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3.56 AVERAGE
3.56 AVERAGE
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
A Sci Fi novel with a nice, amazing even, premise that gets dragged down by it's sexist and bland despictions of its female characters.
One who has 0 personality traits outside of being lucky and naïve, she is just an ex machina to move the plot along when necessary with her poorly explained (eugenic like explanation) power of just being lucky. She is treated as a tool, not a character.
The other female character is literally just the most sexualised character you can imagine, life long prostitute for zero reason, ability to control men through sex, and only gets brought along in the end so the main guy can have sex with her, just like woman number one.
One who has 0 personality traits outside of being lucky and naïve, she is just an ex machina to move the plot along when necessary with her poorly explained (eugenic like explanation) power of just being lucky. She is treated as a tool, not a character.
The other female character is literally just the most sexualised character you can imagine, life long prostitute for zero reason, ability to control men through sex, and only gets brought along in the end so the main guy can have sex with her, just like woman number one.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexism
Minor: Colonisation
I first read Ringworld maybe around 25 years ago when I picked up my copy at a library sale. Sometime since then I picked up the Ringworld Engineers and Ringworld Throne but hadn't read them. In preparation for finally getting to them I read Ringworld again.
I remembered a few plot points and elements from the book but had forgotten a lot of the details. While I ultimately enjoyed it, I didn't really find it that exciting. Not sure why, but I just didn't find the story super engaging, maybe because I had already read it.
I remembered a few plot points and elements from the book but had forgotten a lot of the details. While I ultimately enjoyed it, I didn't really find it that exciting. Not sure why, but I just didn't find the story super engaging, maybe because I had already read it.
It's important to remember that this was written in 1970. The characters are flat (especially the women), the main character is frustratingly idealized, and the plot is mostly forgettable. The science concepts are what make it worth reading. The Ringworld and the backstory of the different alien species are fascinating. It still holds up 46 years later in that regard.
I recommend this for fans of hard science fiction, but not for anyone just looking for engaging plot or characters.
I recommend this for fans of hard science fiction, but not for anyone just looking for engaging plot or characters.
This painfully condescending tale did not age well...
"Her lips, he saw, were perfect for pouting. She was one of those rare, lucky women whom crying does not make ugly."
"Her lips, he saw, were perfect for pouting. She was one of those rare, lucky women whom crying does not make ugly."
Çok büyük umutlarla başladım bu kitaba, özellikle Ringworld konsepti çok ilgi çekiciydi. Bir yıldızın etrafında tamamen yapay olarak hazırlanmış dünyanın defalarca katı genişliğinde bir halka. Ama kitap orada bitiyor. Kadın karakterler aşırı derecede berbatlar. Diğer karakterler feci şekilde tek boyutlular. Star Wars'un bu kitaptan bazı şeyleri ödünç aldığını fark etmek ilginç ama kitabı kurtarmıyor.
Konseptin hikayeden daha güzel olduğu bir kitap maalesef. Dolayısıyla devam kitaplarına bakacağımı da pek sanmıyorum.
Konseptin hikayeden daha güzel olduğu bir kitap maalesef. Dolayısıyla devam kitaplarına bakacağımı da pek sanmıyorum.
This book was the beginning of my everlasting love for Larry Niven's work and for hard SF in general. The idea that you can build fictional worlds that are very carefully worked out and functionality / mathematical cohesive, and then set stories in them has fascinated me ever since reading this book the first time when I was a kid. It's also primed my disappointment for the lack of care and consistency that is endemic to so much science fiction, especially on screen. This book, and the story of the sequel that he wrote to fix the problems with the original, will always be the things I describe when I'm trying to explain what I love about hard science fiction. High time I read this book again for the nth time.
4.5 . Lots of adventure and humor and mystery. Overall it’s a great ride.
Not a huge reader of sci-fi but this introduced so many ideas. No wonder it won so many awards and has become a classic.
adventurous
medium-paced