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kayteeem's review against another edition
3.0
It's been years since I read any of the Ringworld/Known Space books, and I never read anything in the Fleet of Worlds series. So I found the book confusing and hard to follow.
But it's full of all the Puppeteers, hive minds and rogue AIs you might care for, two types of hyperdrive, S-disks to secret locations, hidden motives, space battles, wrathful Kzinti out to earn their names, and enormous amounts of destruction. Which is really the sort of thing I'm looking for in a Niven book.
But it's full of all the Puppeteers, hive minds and rogue AIs you might care for, two types of hyperdrive, S-disks to secret locations, hidden motives, space battles, wrathful Kzinti out to earn their names, and enormous amounts of destruction. Which is really the sort of thing I'm looking for in a Niven book.
izmadi's review against another edition
2.0
While I've enjoyed the entire series, especially the plot twists, dynamics and technical intricacies, I have to say my favourite part was the love story.
I'm not talking about Louis' flings, it was clear to me from the very first book that he won't end up with anyone in the long run (sure, we might be left to think that after Fate of Worlds, but considering how the other books twisted the story around, I wouldn't think this would last too long, either), but the one between Nessus and Nike. The crazy citizen who started the entire series to win his beloved's heart.
Except in the very last book, his beloved is changed to another character without any kind of explanation. They're depicted as tender and caring towards one another (at times they're unbearably cheesy), some sort of power couple that we need to sympathise with, root for and see as heroic. No, sir.
I've read some theories about which character is Hindmost during which time, but that doesn't change the story much for me, it's hardly relevant much of the time. The two kids Nessus had were with Nike, period. It was merely a few books ago that they were choosing their female mate, I went back to check the names. The names of the two citizens choosing their mate are Nessus and Nike. If they had further kids with other citizens, it would still be crazy for them to not mention them at all and to simply ignore them (only mentioning and worrying about their newer kids), it's unlike their herd nature.
To sprinkle salt onto the wound, Nike does make a small appearance later on in the last book, having been demoted to a barely there background character. From the impeccable unattainable worlds-worthy love interest that started the entire series, in Fate of Worlds he isn't even contributing to the plot at all, instead he just sits back to witness and mildly enable the "beautiful" love story between his (former/ forgotten?) partner and someone else who never expressed any affection towards Nessus, let alone having a couple of kids together...
I can't believe that some works were reissued to make up for some technical plotholes that the readers had pointed out, but then the entire majestic series was ended with such a low blow, no explanation nor logic to it, never to be clarified in any way. I feel so betrayed. I only gave it one extra star for the rest of the story and book series. Up until midway through this book, I always thought I would reread the series someday, but this way of ending it left a very bitter taste upon me. A shame and a pity.
I'm not talking about Louis' flings, it was clear to me from the very first book that he won't end up with anyone in the long run (sure, we might be left to think that after Fate of Worlds, but considering how the other books twisted the story around, I wouldn't think this would last too long, either), but the one between Nessus and Nike. The crazy citizen who started the entire series to win his beloved's heart.
Except in the very last book, his beloved is changed to another character without any kind of explanation. They're depicted as tender and caring towards one another (at times they're unbearably cheesy), some sort of power couple that we need to sympathise with, root for and see as heroic. No, sir.
I've read some theories about which character is Hindmost during which time, but that doesn't change the story much for me, it's hardly relevant much of the time. The two kids Nessus had were with Nike, period. It was merely a few books ago that they were choosing their female mate, I went back to check the names. The names of the two citizens choosing their mate are Nessus and Nike. If they had further kids with other citizens, it would still be crazy for them to not mention them at all and to simply ignore them (only mentioning and worrying about their newer kids), it's unlike their herd nature.
To sprinkle salt onto the wound, Nike does make a small appearance later on in the last book, having been demoted to a barely there background character. From the impeccable unattainable worlds-worthy love interest that started the entire series, in Fate of Worlds he isn't even contributing to the plot at all, instead he just sits back to witness and mildly enable the "beautiful" love story between his (former/ forgotten?) partner and someone else who never expressed any affection towards Nessus, let alone having a couple of kids together...
I can't believe that some works were reissued to make up for some technical plotholes that the readers had pointed out, but then the entire majestic series was ended with such a low blow, no explanation nor logic to it, never to be clarified in any way. I feel so betrayed. I only gave it one extra star for the rest of the story and book series. Up until midway through this book, I always thought I would reread the series someday, but this way of ending it left a very bitter taste upon me. A shame and a pity.
theknepper's review against another edition
4.0
A satisfying ending to two series I thoroughly enjoyed.
kbrsuperstar's review against another edition
3.0
I have decided the thing I like best about a Larry Niven book is that I am never 100% certain I understood what just happened so I can then go back and read it again.
thesmudge's review against another edition
3.0
Well I finished the series. It was good but did drag on a bit. To some extent I get worn out with series.
johhnnyinla's review against another edition
2.0
With the newest Known Space novel, Fate of Worlds, we learn yet more about the highly technological race, the Puppeteers, and their doings behind the scenes of human history. What’s more, we get to read more about many of the recurring main characters of the series, like the adventurer Louis Wu; the exiled Puppeteer Hindmost; Ol’t’ro, the brilliant Gw’oth ensemble mind (and Fleet of Worlds’ unsuspected puppet master for a century), and lots more. The cast of characters is large, the scale and breadth of this book and the entire series is epic, and the depiction of Ringworld and New Terra are proof that Niven and Lerner are masters at the craft of world-building.
The two-headed equine-appearing Puppeteers are supposedly cowards, who would rather run than face the determined onslaught of battleships that they’ve faced in the past; yet, they are able to mount an extremely formidable defense if they are attacked on their own turf. They also have managed for generations to manipulate and control entire worlds, no mean feat for anyone to accomplish.
In Fate of Worlds, the fabled race of Puppeteers may have come to the end of their days.
Three rival war fleets are after as much of the secrets and technology of Ringworld as they can plunder. The three fleets, failing to obtain what they desire from Ringworld, would have no compunction about trying to use their vast armada to defeat the Puppeteers and gain their technology and secrets.
Niven and Lerner succeed in making us relate to their characters because, no matter how alien they may be in appearance, they are motivated by desires we can all understand and relate to, like power, greed, the thirst for knowledge, and that of defending or protecting their own worlds and self-interests from anyone who dares to attack them.
Fate of Worlds wraps up most of the loose ends and ties together the many diverse subplots Larry Niven and Edward M. Lerner have developed over the course of the Fleet of Worlds series. It can be read and enjoyed as a stand-alone, but the rich storylines, background information, and intricately wrought plots of the preceding novels in the series, demands that they be read first. If you’re a fan of the Ringworld series, and have read the other novels in the Fleet of Worlds series, then Fate of Worlds is a book that you might enjoy.
The two-headed equine-appearing Puppeteers are supposedly cowards, who would rather run than face the determined onslaught of battleships that they’ve faced in the past; yet, they are able to mount an extremely formidable defense if they are attacked on their own turf. They also have managed for generations to manipulate and control entire worlds, no mean feat for anyone to accomplish.
In Fate of Worlds, the fabled race of Puppeteers may have come to the end of their days.
Three rival war fleets are after as much of the secrets and technology of Ringworld as they can plunder. The three fleets, failing to obtain what they desire from Ringworld, would have no compunction about trying to use their vast armada to defeat the Puppeteers and gain their technology and secrets.
Niven and Lerner succeed in making us relate to their characters because, no matter how alien they may be in appearance, they are motivated by desires we can all understand and relate to, like power, greed, the thirst for knowledge, and that of defending or protecting their own worlds and self-interests from anyone who dares to attack them.
Fate of Worlds wraps up most of the loose ends and ties together the many diverse subplots Larry Niven and Edward M. Lerner have developed over the course of the Fleet of Worlds series. It can be read and enjoyed as a stand-alone, but the rich storylines, background information, and intricately wrought plots of the preceding novels in the series, demands that they be read first. If you’re a fan of the Ringworld series, and have read the other novels in the Fleet of Worlds series, then Fate of Worlds is a book that you might enjoy.
nooker's review against another edition
3.0
I found this one really hard to follow. I have not read the prequels, so I don't know if they would help with understanding.
z523's review against another edition
3.0
Overall, I enjoyed this series. I feel like this last book had very little to do with the others aside from context. The Ringworld was barely in it if you even consider it in the story at all.
Louis Wu hardly did anything this book which is a pity because he is my favorite character and basically the main character.
The ending was a carbon copy of the last book.
But, misgivings aside, the series was enjoyable.
Louis Wu hardly did anything this book which is a pity because he is my favorite character and basically the main character.
The ending was a carbon copy of the last book.
But, misgivings aside, the series was enjoyable.
claytell's review against another edition
4.0
I always enjoy this universe . . . And they left it open for more. Still entertained
kayswear's review
3.0
Ringworld was a game changer - huge canvas, sense of wonder, space opera, wonderful puzzles and situations for a clever monkey to figure out, aliens with alien perspectives and personalities. This aint that. Having invested so much in the first four books of this series I had to finish this fifth book, and this one has some plot and interesting developments, but it's just no Ringworld.