Ringworld's Children
Encyclopedia
Ringworld's Children is a 2004 science fiction
novel by Larry Niven
, the fourth in the Ringworld
series set in the Known Space
universe. It describes the continuing adventures of Louis Wu
and companions on Ringworld.
. All the intelligent species of Known Space are interested in the Ringworld. In the novel (actually begun in the previous novel, The Ringworld Throne
), they engage in a Cold War
of sorts on the fringe of the Ringworld star system
.
The novel also explores the interactions of multiple elements invented or described in previous Niven short stories or novels. For instance, two stories in the Crashlander
short-story anthology
consider separately the implications of a super-fast hyperdrive
("At the Core
") and medical nanotechnology ("Procrustes
"). Although these super-technologies are seemingly unrelated, their combination is a key element of the plotline of Ringworld's Children.
In another example, the ARM ships of the Fringe War are powered by antimatter
and have antimatter weapons. When asked where they most likely got it from, the Hindmost remarks that it is probably from an antimatter solar system. This is a reference to a third short story ("Flatlander") in the Crashlander anthology that describes the discovery of the antimatter planet Cannonball Express.
Another, more obscure reference to a Beowulf Shaeffer
story, "The Borderland of Sol", concerns creatures that live in hyperspace
and eat spaceships in hyperspace around gravity wells, thus explaining why ships cannot safely engage their hyperdrive close to a large mass (which was previously described as a singularity
before this revelation). This reference, dismissed as a myth in the earlier story, is casually confirmed as fact in this installment and is surpassed by the creation of a hyperdrive that moves the entire Ringworld to destination unknown.
As in the previous two novels, the interactions of various hominid Pak protectors play an important role, including one who claims to be one of the original builders of the ring. A number of previously revealed "facts" turn out to have been lies told by characters in the books, which is another common feature of Niven's Ringworld and other Known Space stories, especially those involving Protectors and Puppeteers
.
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
novel by 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 fourth in the 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...
series set in the 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. It describes the continuing adventures of Louis Wu
Louis Wu
Louis Gridley Wu, a fictional character, is the main protagonist in the Ringworld series of books, written by Larry Niven.Louis Wu was born in 2650 to Carlos Wu and Sharrol Janss. When he appears in Ringworld, Louis is 6'2" tall...
and companions on Ringworld.
Plot summary
The novel's plot is largely concerned with the so-called Fringe WarFringe War
The Fringe War is a fictional ongoing conflict in Larry Niven's Ringworld series. It takes place in the novels The Ringworld Throne and Ringworld's Children....
. All the intelligent species of Known Space are interested in the Ringworld. In the novel (actually begun in the previous novel, The Ringworld Throne
The Ringworld Throne
The Ringworld Throne is a novel by Larry Niven, first published in 1996. It is the direct sequel to his previous work The Ringworld Engineers...
), they engage in a Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
of sorts on the fringe of the Ringworld star system
Star system
A star system or stellar system is a small number of stars which orbit each other, bound by gravitational attraction. A large number of stars bound by gravitation is generally called a star cluster or galaxy, although, broadly speaking, they are also star systems.-Binary star systems:A stellar...
.
The novel also explores the interactions of multiple elements invented or described in previous Niven short stories or novels. For instance, two stories in the Crashlander
Crashlander
Crashlander is a fix-up by Larry Niven published in 1994 , set in his Known Space universe. It is also a term used in the Known Space universe-Crashlander :...
short-story anthology
Anthology
An anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler. It may be a collection of poems, short stories, plays, songs, or excerpts...
consider separately the implications of a super-fast hyperdrive
Long Shot (Niven)
Long Shot is the name of a fictional spacecraft from the Known Space universe. It first appeared in the short story "At the Core" by Larry Niven, and played pivotal roles in several of his Ringworld novels....
("At the Core
At the Core (story)
"At the Core" is an English language science fiction short story written in 1966 by Larry Niven. It is the second in the series of Known Space stories featuring crashlander Beowulf Shaeffer...
") and medical nanotechnology ("Procrustes
Procrustes (story)
"Procrustes" is an English language science fiction short story written in 1994 by Larry Niven. It is the sixth in the series of stories about crashlander Beowulf Shaeffer. The short story was originally published in Crashlander, Larry Niven, New York: Ballantine, 1994, pp...
"). Although these super-technologies are seemingly unrelated, their combination is a key element of the plotline of Ringworld's Children.
In another example, the ARM ships of the Fringe War are powered by antimatter
Antimatter
In particle physics, antimatter is the extension of the concept of the antiparticle to matter, where antimatter is composed of antiparticles in the same way that normal matter is composed of particles...
and have antimatter weapons. When asked where they most likely got it from, the Hindmost remarks that it is probably from an antimatter solar system. This is a reference to a third short story ("Flatlander") in the Crashlander anthology that describes the discovery of the antimatter planet Cannonball Express.
Another, more obscure reference to a Beowulf Shaeffer
Beowulf Shaeffer
Beowulf Shaeffer is a fictional character from Larry Niven’s Known Space series. Shaeffer is a crashlander, a native of We Made It, a planet circling the star Procyon...
story, "The Borderland of Sol", concerns creatures that live in hyperspace
Hyperspace (science fiction)
Hyperspace is a plot device sometimes used in science fiction. It is typically described as an alternative region of space co-existing with our own universe which may be entered using an energy field or other device...
and eat spaceships in hyperspace around gravity wells, thus explaining why ships cannot safely engage their hyperdrive close to a large mass (which was previously described as a singularity
Gravitational singularity
A gravitational singularity or spacetime singularity is a location where the quantities that are used to measure the gravitational field become infinite in a way that does not depend on the coordinate system...
before this revelation). This reference, dismissed as a myth in the earlier story, is casually confirmed as fact in this installment and is surpassed by the creation of a hyperdrive that moves the entire Ringworld to destination unknown.
As in the previous two novels, the interactions of various hominid Pak protectors play an important role, including one who claims to be one of the original builders of the ring. A number of previously revealed "facts" turn out to have been lies told by characters in the books, which is another common feature of Niven's Ringworld and other Known Space stories, especially those involving Protectors and Puppeteers
Pierson's Puppeteer
Pierson's Puppeteers, often known just as Puppeteers, are a fictional alien race from American author Larry Niven's Known Space books.- Biology and sociology :...
.