FORGOTTEN BOOKS #101: THE BEST OF LARRY NIVEN

Subterranean Press has recently published this 616-page collection of Larry Niven’s short fiction. Larry Niven is best known for his Ringworld series of novels and his collaborations with Jerry Pournelle. But Niven is also a gifted short story writer and this collection amply puts his best work on display. If you haven’t read Larry Niven’s well-crafted fiction, this is the ideal place to start. If you’ve enjoyed Larry Niven’s work, this volume includes some stories new to you. Plus there’s the eye-popping Edward Miller cover! Don’t miss this one!
TABLE OF CONTENTS
* Becalmed in Hell
* Bordered in Black
* Neutron Star
* The Soft Weapon
* The Jigsaw Man
* The Deadlier Weapon
* All the Myriad Ways
* Not Long Before the End
* Man of Steel, Woman of Kleenex
* Inconstant Moon
* Rammer
* Cloak of Anarchy
* The Fourth Profession
* Flash Crowd
* The Defenceless Dead
* The Flight of the Horse
* The Hole Man
* Night On Mispec Moor
* Flatlander
* The Magic Goes Away
* Cautionary Tales
* Limits
* A Teardrop Falls
* The Return of William Proxmire
* The Borderland of Sol
* Smut Talk
* The Missing Mass

19 thoughts on “FORGOTTEN BOOKS #101: THE BEST OF LARRY NIVEN

    1. george Post author

      Niven turned to writing novels after all those short stories in the 60s, Todd. But he still wrote short fiction occasionally decades later.

      Reply
  1. Scott Cupp

    As Todd pointed out, most are 60’samd early 70’s stories and that is when I read my Niven short fiction. So, up until Inconstant Moon, I had read everything here and very little thererafter. Looks like a fun title.

    Reply
    1. george Post author

      You would love this collection, Scott. Many of these stories slipped under my radar so it was great to have them collected in one nice volume.

      Reply
  2. Steve Oerkfitz

    I picked this up a few weeks ago. Niven is at his best in short fiction. I find his novels suffer from poor characterization and dialogue which is less problematic in shorter lengths.

    Reply
    1. george Post author

      I prefer Niven’s short fiction, too, Steve. He’s more of an idea guy so the characterizations and dialogue are not his strong suit.

      Reply
  3. James Reasoner

    I remember in the early Seventies my brother-in-law and I were reading and swapping all the Niven collections that were available then. Great stuff. I haven’t read the later stories in this collection, but I probably ought to.

    Reply
    1. george Post author

      I found all the stories in this collection worth reading, James. Like you, I grew up reading those great early stories in the 1960s and 1970s. Marvelous!

      Reply
  4. Richard R.

    I’d take issue with your statement “Larry Niven is best known for his Ringworld series of novels and his collaborations with Jerry Pournelle.” Perhaps that’s true in the greater fiction and genre fiction community, but I think a great many SF fans think of his Known Space works first, and as his best. I certainly do. Like you, Scott, and others, I have read – and have in paperback – all but the final 4 stories, which is why I decided not to buy this book.

    Subterranean is doing a great job.

    Reply
    1. george Post author

      Subterranean Press is one of my favorite publishers, Rick. THE BEST OF LARRY NIVEN is a wonderful volume with the same format as Shiner’s COLLECTED STORIES.

      Reply

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