7928 d21ef8c7-8ef5-4e56-8841-6c63e62381d4 Playgrounds of the Mind Larry Niven calibre (0.9.26) [http://calibre-ebook.com] 1992-07-15T04:00:00+00:00 <div><p><strong>The sequel to *N-Space</strong>*<br></p><p><em>Playgrounds of the Mind</em> captures the startling range and variety of Larry Niven's spectacular career, from bestselling novels such as<em> Lucifer's Hammer </em>and <em>The Ringworld Engineers</em>, from his classic short stories of science fiction and fantasy, from his thought-provoking essays and non-fiction, from his innovative and seldom-seen work in comics (on such projects as<em> The Green Lantern Bible</em>), to an advance look at Larry Niven's upcoming projects.<br></p><p>Like<em> N-Space, Playgrounds of the Mind </em>is a feast for Niven's millions of fans-and an impressive tribute to the man Arthur C. Clarke called his "favorite writer."<br></p><h3>From Publishers Weekly</h3><p>A followup to last year's N-Space , this large and varied collection from hard science fiction master Niven displays the strengths and the weaknesses of that subgenre. With stories such as "The Soft Weapon," in which the hero must solve the mystery of an alien artifact to save himself and his companions, and "Becalmed in Hell," where two explorers on Venus find themselves in peril, Niven provides the old-fashioned SF pleasures of intellectual problem-solving and rigorously depicted astronomical wonders. The "Draco's Tavern" series of brief thought-pieces, set in a multispecies spaceport bar, explore larger philosophical questions. But in focusing his attention on accurate scientific detail and describing the marvels of space, Niven often neglects matters of characterization and literary style, and his marginalization of female characters is unfortunate. Excerpts from Niven's novels are included, but they aren't long enough to convey the feel of the larger works, and the self-congratulatory, repetitive snippets of autobiography and science fiction convention memories add very little. Readers should stick to the short stories, many of which are exemplary hard science fiction; "Ramer" and "Wait It Out," for instance, are especially rewarding. <br>Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. </p><h3>From Library Journal</h3><p>A retrospective look at the author's short science fiction.<br>Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. </p></div> Macmillan 0812516958 lO_L4a9xKz8C 9780812516951 eng Fiction Science Fiction General Short Stories (Single Author)