A Gift from Earth

Known Space

by Larry Niven

A solitary mountain rises from the searing, toxic blackness of the planet. The organ banks are the centre of this world. To them the subservient colonists contribute living limbs, and from them the overlords obtain the vital parts that keep them alive.

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Audiobook, Science Fiction Fantasy, Space Opera, Hard Science Fiction, Ebooks

256 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published September 1, 1968

About the author

Laurence 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...

Reviews

[D · Rating 3 out of 5]

A story set in an area called 'Mount Lookitthat' a plateau that forms the only habitable part of a Venus-type planet, an early colony of earth in Niven's famous 'Known Space' universe. First published in 1968, it strangely did not feel dated, even the 'tech' stuff. But there are much better stories set in known space and the tormented prudish descriptions of the few sex scenes cause one to laugh out loud, also in 1968 I guess, breaking the spell of the interesting main story.

[Nate · Rating 3 out of 5]

What is it with Larry Niven and telepathic protagonists? At what point in the future is esp supposed to become an accepted thing?

This one is the closest to new wave “social” sci-fi I’ve read from Niven. Colonists inhabit a single 40 mile tall mountain top on an otherwise deadly planet. The crew of the ship they came on are now the ruling class, who live in luxury while the “colonists” are tightly controlled, denied the luxuries and even vehicles by the crew. For the colonists any crime, no matter how trivial is punishable by death because the crew needs to harvest their organs in order to extend their own lifespan.
The story follows an inept young dude who joins the resistance and to my surprise discovers that he has special mental powers.

[Martin Doychinov · Rating 3 out of 5]

Свят: Много оригинален - планета, на която единственото обитаемо място е плато, високо 40 км. Тоталитарен режим в кастово общество - наследниците на екипажа на кораба са по-горе от колонистите. Всяко престъпление се наказва със смърт, а престъпниците са буквално раздробявани за резервни части на "екипариите".
Сюжет: "Синовете на Земята" са нелегално движение, борещо се против режима. Има го и Мат Келер - мъж с интересна дарба, който е въвлечен в цялата схема... Толкова за без спойлери!
Стил: Тромав наратив, особено в началото. Към средата се подобрява с вдигането на темпото, но е все още далеч от бъдещия страхотен стил на Нивън - нормално, при положение, че това е едва вторият му роман.
Оформление: Отвратителна корица. Малко отделяне на сцените нямаше да е лошо - нов ред е крайно недостатъчен и объркващ в някои случаи.
Романът е за 3.5, но нехарактерно нискокачественото издание от иначе добрата "Кристална..." поредица го смъква на 3.

[Ric · Rating 3 out of 5]

Browsing through the Niven backlist of Known Space books, and after the stellar Protector and Ringworld's Children, expectations were ramped up for A Gift from Earth. And this does start with a great setup: on a world where the only livable landmass is 40 miles up on a plateau, we find the colony of Mount Lookitthat. Not only do its inhabitants live on the edge of a steep death, but they are further burdened with a repressive society of haves and have-nots. The privileged 'Crew' can have any organ of the body transplanted except for the nervous system, promising themselves extended lifetimes. Organs are harvested from the 'Colonists' who must watch out for any transgression that may get them a death sentence at the organ banks. A diabolical scenario, for sure.

There is only one path for the colonists, and they are moved on this path by the arrival of a gift from earth. Thus, we have another complex concept book from Niven.

Gift ought to be a tale of anger and reprisal, a revolution brewing and exploding, Anthem with real passion, but instead the author chooses to follow the adventures of Matthew Keller. To be sure, Keller has something unique that makes him an interesting character. But in the background I expected true angst, lives wrecked by repression, a passionate insurgency rather than an intellectual, logical one. I kept looking for this even after the last page.

A rational book for an irrational social order. Keeping my rating of 3 stars.

[Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of Niven's earliest books, but still an interesting read bearing in mind it's extrapolating from mid-1960's beliefs and assumptions. It's a scientific and political exploration set in the framework of his Known Space series, and while the characterization may be a bit on the weak side the plot throws out a stream of challenges and postulations that more than make up for any other shortcomings. (Mt. Lookitthat was always one of my favorite settings.)

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was initially inclined to dock this book one star for its reliance on parapsychology. The plot here leans very heavily on the protagonist's psychic powers (specifically, a type of telekinesis) which acts as the book's perpetuum mobile. Matt Keller's psychic powers are so fundamental to this story that without them there would be no story to speak of. But then I realized that when this book was written -- during the late 1960s -- the jury was still out on the legitimacy of parapsychological research. At that time mainstream science still allowed for the reasonable possibility that a phenomenon such as telekinesis might exist; the willingness to test this hypothesis scientifically would, over the next few decades, debunk its validity, but in 1968 it was still considered a subject for serious scientific inquiry. Thus, I was able to discount my initial objection and enjoy this in the spirit it was written. For the most part.

Our knowledge of parapsychology is not the only thing that has changed in the intervening decades, after all. So, for example, Niven exhibits the sort of base-line sexism which was the norm 50 years ago. And while this may not have been perceived as a fault when the first edition of this novel was published, it is glaring from a present-day perspective. In addition, the idea that organ transplants would be so common as to result in the death penalty being applied to petty crimes in order to provide an organ harvest is far-fetched in any age. It implies a suspension of the basic morality without which any society would quickly descend into chaos. Organs for transplant are, indeed, in high demand in our present age, but it has not produced the massive state-funded organ banks which Niven portrays, let alone the butchering of miscreants who have accrued an overabundance of parking tickets.

In short, not bad, but no masterpiece. Niven has gone on to better things.

[Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Niven, Larry. A Gift from Earth. Del Rey, 1984.
Niven’s Known Space series is always fun and can be morphed into any number of genres and keep several balls in the air at the same time. Gift begins with the question of what would happen if a tyrannical society that uses organ harvesting as a form of punishment suddenly received disruptive technology that made organ harvesting obsolete. To this it adds the question of what happens if you put a man with the power to render himself virtually invisible as an accidental conscript in the revolution. I am tempted to say you can’t make this stuff up, but I guess Niven can. 4 stars.

[Jeff Koeppen · Rating 1 out of 5]

A Gift from Earth is set on a high plateau, basically the only habitable spot on a Venus-like planet. It was colonized by humans but the crew of the ship from Earth decided to change the original plan and make the colony a dictatorship with them in charge, and since the crew controls the hospital they set it up so that they harvest the organs of the common folks who are put to death for serious crimes. The crew are able to prolong their lives with these organs. A rebellion is the born amongst the citizens. The Sons of Earth have had it!

The plot centers around our protagonist, Matt Keller, who originally seems like an everyday fellow working as a miner. He discovers the weird feelings he's had his whole life are actually psychic powers. He can essentially make himself invisible. He and his magic powers end up being part of the rebellion against the crew and hijinks ensue.

I was mostly bored by this novel. The setting and premise were fairly interesting but the story didn't grab me at all. Matt's powers were too much like magic, less like science fiction. What's the point if he's able to essentially run around the place like a super hero? The plot really bogged down in places. I'm not going to knock it because of the era it was a product of (as is the custom these days), but it had all the trappings of something from 1968. This probably one of my least favorite novels of the New Wave of science fiction era.

[Andra · Rating 2 out of 5]

While containing many interesting ideas (automated scout robots to seek out inhabitable worlds, mercy weapons, telepathy, etc.) the overall novel felt dated and wasn't particularly gripping.

The bone of contention in the story are the organ banks which are used in this new human colony on a far off world to heal people and extend lifespans. Granted, these treatments aren't available to all classes of people and the means of securing the organic matter are pretty sus, but the banks themselves are made out to be this great inhuman amoral thing, which I didn't get at all. Reusing all organics for the benefit of those living makes perfect sense to me, especially in a lone colony setting. Like maybe it was a 60s thing and the idea was still new and grotesque to some? Hard to tell.

Regardless, the main character is irritating, not to mention pretty sexist, and I felt no sympathy for him. The pacing was weird too -- after the first half of the book I was pretty much looking forward to it ending. A weak 2/5.

[Stifynsemons · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.2 stars, I really liked it, and probably will read again

Larry Niven's works seem to focus on inevitable change occurring in static, exotic worlds. The world described here, a plateau high above a poisonous atmosphere, should be a lesson to interstellar probe designers to enlighten them on more of the things that could go wrong.

The world is highly imaginative and reasonably functional. The main rivalry, between Matt and Castro is excellent, avoiding pure good and pure evil and conflict arising from history, status, society, and stubbornness.

[Randy Mcbride · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish I had started reading Niven years ago.

[Jonathan Palfrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good minor novel from the 1960s, when Larry Niven was a bright and keen young sf writer, full of ideas, beginning to lay the foundations of his Known Space series. Back then, he was clearly making a conscious effort to Do Characterization, so here we get a variety of characters that differ from each other mentally and physically: well done, sir. As his career developed and he became successful, he apparently got complacent and stopped making the effort, so all his characters began to seem much the same.

Niven normally thinks large, but I call this a minor novel by comparison with his others, because it’s entirely confined to a relatively small area of one planet, less than half the size of California (note: Great Britain is about half the size of California). This small and isolated human colony receives a gift of new technology from Earth, which is half-responsible for a local political upheaval. The other half of the responsibility goes to Matt Keller, an innocent young man with a very limited psychic power that can be quite useful in the right circumstances.

I probably first read this book in the early 1970s and I’ve come back to it from time to time since then. It’s not one of my top favourites, but reading it just now I found that it became gripping and exciting. I remembered a vague outline of the story, but I’d forgotten the details of what happened, and I wanted to know! It really makes a pretty good story.

Of course it’s a bit dated in some ways, but not too badly, because the changes that happened to our society in the last half-century are mostly irrelevant on that planet—which is not our society, after all. There is of course an absence of personal computers and the Internet, but I don’t really miss them—except for one moment when we find someone using a typewriter, in the 24th century, which is a bit jarring.

Young readers who complain that the story is not politically correct in some way should bear in mind that it was written in the 1960s, when things were different: that is, it’s probably the fault of the era, rather than the author. I grew up through the 1960s myself, so I have no such complaint about it. What is deemed normal and correct changes in 50 years; in another 50 years, it will change again, though we don’t know what it will change into. By the 24th century, who knows what it will become.

[Ronald · Rating 3 out of 5]

For some reason I have so far found two copies of this book in my shelves and boxes of books. I am unsure why I never read this back when I was reading all that Larry Niven wrote.

The story starts strong, lots of world building and backstory in this book, but it kind of peters out in the end. Frankly, the story did not age well. Story points such as that before sending the colony ship to this world there was only one probe dispatched to examine the system / world. No one in this day and age would be stupid enough to send a colony ship to essentially an unexplored world much less an unphotographed world. The Earth in the Known Space timeline was that not desperate to dump the population off world. Next problem is the treatment of women as characters. The women are all flighty emotional things, one is a rude secretary, one is a fanatic that nearly kills everyone on the world without checking to see if the reason she was rescued was because their side was winning. One of the women uses sex to "inspire" the men who are fighting for the cause - she also runs off on her own to face the bad guys keeping her fellow rebels prison when she could have helped the lead of the book and his power to safely free people. There was also an ugly lady who was practical and could cook. Most of the men are equally stereotyped but written as heroes.

Then there is the ending. The book wraps the story up in a short chapter that reads like the notes for the next book in the series. The ending is unsatisfying. The book really does end as if Mr Niven was expecting to write more about events on the colony world post revolution.

I have read most of the writings of Mr Niven and he develops into a much better writer over time. So reading this book was disappointing. 3.5 stars rounded down.

[Earl Grey Tea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Written in the 60’s, based on the inside cover, this book impressed me with some of the foresight and scientific knowledge that author, Larry Niven, had for his time. The entire concept of space travel in his universe greatly parallels many Discovery Channel documentaries that I have watched in my day. Even other aspects of science fiction are delved into aptly enough and not just based loosely on a generic “alien space crystal” causation.

In my opinion of what Mr. Niven does best is the macro of his story telling. He has developed an interesting and imaginative environment of an accidental colony for human kind and the effects that future science technology has on this world and its culture.

As for the micro, to me it was just passable. The characters are developed far enough to have distinct personalities but their interactions at times felt a bit too forced. Most notably was at the pinnacle of the story when the story needed to be wrapped up and neatly packaged so the reader could feel closure. At this point, the interactions and motivations of various factions were resolved in a manner that seemed a bit too convenient. It was complex enough is so that it didn’t leave an anti-climatic feeling, though the character interaction got white washed a bit too much at the end and quirked my eyebrow.

I’m glad I read this book and it was a nice change of pace from all of those Star Wars science fiction novels that I read back in middle school and high school.

[Ambrose · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Organ Farming, Space Politics, and That One Guy Who Just Won’t Die—A Wild Ride!"

Look, I picked this book up thinking it was about a sweet present from the heavens—maybe a celestial fruit basket or interstellar socks. Nope. Turns out the “gift” is a corpse. A dramatic, political, planet-shaking corpse. Classic mix-up!

Larry Niven delivers a sci-fi thriller full of ethical quandaries, medical horror, and the kind of social hierarchy that makes you grateful for your local DMV. It’s got oppressed colonists, immortal organ recipients with zero chill, and one sneaky rebel who won't stay properly dead. You’ll laugh (nervously), cry (probably from eye strain), and ponder whether you'd donate your spleen to a totalitarian government if asked nicely.

I lost a star because I spent half the book trying to remember who was in which caste, and the other half Googling, "How many organs can one person donate before they become a beanbag?" But still—solid space drama with enough weirdness to make you suspicious of your next blood test.

Recommended for fans of ethical dilemmas, dystopian sci-fi, and morally questionable healthcare plans!

[Andreas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Set in Niven’s Known Space, more specifically on the world of Plateau, where the only habitable location is Mount Lookitthat, an area half the size of California that rises above the toxic clouds that range the planet. The crew of the initial colony ship set up an elitist society in which “crew” are first class citizens and “colonists” are lower class. This distinction is particularly noticeable when it comes to medical care. Capital punishment is used even for small offenses. Convicted criminals are harvested for their organs, thus allowing “crew” to extend their lives with transplants. Then a ship comes from Earth with some disruptive new technology.

While not one of the more flamboyant Known Space novels, it is cleverly constructed around some very intriguing ideas. Classic Niven.

http://www.books.rosboch.net/?p=1042

[Denis · Rating 3 out of 5]

A rather early Niven. A great set up, micro world in N-space, top of a mega mountain is the only habitable place for crew and colonists to live (about the same size as the state of California.) There is the element of a dictatorship government. The class conflict and rebellion,I liked the whole organ bank angle used by the upper class (crew) as power to enforce control over the lower class (colonist.) The book reads like good old fashion pulp.

There is the problem of the weird eye ability the protagonist has, giving him the ability of becoming not quite invisible but rather forgettable as way of outsmarting his antagonists as well (as keeping him a virgin.) This element was a poor attempt at trying to put in a "new-wave" element into the book? Hardly.

Over all, it was a fine read, but Niven gets better real quick. "Protector" even though written soon after, was a master piece.

[Cory Hughart · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lot of the parts that make up this story just don't seem to fit together very well. It's a story about a space colony on a mostly uninhabitable world; It's a story about a guy with a strange power that makes others forget about him; It's a story about an imbalance of power and a warped justice system that executes you for jaywalking to fill the organ banks. It also ends with an epilogue that has very little to do with the story that just unfolded. Despite this, there's lots of action and thought-provoking dialogs.

[Randy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this originally when it was published and was fascinated about the central concept about organ transplantation and the death penalty. On this most recent reading I see that the ideas still interesting but the reality is farther off.

[Jay Goemmer · Rating 1 out of 5]

Excellent idea (I like sociological twists), but the execution left plenty to be desired. As other reviewers have pointed out, the characters were pretty two-dimensional.

Not Niven's strongest or most captivating work.

May 18, 2013.

[Mel Lanie · Rating 1 out of 5]

got rather boring in the last third.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Gift from Earth is the second full-length novel to be set within Larry Niven's "Known Space" universe. I recently resolved to work through all of the Known Space novels and, having decided to proceed chronologically, it's only my second encounter with Niven's writing. I'd now say that I'm fairly likely to get through most of the series. Not only is A Gift from Earth a major improvement over its predecessor, World of Ptaavs, but its more bizarre setting plays directly to my interests within the science fiction genre. An engaging mix of hard science fiction and human drama that's also a far breezier read than most hard sci fi of its era. A Gift from Earth might not be a classic, and its probably a less-than-ideal entry point to Niven's work (most readers seem to prefer Ringworld, but I'd still strongly recommended it to fans of Asimov, Heinlein, and the like.

Whereas World of Ptaavs was set entirely within the Solar System, A Gift from Earth takes place on the distant human colony known as Lookitthat. It's a fairly unique setting where the only habitable patch on the planet has been transformed into one large settlement. Even more distinctive is the fact that human society on Lookitthat has been divided into a strict caste system, with an aristocratic "Crew" asserting near-totalitarian control over the more numerous "Colonists". The Colonists are deprived of most technology, and if they're non-complaint they're arrested and unceremoniously vivisected for use as organ donors. A brutally efficient system of oppression that's believable enough to be truly frightening. As for the underlying plot, A Gift from Earth revolves around an introverted Colonist named Matthew Keller who inadvertently becomes involved with a group of Colonist rebels known as the Sons of Earth.

Personally, I found the world of Lookitthat to be extremely interesting. Niven has an obvious talent for incorporating technical, hard science fiction elements in a way that doesn't distract from the plot, and I'd actually say that you don't need to be a devoted science fiction fan to enjoy A Gift from Earth. The primary strength of the novel still lies in its underlying plot, which strikes a perfect balance between action, suspense, and speculative discussions. Niven's characterizations are also vastly improved. Matthew Keller is a likeable everyman protagonist, whereas security director Jesus Pietro Castro (the book's other primary POV character) is an understandable albeit less-than-sympathetic antagonist. My only primary criticism of the plot involves the treatment of Matthew's "supernatural" abilities, which are never adequately explained and more-or-less function as a recurring deus ex machina.

But what about the prose? If you've read my review for A World of Ptaavs, you'll know that my primary criticisms of that novel were the sudden POV shifts and the confusing scene transitions. Well, Niven's POV-jumping style is back, but the scene transitions are much smoother and I was rarely confused about whose perspective I was currently inhabiting. I suppose it helps that the most of the book is split between Keller and Castro, and that all of the POV characters are vastly different in station/temperament. It might seem like a small thing, but Niven's decision to divide the novel into a series of actual chapters (with chapter titles!) made the book much easier for more to read.

Overall, A Gift from Earth directly addresses all of my major critiques of its predecessor. The underlying plot is also pretty darn good, even if it isn't quite momentous enough for the book to obtain classic status. More than enjoyable enough to comfortably earn a 4-star rating.

[Koen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Een Geschenk van Aarde
Geschreven door Larry Niven

ISBN 90 290 0742 7
Vertaling door Pon Ruiter
Omslag Peter Jones
Copyright Nederlandse vertaling 1976 door Meulenhoff Nederland BV, Amsterdam, SF-nummer 105.
Copyright 1968 Larry Niven.

Voor mij ***-sterren beoordeling. Goed doordacht verhaal met zowel een avontuurlijk als een sociaal/politieke kant. Echt SF waarbij de mensheid een bewoonbare planeet koloniseert welke in tweede instantie niet helemaal bewoonbaar blijkt.
De aarde blijft de gekoloniseerde planeten voor zien van de laatste uitvindingen en die worden nagezonden door middel van stuwrobot.

Hieronder een opgave van de karakters die een rol spelen in dit boek (en dan zal ik er vast een aantal vergeten zijn).
Jesus Pietro’s Castro, hoofd van de politie.
Nadia, zijn echtgenote.
Hobart, politieagent.
Jansen, sergeant-majoor van de politie.
Majoor Chin.
Doheny, politieagent.
Corporaal Halley Fox.
Dokter Bennet.
Juffrouw Deidre Lauessen, Hospitaal communicatiesysteem.
Millard Palette, bemanning en directe afstammeling van de eerste gezagvoerder van de Planck.

Stuwrobot 143 wordt op weg gestuurd vanaf Juno naar Kijknouwes.

Matthew Keller (oom van Matt), hij springt over de rand van het plateau om arrestatie te voorkomen.
Matt Keller, mijnwerker.

Zonen der Aarde, groep van Kolonisten die zich afzetten tegen het bewind van de Bemanning:
Jayhawk Hood, docent op een school in Delta.
Harry Kane, leider.
Laney (Elaine) Mattson, Matt’s vriendin.
Polly Tournquist.
Lydia Hancock.

[Kevin Phyland · Rating 3 out of 5]

The human colony on the planet We Made It is entirely on the plateau of a giant mountain called Lookitthat, towering 40km above a hostile and unliveable surface. The society has split between crew and colonists and after some centuries an autocratic status quo has developed where nearly every crime is punishable by being dissected for the organ banks. A fledgling revolutionary group, the Sons Of Earth, have made little headway in overthrowing the ruling elite until Interstellar Ramrobot #143 arrives bearing gifts from Earth. Among its contents are technology that may make the organ banks superfluous, which would remove the power of the ruling crew, so they decide no to tell anyone. But a member of SoE saw it land and its contents. Into the mix comes naïve miner Matthew Keller, lured as camouflage to a meeting of SoE and when a raid from Implementation Police scoops up most of the conspirators (headed for the organ banks), Matthew somehow escapes. He gradually discovers he has a psi ability that manifests when he is frightened, that makes him unnoticeable. And now he becomes a bigger threat to the status quo than SoE. Larry Niven’s fast-paced novel (almost YA) is quite enjoyable and throws up some weighty ethical issue. Worth a read.

[Nestor · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a good 50 years old novel from Larry. A controversial novel on human transplants and where organs come from. Now days is a very common surgery, in many countries, there are laws about donations, and in others, there are more flimsy, and sometimes illegal or scary ways. The book deals with a new way to avoid the way that organs for transplant are got, a way that nowadays is been subject of biological research, and the book The Genesis Machine by Amy Webb describes a little bit. I found the book interesting, but not as good as a World Out Of Time or Ringwold from him. I like that he includes other extraterrestrial civilizations from other books at the end. I'd like that he would have made a more developing and breakthrough story as he usually does. I found a couple of logical mistakes unusually in Larry's hard sci-fi novels. The most interesting is how the Alfa Plateau arises, it mentions that it could be from a lava eruption "recently", much similar to the tectonic plates, but if it was recently for no erosion to happen neither could the soil that fertilize sown fields, or be native vegetation. That's why I rated it 3 stars, better story development, and logical mistakes.

[Eric Stodolnik · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great book by Niven.
The only reason I give it a 4 instead of a 5 is comparing it relative to the rest of the Known Space series that I've read. I just enjoy the novels that deal more with the greater whole of Known space, and the technology and events that take place at the further end of the chronology. And this book, taking place on a single planet, early in the colony's existence makes it a bit less interesting than the rest of his work that I've read.

That doesn't mean I didn't enjoy it very much. In fact, I think if this site had half-ratings, I would've given it a 4.5... It was still a very interesting and exciting read.
The physical explaination of Matt Keller's psi power was a bit out there, but hey... it's Larry Niven... a lot of his ideas are a bit out there, and that is half the fun!

Pretty far down on my list of Known Space favorites, but that isn't saying much. I still enjoyed it very much.

[Gregg Kellogg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun to go back and re-visit this after more than half a lifetime. Surprisingly, it holds up pretty well. Larry Niven has a reputation of being a somewhat right-wing figure, but at least in this book, shows an anti-authoritarian streak. While some elements seem naive and somewhat trite, this is fairly true of the genre at the time it was written. His ideas of genetic engineering are definitely ahead of their times, even if the Psi-powers and rather simplistic technology (flying cars?) remain pretty dated.

What I remembered was the emphasis on organ banks, which he seems to see as a cure-all for everything; current events certainly show that gross anatomy can easily be overtaken by microscopic life-forms, and the thought of a penal system which made everything more than a parking ticket a capital crime was chilling at the time. Here, it justly gets shown the exit door.

[C · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has a cool premise, and features an interesting exploration of how circumstances influence society’s concepts of right and wrong (for better or worse). As I often find with Niven, the characters aren’t as memorable as the big ideas. However I found the villain an interesting character, as he sees himself as morally right despite his horrific actions. The hero’s abilities were interesting, though sometimes seemed too powerful. It seems the countermeasures to his abilities would be possible, and it might have been interesting to explore those possibilities further and how he might overcome them. Still, I enjoyed the book, and currently rate it my second favorite of the Known Space books after Protector.

[C · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has a cool premise, and features an interesting exploration of how circumstances influence society’s concepts of right and wrong (for better or worse). As I often find with Niven, the characters aren’t as memorable as the big ideas. However I found the villain an interesting character, as he sees himself as morally right despite his horrific actions. The hero’s abilities were interesting, though sometimes seemed too powerful. It seems the countermeasures to his abilities would be possible, and it might have been interesting to explore those possibilities further and how he might overcome them. Still, I enjoyed the book, and currently rate it my second favorite of the Known Space books after Protector.

[Mmonchi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Es una de las primeras novelas de Larry Niven y se nota. Ya está ahí el germen de lo que va a ser el Espacio Reconocido y el conjunto de planetas y razas que forman su universo, así como el concepto hard de ciencia ficción que es su sello característico. Sin embargo sus personajes no están completamente definidos y sobre todo la acción no avanza completamente bien.
Una historia interesante de un escritor que después mejoró mucho. Lo que menos me ha gustado ha sido el uso -y abuso- del poder paranormal para salvar la situación. Es algo que irá desapareciendo, aunque no del todo, en el resto de su obra, volviéndose más científico en sus planteamientos.