Sex, adventure, space, and aliens. This book is Science Fiction and it includes all the elements you might want from a general-purpose sci-fi novel.
“A man can lose his soul among the white stars… It is dangerous. A man’s soul does not always return.”
Four travelers– two humans and two others– are brought together for a mission with an obfuscated purpose and a hefty reward. The four are an unlikely group, but were specially selected. This book recounts how they came together and where their travel takes them.
Why is this on our bookshelf?
Ringworld is a staple of sci-fi. Published in 1970, it’s earned several awards including the Hugo Award. Did I mention that it has sex, adventure, space, and aliens?
If this wasn’t enough, Niven’s Ringworld inspired Halo. Specifically the halo rings in that video game series.
Rating (4 stars)
Ringworld was a lot of fun to read. It kept up a decent pace of excitement and allowed you to really envision a SF reality. Despite having been written over 40 years ago, it doesn’t feel dusty. Why not five stars, then? It’s close, but when the book is done and the adventure is over, there is nothing to ponder about. It doesn’t leave you with any bigger questions. In essence, Ringworld is a damn good adventure story, but no more.
Read this book:
If you’re jonesing for a good science fiction adventure story
Don't Read this book:
You want something that takes a week to understand what you just read.
Once you're done, do this:
Find a dark patch of sky and stare at the stars hoping that one day we’ll have hyperdrive and transfer booths.
