Take a photo of a barcode or cover
Ringworld is probably Niven's best-known novel, and the one that spawned a some sci-fi conceits that influence many video games, movies, and novels. It has a similar feel to [b:Rendezvous with Rama|112537|Rendezvous with Rama (Rama, #1)|Arthur C. Clarke|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1405456427s/112537.jpg|1882772], Arthur C. Clarke's fantastic alien-exploration work.
Niven's a good writer who produces cold characters but interesting worlds and plots (somewhat similar to Asimov).
My problem with his books is that the pervasive sexism (to the point of misogyny) is disgusting and makes me want to throw them across the room at least once per chapter. This is not "a product of his time" or simply a lack of female characters. If there's a woman in a Nivel novel, she's probably relatively simple, young, or stupid, and is definitely there to provide sexual enjoyment for the main (older, smarter, male) character. The females of almost all alien races in his novels aren't even sentient, including in this novel.
There are only two women in this novel (including in crowd scenes); both are beautiful and have sex with the main character within pages of meeting him. Both are constantly corrected and lectured by the main character and referred to as either stupid or simple. Neither has any agency most of the time and both are motivated in their few decisions by "love" (sexual desire). Both of the alien races that are present have non-sentient females who exist only for breeding. Nivel jokingly refers to human women as a separate species from men. The main character twice mentions that he'd have to rape someone if he doesn't get sexual satisfaction.
I found that I could mostly ignore this in Ringworld and [b:A Mote in God's Eye|100365|The Mote in God's Eye (Moties, #1)|Larry Niven|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1399490037s/100365.jpg|2190500], but in a novel like [b:The Integral Trees|939740|The Integral Trees|Larry Niven|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1383249816s/939740.jpg|7420631] it was so much front and center it was impossible to ignore. I don't understand how a good writer who can imagine and empathize with alien and robot intelligence can fail to empathize with female human intelligence.
The last few chapters of Ringworld collapse under this, as Niven becomes wrapped up in manipulating the female characters, making sure that everyone gets a partner for a happy ending, and squeezing as much sex in as possible.
Niven's a good writer who produces cold characters but interesting worlds and plots (somewhat similar to Asimov).
My problem with his books is that the pervasive sexism (to the point of misogyny) is disgusting and makes me want to throw them across the room at least once per chapter. This is not "a product of his time" or simply a lack of female characters. If there's a woman in a Nivel novel, she's probably relatively simple, young, or stupid, and is definitely there to provide sexual enjoyment for the main (older, smarter, male) character. The females of almost all alien races in his novels aren't even sentient, including in this novel.
There are only two women in this novel (including in crowd scenes); both are beautiful and have sex with the main character within pages of meeting him. Both are constantly corrected and lectured by the main character and referred to as either stupid or simple. Neither has any agency most of the time and both are motivated in their few decisions by "love" (sexual desire). Both of the alien races that are present have non-sentient females who exist only for breeding. Nivel jokingly refers to human women as a separate species from men. The main character twice mentions that he'd have to rape someone if he doesn't get sexual satisfaction.
I found that I could mostly ignore this in Ringworld and [b:A Mote in God's Eye|100365|The Mote in God's Eye (Moties, #1)|Larry Niven|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1399490037s/100365.jpg|2190500], but in a novel like [b:The Integral Trees|939740|The Integral Trees|Larry Niven|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1383249816s/939740.jpg|7420631] it was so much front and center it was impossible to ignore. I don't understand how a good writer who can imagine and empathize with alien and robot intelligence can fail to empathize with female human intelligence.
The last few chapters of Ringworld collapse under this, as Niven becomes wrapped up in manipulating the female characters, making sure that everyone gets a partner for a happy ending, and squeezing as much sex in as possible.