So here we go another book in the vast pile of “have read”, a pile that at this point is beginning to rival Springfield’s tire pile. This one was Larry Niven’s Ringworld, a book that seems to be part of a series I’m unaware of. The book mentions all sorts of things that are never explained, which helps create a sense of place, makes it seem more real. At the same time, I don’t like it when authors drop little bits and pieces of things and then never explain them. I have a feeling if I read more of Niven’s work much of these non-sequiturs would make more sense. Also the book looks like it could have used a little more editing. There was more than one occasion where the transition didn’t work and I was left scratching my head at what in the world he was trying to say. I’d have to stop and re-read the passage more than once. This is not good as anyone who writes or reads knows, it takes the reader right out of the story, destroying all that hard earned suspension of disbelief the writer had worked so hard to create. The subject matter was fascinating though, Niven talks about numbers so large that it’s almost impossible to conceive of them. As far as I can tell as well Niven’s science is up to par as well, but then I’m not much of a science guy, so… He seems to have covered a lot of the technical difficulties though one would face building an artifact the size of the Ringworld. A fun read one I’d recommend to those interested in the hard sci-fi genre.
