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The Descent of Anansi
It's the American Revolution all over again. But this time it's a ragtag band of space colonists vs. the United States. And the fate of the world hangs by a thread--200 miles above the earth.
278 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1982
7 people are currently reading
379 people want to read
About the author
Larry Niven
687 books3,307 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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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
August 19, 2017
Set closer in the future than most of Niven's better-remembered work, this tech-thriller is based on political speculation and Shuttle-based technology that hasn't aged as well. It's a fast, fun read, but not among the best work of either collaborator.
April 12, 2011
Ok, let's start with the cover by Howard Chaykin, the crusty curmudgeon of comicdom. I always love his work and it is eminently recognizable. That being said, not why I picked up the book.
I read Ringworld years ago and found the authentic science fascinating. So, I trust him.
Descent... has the same authenticity, but even more topical importance. How close are we now to being able to establish colonies on the moon? The youngest today may see it if we don't blow ourselves into the cosmic breeze or kill our planet.
Mr. Niven has created a(at least now) near future account of how a colony orbiting the moon gains its independence. With tensions ranging from the personal to the geopolitical, Niven once again establishes and resolves world-shaking and human scaled conflicts in a realistic tone without drowning the reader in indecipherable jargon or mathematics. As scientific dessert. Loved it, and enjoyed seeing the same hair-fine and super-strong cable, the central element of Descent..., as an important element in Ringworld.
I read Ringworld years ago and found the authentic science fascinating. So, I trust him.
Descent... has the same authenticity, but even more topical importance. How close are we now to being able to establish colonies on the moon? The youngest today may see it if we don't blow ourselves into the cosmic breeze or kill our planet.
Mr. Niven has created a(at least now) near future account of how a colony orbiting the moon gains its independence. With tensions ranging from the personal to the geopolitical, Niven once again establishes and resolves world-shaking and human scaled conflicts in a realistic tone without drowning the reader in indecipherable jargon or mathematics. As scientific dessert. Loved it, and enjoyed seeing the same hair-fine and super-strong cable, the central element of Descent..., as an important element in Ringworld.
February 10, 2013
Not my favorite, but I wont sit up nights fretting on it.
Any number of VERY unlikely things happen, but that must be why they call it fiction and not a documentary. Still not the zip zoom fun of Louis Wu, or Beowulf Schaeffer, this is more on line with stories that have the political things going on in one place, and plots on plots, and industrial foes fighting it out with the space heads caught in the middle.
I am a fan of all things Niven, so this had to get read, but it wont get read over and over, like say, The Integral Trees...
Any number of VERY unlikely things happen, but that must be why they call it fiction and not a documentary. Still not the zip zoom fun of Louis Wu, or Beowulf Schaeffer, this is more on line with stories that have the political things going on in one place, and plots on plots, and industrial foes fighting it out with the space heads caught in the middle.
I am a fan of all things Niven, so this had to get read, but it wont get read over and over, like say, The Integral Trees...
March 8, 2014
Nice, short read. Though what it had to do with the blurb on the back I don't know. Well written, as you would expect from Niven and Barnes. Surprising amount of character development given the length of the book.
July 2, 2022
With “Persepolis Rising” we enter the dog days of The Expanse, that sluggish time mid-series where the story lazes about while waiting for the main events to kick into gear.
When Babylon’s Ashes concluded, the Earth was in ruins, humans had been gifted with the keys to more than a thousand shiny new planets, and somewhere out there is a lurking enemy who—when it discovers that humans are fiddling around with the technology left by Protomolecule builders—will utterly destroy humanity.
So, how do you get from so much story potential to the hopefully thrilling conclusions that will have to take place generations later?
Unfortunately, you have to have at least o
ne bridging story that unifies humanity on all worlds so we can build our strength to resist the Ultimate Enemy, and that’s what “Persepolis Rising” is. Or at least seems to be the first book in that sequence.
Hope the author is able to close out this dog days sequence with “Tiamat's Wrath”, book #8 in the Expanse series, because after that I want to see action where a thousand human worlds are defending against an enemy so advanced that, a million or so years ago, it crushed the designers of the protomolecule like they were so many bugs.
One tantalizing bit from Persepolis Rising is that Duarte is undergoing treatment to make him im
mortal. At this point, such a treatment is intended for him alone, but I could see Holden and crew somehow receiving the long-life drugs, enabling them to witness everything that happens as The Expanse goes on.
Jefferson Mays, the narrator, has become the signature voice for the Expanse series. He doesn’t vary his voice much (a little deeper for Amos, a slight drawl for Alex, and that’s about it), but he reminds me of Scott Brick in that his voice is warm and easy to listen to.
Excellent 5-star story. Recommended.
When Babylon’s Ashes concluded, the Earth was in ruins, humans had been gifted with the keys to more than a thousand shiny new planets, and somewhere out there is a lurking enemy who—when it discovers that humans are fiddling around with the technology left by Protomolecule builders—will utterly destroy humanity.
So, how do you get from so much story potential to the hopefully thrilling conclusions that will have to take place generations later?
Unfortunately, you have to have at least o
ne bridging story that unifies humanity on all worlds so we can build our strength to resist the Ultimate Enemy, and that’s what “Persepolis Rising” is. Or at least seems to be the first book in that sequence.
Hope the author is able to close out this dog days sequence with “Tiamat's Wrath”, book #8 in the Expanse series, because after that I want to see action where a thousand human worlds are defending against an enemy so advanced that, a million or so years ago, it crushed the designers of the protomolecule like they were so many bugs.
One tantalizing bit from Persepolis Rising is that Duarte is undergoing treatment to make him im
mortal. At this point, such a treatment is intended for him alone, but I could see Holden and crew somehow receiving the long-life drugs, enabling them to witness everything that happens as The Expanse goes on.
Jefferson Mays, the narrator, has become the signature voice for the Expanse series. He doesn’t vary his voice much (a little deeper for Amos, a slight drawl for Alex, and that’s about it), but he reminds me of Scott Brick in that his voice is warm and easy to listen to.
Excellent 5-star story. Recommended.
April 28, 2023
Pretty good, quick read. Lots of weedy science that the plot turns on, had trouble wrapping my head around some of it, but I got into the read knowing that ahead of time, and it was for the best. I rather think that Niven was thinking of it being a movie with the narrow space opera that unfolds. In some ways it's a dated period piece, with the Arab nationalists based in Iran. But that aside, it's a good read, with some good plot twists and surprises.
July 26, 2024
Second book I've read this year with a nano-filament in a key role. Who knew?
Certainly not as much fun or with the big ideas of other Niven works, but after a slow start and some soap-opera level love triangling, I found myself racing towards the end, which had a very 80's Moonraker feel to it. Not great, but fun.
Certainly not as much fun or with the big ideas of other Niven works, but after a slow start and some soap-opera level love triangling, I found myself racing towards the end, which had a very 80's Moonraker feel to it. Not great, but fun.
December 12, 2025
How you say "solid genre fare"?
Some obviously research and attention went into the technical specifics of orbital dynamics that plays a major role in the story, which is great. The plot itself is pretty generic, transparent global intrigue with cringy character development clumsily bolted on. This is great literature, but still a decent SF novel to pass the time.
Some obviously research and attention went into the technical specifics of orbital dynamics that plays a major role in the story, which is great. The plot itself is pretty generic, transparent global intrigue with cringy character development clumsily bolted on. This is great literature, but still a decent SF novel to pass the time.
October 3, 2018
מדעי וסביר, מעניין אבל לא מרתק
October 25, 2021
Unbelievable characters and action. Not Niven's finest hour.
March 29, 2025
Enjoying re reading SF classics
October 25, 2025
This is a rather boring account of various factions of humanity conspiring against one another and fighting to the death over a string ("... a strand of single-crystal iron filaments locked in an epoxy matrix... 8/10ths of a millimeter thick and 1400 kilometers long... much stronger than Kevlar, at least 10 or 20 times stronger," but a string nonetheless). Wars have been waged over less, I suppose. I struggled to stay awake through the first half, and the rest wasn't much better, but at least there was some momentum.
At the center of it all is a man (Ion drive technician), his unfaithful wife (Pilot), her ex-lover, "Marion," (Copilot), and the unnaturally large, elderly scientist (Metallurgist), who spent the last seven years of his life making the string. They're on a mission to deliver it to the winning bidder in Japan.
The cable was manufactured at some kind of space station called "Falling Angel." Who would use a name like that? It'd be like naming a hang glider "Icarus." All the shuttles are named after either biblical angels (Gabriel, Michael) or random mythological/folklore characters (Lucifer, Susanoo, Anansi, Hephaestus). I was annoyed by this naming convention, especially when they milked the Anansi analogy by having the thread trail behind the shuttle like a spider's silk (they even call the net beds the crew strap themselves to "webs"). "Shuttle" is always capitalized, for whatever reason (and because they're shuttles, their names are always italicized, which can be a bit distracting).
There are two Brazilian shuttles later on in the story. One of them is unfortunately named after Willy Ley. I thought I was going crazy because sometimes it was spelled "Willey" and even "Wiley," but no, they actually misspelled it multiple times. (And, of course, it was ever-italicized.) I no longer own the book, so I don't know whether or not they spelled Hephaestus right (they may or may not have spelled it "Haephestus").
The three Brazilian mercenaries: "Strike Leader" and "Wolves" One and Two, were amusingly inept. They were about the only part of the story I enjoyed. Whatever happened to Wolf One, though? (When three random, nameless stock villains are the only characters you care about, you know there's a problem with characterization.)
Janet (the pilot of the "Anansi" shuttle) is such an awful character. They're in very tense, life-threatening situations, and all she can think about is how she hasn't copulated for days (days!). Throughout the book, she finds herself alternately aroused by her ex-lover, "Marion," and her would-be ex-husband, Thomas. "Many of the married men in space had had to face the fact of infidelity so rampant that it transcended the abnormal."
"... they gripped each other, as if they were two seventeen-year-old virgins intoxicated with first lust." (I'm pretty sure the average age for "first lust" is a few years lower than 17, 1982 or otherwise.)
Too often are characters "haloed" or "framed" by their hair or what have you. The writers aren't very good at explaining what's physically going on most of the time. ["And all the science, I don't understand."] They go out of their way to (attempt to) convince the reader that a conglomeration of various spacecraft looks like a "toy pickax," and later a "misshapen moth."
The authors write some very odd descriptions that don't help:
"Quinn shook the plastic bag [of plague rats]. The freeze-dried puffballs rattled like so many meringues."
-
"Dexter was stunned speechless. It was as if his wallet had bitten his fingers."
-
"He was a smallish beach ball of a man..." (Great! Now I have no idea what this man is supposed to look like.)
-
"I feel like my glands have been pumping me full of Greek fire. Somewhere down there I must be tired unto death, but it's a little hard to find, you know?" (No, no, I don't know. I have no clue what you're talking about, dude.)
...
There are several typos (and what I can only assume are typos):
"... as he opened his mouth something slid into his body, tearing his body, tearing his vitals, and the breath to speak or scream was pinned within him." (I'm fairly certain this wording isn't what was intended.)
-
Nitrogen tri-iodide is mistyped as "nitrogen tri-iodine."
-
"But it looks like the boxes absorbed the bullets... maybe saved us a broached hull." (Breached hull, right?)
-
"Fear and rage had put all his considerably strength behind the maneuver." (considerable)
...
278 pages
4.5/10
"To see madness is one thing. But to see it and understand it too is a different breed of unicorn."
At the center of it all is a man (Ion drive technician), his unfaithful wife (Pilot), her ex-lover, "Marion," (Copilot), and the unnaturally large, elderly scientist (Metallurgist), who spent the last seven years of his life making the string. They're on a mission to deliver it to the winning bidder in Japan.
The cable was manufactured at some kind of space station called "Falling Angel." Who would use a name like that? It'd be like naming a hang glider "Icarus." All the shuttles are named after either biblical angels (Gabriel, Michael) or random mythological/folklore characters (Lucifer, Susanoo, Anansi, Hephaestus). I was annoyed by this naming convention, especially when they milked the Anansi analogy by having the thread trail behind the shuttle like a spider's silk (they even call the net beds the crew strap themselves to "webs"). "Shuttle" is always capitalized, for whatever reason (and because they're shuttles, their names are always italicized, which can be a bit distracting).
There are two Brazilian shuttles later on in the story. One of them is unfortunately named after Willy Ley. I thought I was going crazy because sometimes it was spelled "Willey" and even "Wiley," but no, they actually misspelled it multiple times. (And, of course, it was ever-italicized.) I no longer own the book, so I don't know whether or not they spelled Hephaestus right (they may or may not have spelled it "Haephestus").
The three Brazilian mercenaries: "Strike Leader" and "Wolves" One and Two, were amusingly inept. They were about the only part of the story I enjoyed. Whatever happened to Wolf One, though? (When three random, nameless stock villains are the only characters you care about, you know there's a problem with characterization.)
Janet (the pilot of the "Anansi" shuttle) is such an awful character. They're in very tense, life-threatening situations, and all she can think about is how she hasn't copulated for days (days!). Throughout the book, she finds herself alternately aroused by her ex-lover, "Marion," and her would-be ex-husband, Thomas. "Many of the married men in space had had to face the fact of infidelity so rampant that it transcended the abnormal."
"... they gripped each other, as if they were two seventeen-year-old virgins intoxicated with first lust." (I'm pretty sure the average age for "first lust" is a few years lower than 17, 1982 or otherwise.)
Too often are characters "haloed" or "framed" by their hair or what have you. The writers aren't very good at explaining what's physically going on most of the time. ["And all the science, I don't understand."] They go out of their way to (attempt to) convince the reader that a conglomeration of various spacecraft looks like a "toy pickax," and later a "misshapen moth."
The authors write some very odd descriptions that don't help:
"Quinn shook the plastic bag [of plague rats]. The freeze-dried puffballs rattled like so many meringues."
-
"Dexter was stunned speechless. It was as if his wallet had bitten his fingers."
-
"He was a smallish beach ball of a man..." (Great! Now I have no idea what this man is supposed to look like.)
-
"I feel like my glands have been pumping me full of Greek fire. Somewhere down there I must be tired unto death, but it's a little hard to find, you know?" (No, no, I don't know. I have no clue what you're talking about, dude.)
...
There are several typos (and what I can only assume are typos):
"... as he opened his mouth something slid into his body, tearing his body, tearing his vitals, and the breath to speak or scream was pinned within him." (I'm fairly certain this wording isn't what was intended.)
-
Nitrogen tri-iodide is mistyped as "nitrogen tri-iodine."
-
"But it looks like the boxes absorbed the bullets... maybe saved us a broached hull." (Breached hull, right?)
-
"Fear and rage had put all his considerably strength behind the maneuver." (considerable)
...
278 pages
4.5/10
"To see madness is one thing. But to see it and understand it too is a different breed of unicorn."
April 4, 2025
This book was an interesting read. For all the tension it works to build, the writing style and plot make it feel like it was just recounting an event that occurred as it happened, rather than showing me a new story. Reading more sci-fi has led to me to appreciate it more.
July 26, 2024
I only rated this novel 2 stars because I only gave it a "C" when I read it. In fact, on other websites that allow half-stars, I gave it 1 1/2 stars, which feels more accurate.
This novel is moderately good - but nowhere near as good as subsequent efforts by this pair of authors. I especially enjoyed Dream Park, California Voodoo Game, and Saturn's Race. My favourites by this duo are The Legacy of Heorot and Beowulf's Children (these latter two with Jerry Pournelle as yet another co-author).
My rating system:
Since Goodreads only allows 1 to 5 stars (no half-stars), you have no option but to be ruthless. I reserve one star for a book that is a BOMB - or poor (equivalent to a letter grade of F, E, or at most D). Progressing upwards, 2 stars is equivalent to C (C -, C or C+), 3 stars (equals to B - or B), 4 stars (equals B+ or A -), and 5 stars (equals A or A+). As a result, I maximize my rating space for good books, and don't waste half or more of that rating space on books that are of marginal quality.
This novel is moderately good - but nowhere near as good as subsequent efforts by this pair of authors. I especially enjoyed Dream Park, California Voodoo Game, and Saturn's Race. My favourites by this duo are The Legacy of Heorot and Beowulf's Children (these latter two with Jerry Pournelle as yet another co-author).
My rating system:
Since Goodreads only allows 1 to 5 stars (no half-stars), you have no option but to be ruthless. I reserve one star for a book that is a BOMB - or poor (equivalent to a letter grade of F, E, or at most D). Progressing upwards, 2 stars is equivalent to C (C -, C or C+), 3 stars (equals to B - or B), 4 stars (equals B+ or A -), and 5 stars (equals A or A+). As a result, I maximize my rating space for good books, and don't waste half or more of that rating space on books that are of marginal quality.
September 22, 2011
I came across a guide to the Larry Niven/Steven Barnes Dreampark series, and it described this book as being part of that universe, so I thought I'd give it a try.
I didn't see the connection.
A renegade bunch of spacers have gone independent near the moon, using Space Shuttle equipment they have claimed, and banking on their engineering. They've just sold a batch of super-thin, super-strong cable to a Japanese company that outbid a Brazilian company. However, when the time comes to deliver, it turns out that the Brazilian company is ready to commit the first ever space piracy attack.
Mind you, I don't regret reading it. It's part of the classic, hard sf, all about the engineering style of books that don't get published a lot anymore. The characters are mostly cardboard cutouts, and the plot is pretty basic. Still, it was a fun, short read.
I didn't see the connection.
A renegade bunch of spacers have gone independent near the moon, using Space Shuttle equipment they have claimed, and banking on their engineering. They've just sold a batch of super-thin, super-strong cable to a Japanese company that outbid a Brazilian company. However, when the time comes to deliver, it turns out that the Brazilian company is ready to commit the first ever space piracy attack.
Mind you, I don't regret reading it. It's part of the classic, hard sf, all about the engineering style of books that don't get published a lot anymore. The characters are mostly cardboard cutouts, and the plot is pretty basic. Still, it was a fun, short read.
September 28, 2012
I bought this book for $1 dollar and thought I was very lucky to find a Larry Niven (& Steven Barnes) book so cheap. And, it turns out the cover art was done by my favorite Graphic artist/writer: Howard Chaykin. (I just learned that from another reviewer.) Niven books sometimes take me a while to find the pulse of the story, and the science is surely something to grapple with, because it's real and not made up stuff. Eventually, the science pieces fit together, and the story gains momentum and it turns into a fun read and I walk away feeling a little less dumb about real space travel as well as hypothetical space projects.
June 1, 2015
1984 grade A
2015 grade A-
Written with Steven Barnes
This 1982 hard SciFi novel is based on extrapolations of shuttle technology. Accept that and it is a very enjoyable fast reading story of corporate intrigue, terrorism, and life in space. Although it lacks the depth to make it grade A+, and might even drop it to B+ in places, I still recommend it.
2015 grade A-
Written with Steven Barnes
This 1982 hard SciFi novel is based on extrapolations of shuttle technology. Accept that and it is a very enjoyable fast reading story of corporate intrigue, terrorism, and life in space. Although it lacks the depth to make it grade A+, and might even drop it to B+ in places, I still recommend it.
June 9, 2013
Makes way more sense after reading The Barsoom Project even though this was published first...still enjoyed it on its own merits though.
December 20, 2007
read 03.21.84
February 14, 2008
I really enjoyed this book. Niven lives up to his reputation for hard science when he explains the orbital mechanics of how the main characters use tidal forces to escape the space pirates.
August 11, 2009
Not up to his usual
June 1, 2023
Another lightweight effort by two authors who can do better. Read Legacy of Heroet or Dream Park.
September 6, 2011
Near future technothriller. Pretty nifty orbital combat scenes, but apart from that nothing makes this one stand out.
http://www.books.rosboch.net/?p=1102
http://www.books.rosboch.net/?p=1102
January 1, 2013
A little dated now that the space shuttles have been retired, but still a good story with interesting characters and plot.
September 11, 2012
Good hardcore science fiction.
Read
January 25, 2019Was Ok...
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews