The Man-Kzin Wars is a series of military science fiction

Military science fiction

Military science fiction is a subgenre of science fiction in which the principal characters are members of a military service and an armed conflict is taking place, normally in space, or on a planet other than Earth...

 short story collections (and is the name of the first collection), as well as the eponymous conflicts between mankind and the Kzinti that they detail. They are set in Larry Niven

Larry Niven

Laurence van Cott Niven / ˈlæri ˈnɪvən/ is an American science fiction author. His best-known work is Ringworld , which received Hugo, Locus, Ditmar, and Nebula awards. His work is primarily hard science fiction, using big science concepts and theoretical physics...

's Known Space

Known Space

Known Space is the fictional setting of some dozen science fiction novels and several collections of short stories written by author Larry Niven. It has also in part been used as a shared universe in the Man-Kzin Wars spin-off anthologies sub-series....

universe; however, Niven himself has only written a small number of the stories.

All of the cover art for the books in the series is drawn by Stephen Hickman

Stephen Hickman

Stephen Hickman is an award-winning American artist, illustrator, sculptor and author. He is best known for his work in science fiction and fantasy with over 350 book and magazine covers to his credit. His efforts have brought an extra dimension to the stories of Robert A. Heinlein, H. P....

.

Background

The first story set in the Man-Kzin Wars, The Warriors (1966), was one of Niven's earliest published stories and one of the first of what would become his Known Space series. Niven did not consider himself qualified to write war stories; therefore, although a number of his later stories referenced the Man-Kzin Wars, he never actually showed them. However, there was a large fan demand for stories covering the conflict, and a number of his author friends had shown interest in writing tales set in the timeframe. Niven therefore allowed the Man-Kzin Wars to become a shared universe

Shared universe

A shared universe is a fictional universe to which more than one writer contributes. Work set in a shared universe share characters and other elements with varying degrees of consistency. Shared universes are contrasted with collaborative writing, in which multiple authors work on a single story....

, starting with the 1988 release of The Man-Kzin Wars.

Initially, there were only plans for two volumes. Niven, along with John Hewitt

John Hewitt

John Harold Hewitt , who was born in Belfast, Ireland, was the most significant Irish poet to emerge before the 1960s generation of poets that included Seamus Heaney, Derek Mahon and Michael Longley. He was appointed the first writer-in-residence at Queen's University Belfast in 1976...

 (one of the main writers for the Ringworld RPG) composed a "Bible" for aspiring writers, including several pages of notes composed between the two of them and photocopied pages of the RPG. The Bible included corrections for some of the inconsistencies among Niven's work. Jerry Pournelle

Jerry Pournelle

Jerry Eugene Pournelle is an American science fiction writer, essayist and journalist who contributed for many years to the computer magazine Byte and has since 1998 been maintaining his own website/blog....

 and Poul Anderson

Poul Anderson

Poul William Anderson was an American science fiction author who began his career during one of the Golden Ages of the genre and continued to write and remain popular into the 21st century. Anderson also authored several works of fantasy, historical novels, and a prodigious number of short stories...

 were among the first authors approached, and both ended up writing stories.

After the release of the second volume, reader demand was enough to allow continuing releases periodically, continuing to the current day. Starting with volume three, Niven himself has composed several additional entries.

The stories

The series offers an intricate and evolving weave of character development that melds these beings into some of the most complex fictional creatures in any literature, period...

- Quantum, on The Man-Kzin Wars

Title	Published	Collected in	Written by
The Warriors	1966	Worlds of If If (magazine) If was an American science fiction magazine launched in March 1952 by Quinn Publications, owned by James L. Quinn. Quinn hired Paul W. Fairman to be the first editor, but early circulation figures were disappointing, and Quinn fired Fairman after only three issues. Quinn then took over the... ; Tales of Known Space; The Man-Kzin Wars; Three Books of Known Space; The Best of All Possible Wars†	Larry Niven Larry Niven Laurence van Cott Niven / ˈlæri ˈnɪvən/ is an American science fiction author. His best-known work is Ringworld , which received Hugo, Locus, Ditmar, and Nebula awards. His work is primarily hard science fiction, using big science concepts and theoretical physics...
Iron	1988	The Man-Kzin Wars; Inconstant Star Inconstant Star Inconstant Star is a science fiction novel by Poul Anderson. The stories Iron and Inconstant Star were first published in The Man-Kzin Wars and Man-Kzin Wars III, respectively.-Plot introduction:... †	Poul Anderson Poul Anderson Poul William Anderson was an American science fiction author who began his career during one of the Golden Ages of the genre and continued to write and remain popular into the 21st century. Anderson also authored several works of fantasy, historical novels, and a prodigious number of short stories...
Cathouse	1988	The Man-Kzin Wars; Cathouse†; The Houses of the Kzinti†	Dean Ing Dean Ing Dean Ing is an American author, who usually writes in the science fiction and techno-thriller genres.Dean Charles Ing was formerly a member of the United States Air Force, an aerospace engineer, and a university professor who holds a doctorate in communications theory. He has been a professional...
Briar Patch	1989	Man-Kzin Wars II; Cathouse; The Houses of the Kzinti	Dean Ing Dean Ing Dean Ing is an American author, who usually writes in the science fiction and techno-thriller genres.Dean Charles Ing was formerly a member of the United States Air Force, an aerospace engineer, and a university professor who holds a doctorate in communications theory. He has been a professional...
The Children's Hour	1989	Man-Kzin Wars II; The Children's Hour†; The Houses of the Kzinti	Jerry Pournelle Jerry Pournelle Jerry Eugene Pournelle is an American science fiction writer, essayist and journalist who contributed for many years to the computer magazine Byte and has since 1998 been maintaining his own website/blog....  & S.M. Stirling
Madness Has Its Place	1990	Man-Kzin Wars III; N-Space N-Space (short story collection) N-Space is a collection of short stories by American science fiction author Larry Niven released in 1990. Some of the stories are set in Niven's Known Space universe. Also included are various essays, articles and anecdotes by Niven and others, excerpts from some of his novels, and an introduction... ; Three Books of Known Space; The Best of All Possible Wars	Larry Niven Larry Niven Laurence van Cott Niven / ˈlæri ˈnɪvən/ is an American science fiction author. His best-known work is Ringworld , which received Hugo, Locus, Ditmar, and Nebula awards. His work is primarily hard science fiction, using big science concepts and theoretical physics...
The Asteroid Queen	1990	Man-Kzin Wars III; The Children's Hour	Jerry Pournelle Jerry Pournelle Jerry Eugene Pournelle is an American science fiction writer, essayist and journalist who contributed for many years to the computer magazine Byte and has since 1998 been maintaining his own website/blog....  & S.M. Stirling
Inconstant Star Inconstant Star Inconstant Star is a science fiction novel by Poul Anderson. The stories Iron and Inconstant Star were first published in The Man-Kzin Wars and Man-Kzin Wars III, respectively.-Plot introduction:...	1990	Man-Kzin Wars III; Inconstant Star Inconstant Star Inconstant Star is a science fiction novel by Poul Anderson. The stories Iron and Inconstant Star were first published in The Man-Kzin Wars and Man-Kzin Wars III, respectively.-Plot introduction:...	Poul Anderson Poul Anderson Poul William Anderson was an American science fiction author who began his career during one of the Golden Ages of the genre and continued to write and remain popular into the 21st century. Anderson also authored several works of fantasy, historical novels, and a prodigious number of short stories...
The Survivor	1991	Man-Kzin Wars IV; The Space Opera Renaissance	Donald Kingsbury Donald Kingsbury Donald MacDonald Kingsbury is an American–Canadian science fiction author. Kingsbury taught mathematics at McGill University, Montreal, from 1956 until his retirement in 1986.- Books :...
The Man Who Would Be Kzin	1991	Man-Kzin Wars IV; The Best of All Possible Wars	Greg Bear Greg Bear Gregory Dale Bear is an American science fiction and mainstream author. His work has covered themes of galactic conflict , artificial universes , consciousness and cultural practices , and accelerated evolution...  & S.M. Stirling
In The Hall of the Mountain King	1992	Man-Kzin Wars V; The Best of All Possible Wars	Jerry Pournelle Jerry Pournelle Jerry Eugene Pournelle is an American science fiction writer, essayist and journalist who contributed for many years to the computer magazine Byte and has since 1998 been maintaining his own website/blog....  & S.M. Stirling
Hey Diddle Diddle	1992	Man-Kzin Wars V	Thomas T. Thomas
The Heroic Myth of Lieutenant Nora Argamentine	1994	Man-Kzin Wars VI	Donald Kingsbury Donald Kingsbury Donald MacDonald Kingsbury is an American–Canadian science fiction author. Kingsbury taught mathematics at McGill University, Montreal, from 1956 until his retirement in 1986.- Books :...
Trojan Cat	1994	Man-Kzin Wars VI	Mark O. Martin & Gregory Benford Gregory Benford Gregory Benford is an American science fiction author and astrophysicist who is on the faculty of the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of California, Irvine...
The Colonel's Tiger	1995	Man-Kzin Wars VII; Centaurus : the best of Australian science fiction	Hal Colebatch Hal Gibson Pateshall Colebatch Hal Gibson Pateshall Colebatch , also known as Hal G. P. Colebatch and Hal Colebatch is an Australian author, poet, lecturer, journalist, editor, and lawyer.-Personal history:...
A Darker Geometry	1995	Man-Kzin Wars VII; A Darker Geometry†	Mark O. Martin & Gregory Benford Gregory Benford Gregory Benford is an American science fiction author and astrophysicist who is on the faculty of the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of California, Irvine...
Prisoner of War	1995	Man-Kzin Wars VII	Paul Chafe Paul Chafe Paul Chafe was born in Toronto, Ontario in 1965 and grew up in Hamilton, Ontario. He is a Canadian science fiction author who frequently publishes with Baen Books. In addition to his own original work, he has published several stories in Larry Niven's Man-Kzin Wars series, including Destiny's...
Choosing Names	1998	Choosing Names: Man-Kzin Wars VIII	Larry Niven Larry Niven Laurence van Cott Niven / ˈlæri ˈnɪvən/ is an American science fiction author. His best-known work is Ringworld , which received Hugo, Locus, Ditmar, and Nebula awards. His work is primarily hard science fiction, using big science concepts and theoretical physics...
Telepath's Dance	1998	Choosing Names: Man-Kzin Wars VIII	Hal Colebatch Hal Gibson Pateshall Colebatch Hal Gibson Pateshall Colebatch , also known as Hal G. P. Colebatch and Hal Colebatch is an Australian author, poet, lecturer, journalist, editor, and lawyer.-Personal history:...
Galley Slave	1998	Choosing Names: Man-Kzin Wars VIII	Jean Lamb
Jotok†	1998	Choosing Names: Man-Kzin Wars VIII	Paul Chafe Paul Chafe Paul Chafe was born in Toronto, Ontario in 1965 and grew up in Hamilton, Ontario. He is a Canadian science fiction author who frequently publishes with Baen Books. In addition to his own original work, he has published several stories in Larry Niven's Man-Kzin Wars series, including Destiny's...
Slowboat Nightmare	1998	Choosing Names: Man-Kzin Wars VIII	Warren W. James
Pele	2002	Man-Kzin Wars IX	Poul Anderson Poul Anderson Poul William Anderson was an American science fiction author who began his career during one of the Golden Ages of the genre and continued to write and remain popular into the 21st century. Anderson also authored several works of fantasy, historical novels, and a prodigious number of short stories...
His Sergeant's Honor	2002	Man-Kzin Wars IX	Hal Colebatch Hal Gibson Pateshall Colebatch Hal Gibson Pateshall Colebatch , also known as Hal G. P. Colebatch and Hal Colebatch is an Australian author, poet, lecturer, journalist, editor, and lawyer.-Personal history:...
Windows of the Soul	2002	Man-Kzin Wars IX	Paul Chafe Paul Chafe Paul Chafe was born in Toronto, Ontario in 1965 and grew up in Hamilton, Ontario. He is a Canadian science fiction author who frequently publishes with Baen Books. In addition to his own original work, he has published several stories in Larry Niven's Man-Kzin Wars series, including Destiny's...
Fly-by-Night	2002	Man-Kzin Wars IX	Larry Niven Larry Niven Laurence van Cott Niven / ˈlæri ˈnɪvən/ is an American science fiction author. His best-known work is Ringworld , which received Hugo, Locus, Ditmar, and Nebula awards. His work is primarily hard science fiction, using big science concepts and theoretical physics...
One War for Wunderland	2003	Man-Kzin Wars X: The Wunder War Man-Kzin Wars X: The Wunder War Man-Kzin Wars X: The Wunder War is a collection of four stories totalling about 140,000 words by Australian author Hal Colebatch set in Larry Niven's "Known Space" universe, as part of the Man-Kzin Wars series...	Hal Colebatch Hal Gibson Pateshall Colebatch Hal Gibson Pateshall Colebatch , also known as Hal G. P. Colebatch and Hal Colebatch is an Australian author, poet, lecturer, journalist, editor, and lawyer.-Personal history:...
The Corporal in the Caves	2003	Man-Kzin Wars X: The Wunder War Man-Kzin Wars X: The Wunder War Man-Kzin Wars X: The Wunder War is a collection of four stories totalling about 140,000 words by Australian author Hal Colebatch set in Larry Niven's "Known Space" universe, as part of the Man-Kzin Wars series...	Hal Colebatch Hal Gibson Pateshall Colebatch Hal Gibson Pateshall Colebatch , also known as Hal G. P. Colebatch and Hal Colebatch is an Australian author, poet, lecturer, journalist, editor, and lawyer.-Personal history:...
Music Box	2003	Man-Kzin Wars X: The Wunder War Man-Kzin Wars X: The Wunder War Man-Kzin Wars X: The Wunder War is a collection of four stories totalling about 140,000 words by Australian author Hal Colebatch set in Larry Niven's "Known Space" universe, as part of the Man-Kzin Wars series...	Hal Colebatch Hal Gibson Pateshall Colebatch Hal Gibson Pateshall Colebatch , also known as Hal G. P. Colebatch and Hal Colebatch is an Australian author, poet, lecturer, journalist, editor, and lawyer.-Personal history:...
Peter Robinson	2003	Man-Kzin Wars X: The Wunder War Man-Kzin Wars X: The Wunder War Man-Kzin Wars X: The Wunder War is a collection of four stories totalling about 140,000 words by Australian author Hal Colebatch set in Larry Niven's "Known Space" universe, as part of the Man-Kzin Wars series...	Hal Colebatch Hal Gibson Pateshall Colebatch Hal Gibson Pateshall Colebatch , also known as Hal G. P. Colebatch and Hal Colebatch is an Australian author, poet, lecturer, journalist, editor, and lawyer.-Personal history:...
Three at Table	2005	Man-Kzin Wars XI	Hal Colebatch Hal Gibson Pateshall Colebatch Hal Gibson Pateshall Colebatch , also known as Hal G. P. Colebatch and Hal Colebatch is an Australian author, poet, lecturer, journalist, editor, and lawyer.-Personal history:...
Grossgeister Swamp	2005	Man-Kzin Wars XI	Hal Colebatch Hal Gibson Pateshall Colebatch Hal Gibson Pateshall Colebatch , also known as Hal G. P. Colebatch and Hal Colebatch is an Australian author, poet, lecturer, journalist, editor, and lawyer.-Personal history:...
Catspaws	2005	Man-Kzin Wars XI	Hal Colebatch Hal Gibson Pateshall Colebatch Hal Gibson Pateshall Colebatch , also known as Hal G. P. Colebatch and Hal Colebatch is an Australian author, poet, lecturer, journalist, editor, and lawyer.-Personal history:...
Teacher's Pet	2005	Man-Kzin Wars XI	Matthew Joseph Harrington
War and Peace	2005	Man-Kzin Wars XI	Matthew Joseph Harrington
The Hunting Park	2005	Man-Kzin Wars XI	Larry Niven Larry Niven Laurence van Cott Niven / ˈlæri ˈnɪvən/ is an American science fiction author. His best-known work is Ringworld , which received Hugo, Locus, Ditmar, and Nebula awards. His work is primarily hard science fiction, using big science concepts and theoretical physics...
Destiny's Forge	2006	Destiny's Forge†	Paul Chafe Paul Chafe Paul Chafe was born in Toronto, Ontario in 1965 and grew up in Hamilton, Ontario. He is a Canadian science fiction author who frequently publishes with Baen Books. In addition to his own original work, he has published several stories in Larry Niven's Man-Kzin Wars series, including Destiny's...
Echoes of Distant Guns	2009	Man-Kzin Wars XII	Matthew Joseph Harrington
AQUILA ADVENIO	2009	Man-Kzin Wars XII	Hal Colebatch Hal Gibson Pateshall Colebatch Hal Gibson Pateshall Colebatch , also known as Hal G. P. Colebatch and Hal Colebatch is an Australian author, poet, lecturer, journalist, editor, and lawyer.-Personal history:...  & Matthew Joseph Harrington
The Trooper and the Triangle	2009	Man-Kzin Wars XII	Hal Colebatch Hal Gibson Pateshall Colebatch Hal Gibson Pateshall Colebatch , also known as Hal G. P. Colebatch and Hal Colebatch is an Australian author, poet, lecturer, journalist, editor, and lawyer.-Personal history:...
String	2009	Man-Kzin Wars XII	Hal Colebatch Hal Gibson Pateshall Colebatch Hal Gibson Pateshall Colebatch , also known as Hal G. P. Colebatch and Hal Colebatch is an Australian author, poet, lecturer, journalist, editor, and lawyer.-Personal history:...  & Matthew Joseph Harrington
Peace and Freedom	2009	Man-Kzin Wars XII	Matthew Joseph Harrington
Independent	2009	Man-Kzin Wars XII	Paul Chafe Paul Chafe Paul Chafe was born in Toronto, Ontario in 1965 and grew up in Hamilton, Ontario. He is a Canadian science fiction author who frequently publishes with Baen Books. In addition to his own original work, he has published several stories in Larry Niven's Man-Kzin Wars series, including Destiny's...
.	2012	Man-Kzin Wars XIII	Jane Lindskold Jane Lindskold Jane M. Lindskold is an American writer of fantasy and science fiction short stories and novels.Jane M. Lindskold was born in 1962, at the Columbia Hospital for Women. She is the first of four siblings: Ann M. Lindskold Nalley, Graydon M. Lindskold, and Susan M. Lindskold Speer. Lindskold's...
.	2012	Man-Kzin Wars XIII	Alex Hernandez Alex Hernandez (writer) Alex Hernandez is a Cuban-American writer of indie webcomics based in Hialeah, FL. He is best known for his work on the open source character, Jenny Everywhere. He also has an extensive list of creator-owned work such as Eleggua, Thoth Boy, Kobuta, Children of Mars, The Mantis, The Magnificent...
.	2012	Man-Kzin Wars XIII	Charles E. Gannon
.	2012	Man-Kzin Wars XII	Bud Sparhawk Bud Sparhawk John C. "Bud" Sparhawk is an American science fiction author. He is best known for the strong scientific basis for his work, and also his humorous science fiction, in particular his Sam Boone series of short fiction.- Biography :...

† Additional Notes:

• "Iron" and "Inconstant Star" were combined as a single collection, Inconstant Star, in 1991.
• "Cathouse" and "Briar Patch" were combined as a single collection, Cathouse, in 1990.
• "The Children's Hour" and "The Asteroid Queen" were combined as a single collection, The Children's Hour, in 1991.
• "A Darker Geometry" was expanded (an extra segment added to the end) and republished as a novel in 1996.
• "The Warriors," "Madness Has its Place," "The Man Who Would Be Kzin," and "In the Hall of the Mountain King" were collected as The Best of All Possible Wars in 1998.
• "Cathouse," "Briar Patch," and "The Children's Hour" were collected as The Houses of the Kzinti in 2002.
• "Jotok" was originally called "The Chosen One."
• In 2001, Annals of the Man-Kzin-Wars: An Unofficial Companion Guide was released. Written by Alan Michaud, it included illustrations, maps, histories of the Kzinti and humans, character biographies, and story descriptions. It covered the first eight volumes.
• Destiny's Forge is a single novel.

Volumes

Title	Published	ISBN	Notes
The Man-Kzin Wars	1988	ISBN 978-0671654115
Man-Kzin Wars II	1989	ISBN 978-0671698331
Man-Kzin Wars III	1990	ISBN 978-0671720087
Man-Kzin Wars IV	1991	ISBN 978-0671720797
Man-Kzin Wars V	1992	ISBN 978-0671721374
Man-Kzin Wars VI	1994	ISBN 978-0671876074
Man-Kzin Wars VII	1995	ISBN 978-0671876708
Man-Kzin Wars VIII: Choosing Names	1998	ISBN 978-0671878887
Man-Kzin Wars IX	2003	ISBN 978-0671318383
Man-Kzin Wars X: The Wunder War	2005	ISBN 978-0743498944
Man-Kzin Wars XI	2007	ISBN 978-1416509066
Man-Kzin Wars XII	2009	ISBN 978-1416591412
Man-Kzin Wars XIII	2012	ISBN 978-1451638165
The Best of All Possible Wars: The Best of the Man-Kzin Wars	1998	ISBN 978-0671878795
Destiny's Forge: A Man-Kzin Wars Novel	2007	ISBN 978-1416555070
The Houses of the Kzinti	2002	ISBN 978-0743435772
A Darker Geometry: A Man-Kzin Novel	1996	ISBN 978-0671877408
Inconstant Star Inconstant Star Inconstant Star is a science fiction novel by Poul Anderson. The stories Iron and Inconstant Star were first published in The Man-Kzin Wars and Man-Kzin Wars III, respectively.-Plot introduction:... : A Novel of the Man-Kzin Wars	1991	ISBN 978-0671720315
The Children's Hour The Children's Hour The Children's Hour may refer to:* The Children's Hour , a game box containing three games for children released by Parker Bros in 1961.... : A Man-Kzin Novel	1991	ISBN 978-0671720896
Cathouse: A Man-Kzin Novel	1991	ISBN 978-0671698720

Canonicity

Larry Niven has never specifically addressed whether or not these stories are part of the canon of Known Space stories. He has ruled A Darker Geometry as definitely non-canonical, and is incompatible with Juggler of Worlds

Juggler of Worlds

Juggler of Worlds is the sequel novel to Fleet of Worlds by Larry Niven and Edward M. Lerner.It is set in the Known Space universe. Most of the book revisits earlier stories...

, which is co-authored by Niven and Edward M. Lerner

Edward M. Lerner

Edward M. Lerner is a US author of science fiction and techno-thrillers.As of 2010 he has published eight books. Three solo novels, one short story collection, and four novels co-authored with Larry Niven in the Known Space universe...

. Conversely, Niven's story Fly-By-Night refers directly to, and summarizes, the events of Telepath's Dance, so it appears he considers that story canonical. The canonicity of other stories in the series is undetermined.

Many of the stories in the series have added details to Known Space and its history, details which may be incompatible with older stories in the canon (in particular, those written by Niven long before the Man-Kzin Wars series was published). The protagonist in Matthew Joseph Harrington's Teacher's Pet from Man-Kzin Wars XI, who has become a protector after landing on Home while fleeing from Kzinti, deduces several things that (at least at first glance) seem to be at odds with accepted canon - for example, that Puppeteers had been manipulating both humanity and the Kzin far more than anyone had previously thought.

In other cases, stories clearly contradict established canon. For example, various MKW stories state that Kzinti did not establish their own interstellar empire nor invent their own spacefaring technology. Instead, primitive Kzinti warriors were hired as mercenaries by the Jotoki, a species of interstellar traders, who the Kzinti later overthrew and enslaved.

Yet, Niven's "The Soft Weapon

The Soft Weapon

"The Soft Weapon" is a science fiction short story written in 1967 by Larry Niven, set in his Known Space universe. It was the basis of the Star Trek: The Animated Series episode, "The Slaver Weapon"...

" states:

There had been a time, between the discoveries of atomic power and the gravity polarizer, when it seemed the Kzinti species would destroy itself in wars. Now the Kzinti held many worlds, and the danger was past.

However, "Jotok" suggests a possible compromise scenario. In that story, primitive Kzinti clans on the Kzin homeworld are being marginalized by advanced Kzinti who use atomic power and gravity polarizer-driven spacecraft. It is the primitives who are hired by the Jotoki, to use as mercenaries against the more advanced Kzinti.

The Kzinti (who has appeared in the Star Trek: The Animated Series

Star Trek: The Animated Series

Star Trek: The Animated Series is an animated science fiction television series set in the Star Trek universe following the events of Star Trek: The Original Series of the 1960s...

episode "The Slaver Weapon", written by Niven) were set to appear in a plot in the fifth season of Star Trek: Enterprise

Star Trek: Enterprise

Star Trek: Enterprise is a science fiction television series. It follows the adventures of humanity's first warp 5 starship, the Enterprise, ten years before the United Federation of Planets shown in previous Star Trek series was formed.Enterprise premiered on September 26, 2001...

. The episodes were planned out by Manny Coto

Manny Coto

Manny Coto is an American writer, director and producer of films and television programs.Coto was the executive producer and showrunner of Star Trek: Enterprise in its final season, and executive producer of four seasons of 24...

, Andre Bormanis

André Bormanis

Andre Bormanis is an American television producer, screenwriter and author of the book Star Trek: Science Logs. Bormanis is most notable for his involvement in the long-running Star Trek franchise, and was the science consultant on Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star...

, Jimmy Diggs

Jimmy Diggs

Jimmy Diggs is an American television screenwriter best known for writing the stories for a combined seven episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Voyager...

, and Neal Hallford

Neal Hallford

William Neal Hallford is an American game designer, book author, screenwriter, and independent film director. He is best known for his work on the fantasy role-playing games Betrayal at Krondor, Dungeon Siege, and Champions of Norrath.On October 9, 1995, Hallford was in a train wreck aboard...

, and in preparation, Diggs wrote a "Guide To Using The Kzinti In Star Trek" which was sent to a number of the lead figures of both the Star Trek and the Man-Kzin Wars franchises, including Niven and Jim Baen

Jim Baen

James Patrick "Jim" Baen was a noted U.S. science fiction publisher and editor. In 1983 he founded his own publishing house, Baen Books, specializing in the adventure, fantasy, military science fiction and space opera genres...

. According to Diggs, "One of the features I was proudest of was a Star Trek/Man-Kzin Wars Integrated Timeline that seamlessly merged the two universes and answered everyone's most-asked questions. This timeline has Larry Niven's official endorsement." However, Enterprise was canceled after its fourth season, the Kzinti story was never produced, and it is unknown just how the Star Trek and Man-Kzin Wars timelines were integrated.

Recurring characters

• Chuut-Riit - Leader of the Kzinti conquest forces occupying Wunderland.

• Buford Early
  Buford Early
  Buford Early is a recurring character from the Man-Kzin Wars series of books. Along with Chuut-Riit and Ulf Reichstein-Markham, Early is both one of the few major recurring characters, and one of the few characters to have a large role in stories written by more than one author.Early was born on...
  
   - ARM general
  General
  A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
  
   known for unorthodox tactics.

• Ulf Reichstein-Markham
  Ulf Reichstein-Markham
  Ulf Reichstein-Markham is a recurring character from the Man-Kzin Wars series of books. Along with Buford Early and Chuut-Riit, Reichstein-Markham is both one of the few major recurring characters, and one of the few characters to have a large role in stories written by more than one...
  
   - Wunderland resistance leader and, eventually, traitor.

• Dimity Carmody - Interpreter of the alien hyperdrive manual.

• Nils Rykermann - Biologist on Wunderland, later resistance leader, later Wunderland politician.

• Rarrgh - Kzin soldier, later protector of Vaemar-Riit, later Senechal of Vaemar-Riit's palace.

• Leonie Rykermann - Wife of Nils Rykermann.

• Vaemar-Riit - Son of Chuut-Riit. Leader of the "Wunderkzin".

• Arthur Guthlac - Originally an Earth museum guard and illegal collector of forbidden militaria, later brigadier on UNSN General Staff.

Overview

There are a total of four Man-Kzin Wars, as well as major and minor "Kzinti incidents". The First War began circa 2367. By this time, Human

Human

Humans are the only living species in the Homo genus...

 space was in the middle of the "Long Peace". ARM, the United Nations

United Nations

The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...

 security force, has completely suppressed all "dangerous" technologies, histories, mental illnesses, and media, leading to not only an end of war and almost all violent crimes, but a change in society so vast that most people have a difficulty even conceptualizing such things.

The U.N.'s reach is limited to Earth

Earth

Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...

, however. There are a number of other colonies in space, the most important being the Asteroid Belt

Asteroid belt

The asteroid belt is the region of the Solar System located roughly between the orbits of the planets Mars and Jupiter. It is occupied by numerous irregularly shaped bodies called asteroids or minor planets...

, Wunderland, We Made It

We Made It

We Made It may refer to* "We Made It", a song by Busta Rhymes featuring Linkin Park* "We Made It", a song by Toto from their album Toto IV* "We Made It", a song by Tito Jackson from his 2011 album* "Looks Like We Made It", a song by Barry Manilow...

, Jinx

Jinx (Known Space)

Jinx is a fictional world in Larry Niven's Known Space stories.-Description:The world is a satellite of a gas giant named Binary in the Sirius A system, and is home to a human colony. Jinx is six times more massive than Earth, and very dense, with a surface gravity of about 1.78 times Earth gravity...

, and Plateau.

First Man-Kzin War

The Kzinti, with vast technical superiority (including gravity drives, telepaths, and a large military empire), detected a human colonization ship in deep space, the Angel's Pencil. After the Kzin telepath learned that the humans were unarmed and didn't even understand the concept of weapons, they attempted to kill the human crew in a slow, painful manner using an inductive heating weapon hoping to capture their ship intact for intelligence purposes. However, one of the humans used the ship's powerful drive system (which doubled as interstellar communications laser) as a weapon and destroyed the Kzin ship, beginning the First Man-Kzin War. The crew then warned Earth of the warlike aliens, although the transmissions were initially dismissed as an outbreak of psychosis. Then a similar encounter between another human ship and Kzin vessel led to the destruction of the more primitive human ship. However, one of the human prisoners, with the aid of a rogue telepath, was able to escape to the Angel's Pencil and warn them of the danger from their increasing penetration into Kzinti space.

In the course of the First Man-Kzin War, the Kzinti invaded and occupied the human colony of Wunderland, in the Alpha Centauri

Alpha Centauri

Alpha Centauri is the brightest star in the southern constellation of Centaurus...

 system, as a staging point for an attack on Earth. Human ships attempting escape back to Earth were shot down, but a single vessel managed to carry some refugees to the sister colony We Made It

We Made It

We Made It may refer to* "We Made It", a song by Busta Rhymes featuring Linkin Park* "We Made It", a song by Toto from their album Toto IV* "We Made It", a song by Tito Jackson from his 2011 album* "Looks Like We Made It", a song by Barry Manilow...

. The Kzinti fleet moved on to Earth, but in a replay of first contact, the peaceful humans used communications lasers, fusion drives, and mass driver

Mass driver

A mass driver or electromagnetic catapult is a proposed method of non-rocket spacelaunch which would use a linear motor to accelerate and catapult payloads up to high speeds. All existing and contemplated mass drivers use coils of wire energized by electricity to make electromagnets. Sequential...

s to cut the first invasion fleet to ribbons. Over the next several decades, three more fleets were launched against Earth

Earth

Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...

, and all were beaten back. However, after near defeat by the fourth fleet, it was becoming clear to Earth's military leaders that the Kzinti were learning to wage war more effectively than their traditional "scream and leap" tactics, and that the Solar system's defenses would quickly succumb to the Kzinti's superior numbers, firepower, and technology, were it only wielded with a modicum of tactical and strategic sense. In order to delay the next attack, a Terran Bussard ramjet

Bussard ramjet

The Bussard ramjet is a theoretical method of spacecraft propulsion proposed in 1960 by the physicist Robert W. Bussard, popularized by Larry Niven in his Known Space series of books, and referred to by Carl Sagan in the television series and book Cosmos....

 starship was utilized to transport and deploy several relativistic kill vehicle

Relativistic kill vehicle

A relativistic kill vehicle or relativistic bomb is a hypothetical weapon system sometimes found in science fiction. The details of such systems vary widely, but the key common feature is the use of a massive impactor traveling at a significant fraction of light speed to strike the target...

s in the Wunderland system. Using iron slugs accelerated to 99% of the speed of light, it devastated a portion of the planet, killing humans and Kzinti alike and delaying the launch of yet another Kzin fleet against Earth. A number of specialists traveled aboard this ship, using Slaver stasis fields for lithobraking

Lithobraking

Lithobraking is a technique of descent by an unmanned space vehicle to the surface of a body by which the vehicle is slowed by impact with the body's surface....

, and successfully assassinated the Kzin military leader on Wunderland, Chuut-Riit. Despite this setback for the Kzin cause, preparations for a fifth and decisive assault fleet were nearing completion.

At this point, a passing Outsider

Outsider (Known Space)

The Outsiders are a fictional alien race in Larry Niven's Known Space series. They are many-limbed beings that are invariably described as a cat o'nine tails with a fattened handle...

 ship sold the colony of We Made It

We Made It

We Made It may refer to* "We Made It", a song by Busta Rhymes featuring Linkin Park* "We Made It", a song by Toto from their album Toto IV* "We Made It", a song by Tito Jackson from his 2011 album* "Looks Like We Made It", a song by Barry Manilow...

 the manual for a hyperdrive

Hyperdrive

Hyperdrive is a name given to certain methods of traveling faster-than-light in science fiction. Related concepts are jump drive and warp drive....

, a technology unknown to the Kzinti. Dimity Carmody, an escapee from Wunderland and a genius who had toyed with FTL

Faster-than-light

Faster-than-light communications and travel refer to the propagation of information or matter faster than the speed of light....

 drive concepts since before the occupation, managed to construct a a working prototype drive using the manual. Hyperdrive ships were dispatched to Earth, where the faster-than-light drive was was installed on several ships for a preemptive attack on the Fifth Invasion fleet. The attack hit the Kzin amidst internal struggles following the death of their leader. Due to the huge success, Wunderland was quickly liberated, freeing the fleet to attack other Kzinti worlds. The FTL

FTL

- Science and technology :* Faster-than-light, a speculative concept in physics and science fiction** Faster Than Light , a British video games company...

 drive allowed the human fleets to coordinate and concentrate their forces beyond anything the Kzinti could manage, even letting them outrun and jam the news of each successive Kzin defeat. The first indication the Kzinti Patriarchy had that much of the Kzin empire was gone and that a significant percentage of all Kzinti had died was when human warships appeared in the skies above their homeworld.

Meanwhile, however, on Wunderland, now liberated by humans, several surviving Kzin, led by Vaemar-Riit, last surviving kitten of Chuut-Riit, and with the co-operation of Dimity Carmody, Nils Rykermann, Leonie Rykermann and other humans, began to cautiously cooperate with humans and try to learn human ways. Vaemar-Riit even enrolled at a human university and obtaining a reserve officer's commission. These became known as the Wunderkzin, and some later proved to be human allies. This slowly growing Man-Kzin co-operation was bitterly opposed both by many other Kzin and by many revanchist humans on Wunderland, while others among the human and kzin communities on Wunderland sought to manipulate the situation for their own ends. There were also on-going human situations - for example Nils Rykermann, a Wunderland academic, in love with Dimity Carmody, married Leonie Rykermann, one of his students, during the occupation, believing Dimity to be dead. This situation has not been resolved. There was also a somewhat ambiguous growing relationship between Dimity and Vaemar-Riit; the two are depicted together on the cover of Man-Kzin Wars XI.

The war ends in 2433 with the signing of the MacDonald-Rishaii Peace Treaty. The vast majority of the Man-Kzin Wars stories are set around the First War.

"The Peace"

Following the end of hostilities, the Human forces use their hyperdrive ships to initiate a blockade of all Kzinti worlds within range of Human space. The Kzinti of both their homeworld and the prominent colony of W'kkai begin researching hyperdrive technology in an attempt to break the blockade, with the High Admiral of W'kkai also hoping to overthrow the Patriarch. Due to the treachery of Ulf Reichstein Markham, the Kzinti of Kzin gain access to hyperdrive designs and an engineer familiar with them in 2438. During this time, the Kdaptist religion spreads among the Kzinti.

On Wunderland, an attempt is made to form a stable, democratic government. On Earth, although no one seriously believes the Kzin will stay away, the ARM returns to its old habits of trying to eliminate all knowledge and technology of war. We Made It continues to create hyperdrives, as the Human military forces attempt to reverse-engineer Kzinti gravity technology. They also attempt to locate and form an anti-Kzin alliance with the Pierin

Pierin

The Pierin are a space-faring species in the Known Space universe created by writer Larry Niven and others. In the books, and games inspired by the books, they are a rare multi-limbed species that developed on a planet with lower gravity than Earth, thus they spend much time in the air. They have...

 aliens (although according to the Ringworld RPG, the Pierin may already be enslaved at this point).

A troika of officers - Belter

Belter (Niven)

In Larry Niven's fictional Known Space universe, a Belter refers to a resident of the Asteroid Belt around Sol, sometimes known as the Sol Belt to differentiate it from Alpha Centauri's Serpent Swarm....

 General

General

A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....

 Lucas Fry, flatlander

Flatlander (Niven)

Flatlander is a 1995 collection of stories by Larry Niven, all set in Known Space. It is the definitive collection of all stories by Niven about ARM agent Gil Hamilton....

 Major

Major

Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...

 Yankee Clandeboye, and Wunderlander Admiral

Admiral

Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...

 Blumenhandler - established a semi-covert training center on Barnard's Starbase where unconventional officers devise plans for fighting hyperdrive-equipped Kzinti in the second war, as human tactics in the first were restricted by their own ignorance and by the ARM's structure (besides the liberation of Wunderland, only two other planetary assaults, on Down and Hssin, succeeded). They devise two ways to help prepare the rest of the human military: a war game called Trolls and Bridges, and a book, The Heroic Myth of Lieutenant Nora Argamentine. Written by Clandeboye, they are a fictionalized account of the diary of his cousin, Nora Argamentine, a U.N. officer caught by Kzinti who later rebelled against them before being gradually lobotomized. The book becomes extremely popular and helps raise morale, as well as the belief that the Kzin will attack again.

Second Man-Kzin War

All information on the second war comes from the Ringworld RPG guidebook. It begins in 2449 when the Kzinti launch "diversionary raids" on Sigma Draconis

Sigma Draconis

Sigma Draconis is a 4.7 magnitude star located at a distance of 18.8 light-years in the constellation Draco. Its traditional name is Alsafi.-Name:...

 and Barnard's Star

Barnard's star

Barnard's Star, also known occasionally as Barnard's "Runaway" Star, is a very low-mass red dwarf star approximately six light-years away from Earth in the constellation of Ophiuchus . In 1916, the American astronomer E.E...

 (which can probably be retconned to be due to the Barnard's Starbase from The Heroic Myth of Lieutenant Nora Argamentine) and ends in 2475 with the liberation of the Kdatlyno

Kdatlyno

Kdatlyno are an extraterrestrial species in Larry Niven's fictional Known Space universe. They first appeared in the short story Grendel.Kdatlyno are chiefly known for their touch sculpture, their sonar "vision" and for being a race subjugated by the ferocious, warlike Kzinti.In appearance they are...

 from Kzin rule.

Third Man-Kzin War

The Third War is mentioned in the Ringworld RPG and The Ringworld Engineers

The Ringworld Engineers

The Ringworld Engineers is a 1980 science fiction novel by Larry Niven. It is the first sequel to Niven's award-winning Ringworld and was nominated for both the Hugo and Locus Awards in 1981.-Origin:...

. According to the Known Space novel Juggler of Worlds, it started in 2490.

At the end of the war, the Wunderland Treatymaker weapon is used on the Kzinti fortress-world of Warhead, creating a huge, habitable canyon on the otherwise Mars

Mars

Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun in the Solar System. The planet is named after the Roman god of war, Mars. It is often described as the "Red Planet", as the iron oxide prevalent on its surface gives it a reddish appearance...

-like world. Warhead is annexed by the humans and renamed Canyon. This war is chronicled in considerable detail in the novel Destiny's Forge.

Fourth Man-Kzin War

The war begins on an unknown date, with Kzinti suicide attacks on Epsilon Eridani

Epsilon Eridani

Epsilon Eridani is a star in the southern constellation Eridanus, along a declination 9.46° south of the celestial equator. This allows the star to be viewed from most of the Earth's surface. At a distance of 10.5 light years , it has an apparent magnitude of 3.73...

. During the war, human adventurers engage in similar suicide attacks on Kzinti harem

Harem

Harem refers to the sphere of women in what is usually a polygynous household and their enclosed quarters which are forbidden to men...

s. The war ends in 2505 with the signing of the Covenants of Shasht, named after a Kzinti world which is annexed by Humans and later re-named Fafnir. The Kzinti are disarmed and restricted to police weapons only. This restriction was still in effect as late as 2657, as specified in The Soft Weapon.

Aftermath

Over the next decades and centuries, some Kzinti dream of another war, and go through great lengths (such as piracy, seeking Slaver

Thrint

The Thrintun , in Larry Niven's fictional Known Space universe, were a long-extinct species which ruled the galaxy through telepathic mind control. Humans knew them as "Slavers", since "Thrint" is unpronouncable to the human larynx...

 stasis boxes, and going to Ringworld

Ringworld

Ringworld is a Hugo, Nebula, and Locus award-winning 1970 science fiction novel by Larry Niven, set in his Known Space universe and considered a classic of science fiction literature. It is followed by three sequels, and preceded by four prequels, and ties into numerous other books set in Known Space...

) in an attempt to gain enough of an upper hand to begin one. There is at least one "major incident" after the Fourth War, which some humans describe as another "war" (see Flatlander). However, each Man-Kzin War ended with the death of 2/3 of all Kzin currently alive, and the confiscation of two Kzinti worlds; the Kzinti finally faced the fact that another all-out war would be pointless. At the time of Ringworld, Kzinti numbers are still less than an eighth of what they were when they first encountered humans.

In the events of Ringworld

Ringworld

Ringworld is a Hugo, Nebula, and Locus award-winning 1970 science fiction novel by Larry Niven, set in his Known Space universe and considered a classic of science fiction literature. It is followed by three sequels, and preceded by four prequels, and ties into numerous other books set in Known Space...

, Nessus

Nessus (Pierson's Puppeteer)

Nessus is a male character in Larry Niven's Known Space universe, of the species Pierson's Puppeteer, an herbivorous species noted for two heads whose mouths act as capable hands...

 inadvertently reveals to Wu and Speaker-to-Animals

Speaker-to-Animals

Speaker-to-Animals is a fictional character in the Ringworld series of books, written by Larry Niven.In Ringworld, Speaker-to-Animals is a junior diplomat who is trained to deal with other species without reflexively killing them...

 that the Man-Kzin Wars were engineered by the Puppeteers as an alternative to wiping out the Kzin themselves. The Puppeteers viewed the Kzin as too dangerous, and a series of wars in which the most aggressive of their males were killed would help breed reason into them. To that end, the Puppeteers used a starseed lure on Procyon

Procyon

Procyon is the brightest star in the constellation Canis Minor. To the naked eye, it appears to be a single star, the seventh brightest in the night sky with a visual apparent magnitude of 0.34...

 to ensure that the Outsiders would equip mankind with hyperdrives, knowing that it would be the tool that would allow victory for humans.

External links

• Timeline of the Known Space universe
• Website for the Man-Kzin Wars novel Destiny's Forge
• Kzinti homepage