And he does so, repeatedly throughout the novel -- so much so that it took me repeatedly out of the story. (Even though this denialism in Niven's work might have been "excused" (no, not really) since this was written in 2013, I recently read he still clings to this belief.)
Next there is an underline sexism with regards to women and rape in this book that I really came to dislike the more I read. One of the main male characters has set up the nanites to prevent and/or punish those who commit rape of women. Of *women*. There is just a passing mention to children being raped and even then the focus is on girls, with only one a single-word reference to *boys*. There is absolutely no mention in the book of the fact men can also be raped.
Finally, the entire premise of the book carries with it a political/social cross of dictatorial libertarian as being ever-so-great! It becomes such a major theme of the story that it becomes extremely troublesome.
If these elements in the novel had not been present, I think it would have been a far better novel worthy of a much better rating.
. . .
March 15, 2018
The novel was pretty good, but the authors kept forcing annoying viewpoints into the story. Since Larry Niven's other work doesn't tend to do this, by default I tend to blame Matthew Harrington for this. For example, NASA has been operating on a shoestring budget, but is also criticized for not spending more money on things. Um...what money?
Also, one of the main characters has just too many skills, in a way-past-Heinlein way, and that becomes annoying after a while, because most of his dialogue is based on culture reference jokes that have to be explained. If you have to explain a joke, it's really not that funny, and there are a lot like that in this book.
The basic story and the characters within it, other than the one, are what make the story worth reading. Scientists have devised and launched nanobots into space, for reasons that only become clear over the course of the book. They seem to be coming back, but not in the expected way, and there are also some weird nano-created changes on Earth, where they were NOT supposed to be used.
That was my other beef with the book. The annoying one of the main characters has taken the law and everything else into his own hands with his handling of the nanobots on Earth. The result, while it might have desirable effects, is still horrifying because one formerly-damaged human has made all of the decisions, for everyone. Not everyone would agree with the decisions he's made, but no one is being given a choice, as the story reads. That ends up being a little creepy, but is overlooked in the book's ending. If there is a sequel, these problems might be addressed, but I haven't seen one.
Also, one of the main characters has just too many skills, in a way-past-Heinlein way, and that becomes annoying after a while, because most of his dialogue is based on culture reference jokes that have to be explained. If you have to explain a joke, it's really not that funny, and there are a lot like that in this book.
The basic story and the characters within it, other than the one, are what make the story worth reading. Scientists have devised and launched nanobots into space, for reasons that only become clear over the course of the book. They seem to be coming back, but not in the expected way, and there are also some weird nano-created changes on Earth, where they were NOT supposed to be used.
That was my other beef with the book. The annoying one of the main characters has taken the law and everything else into his own hands with his handling of the nanobots on Earth. The result, while it might have desirable effects, is still horrifying because one formerly-damaged human has made all of the decisions, for everyone. Not everyone would agree with the decisions he's made, but no one is being given a choice, as the story reads. That ends up being a little creepy, but is overlooked in the book's ending. If there is a sequel, these problems might be addressed, but I haven't seen one.
July 14, 2013
I really, really wanted to give this book four stars. After years of exploring the pre and post worlds of prior books and characters, a new novel from Niven standalone from prior efforts sounded like an opportunity to fall in love with his particular style of science fiction all over again. Alas, it was not to be, although The Goliath Stone starts out very promising. Unfortunately, by about halfway through the book any dramatic tension fades away as you realize the nanobots that are the catalyst for the plot have created a character who makes all of Heinlein's competent men pale in comparison. Throw in the fact that the Goliath Stone is not the threat to planet Earth that one expects and the increasingly tiresome sf, fandom and pop culture references and the book became something of a chore to finish. In truth, it would have been better had I not read it straight through and taken some time between chapters, though some of the chapters are less than a page and few are more than 4-5 pages making tis plan impractical for a compulsive reader such as myself. I'll still read everything Niven puts out, solo or otherwise, and I do think The Goliath Stone may be his best work in years but when you have Ringworld, the tales of Draco's Tavern and all of Known Space to live up to you have set your own bar very high and The Goliath Stone just doesn't quite make it over.
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