Status
Available
Call number
Collection
Publication
Del Rey (1977), Mass Market Paperback
Description
A solitary mountain rises from the searing, toxic blackness of the planet. Forty miles below, the atmosphere is sixty times as thick as Earth's, and hot enough to melt lead. The organ banks are the centre of this world. To them the subservient colonists contribute living limbs. And from them the overlords obtain the vital parts that keep them alive...
User reviews
LibraryThing member lidaskoteina
surprisingly relevant for such an oldie. enjoyable.
LibraryThing member BruceCoulson
Interesting view of how a sudden new technology can drastically alter the status quo. Enjoyable, but more action-adventure than needed, and less careful thought than required.
LibraryThing member DinadansFriend
Niven has created a society , a police state which is heavily dependant on organ transplants for treating even trivial ailments. the rewards of the system are almost entirely lavished on the police, with small rewards for their collaborators. A mutant, with curious mental powers and the arrival of
Show More
a cargo ship, upset the applecart. Show Less
LibraryThing member DeanClark
Good enough.
LibraryThing member antao
(Original Review, 1980-09-08)
Oof! a very palpable hit! --- although I would offer that the fault is more in the condensation of several months' lengthy discussions of nearly four years ago than of a sexist bias. I think I misquoted one of the arguments proffered by someone who was at the time
I also recall that at some point in the Known Space series someone specifically states that the Kzin survived despite the loss of ca. 2/3 of each male generation to war because the (non-sentient) females weren't involved; since the Kzinti even after "taming" were highly individualistic ("If the Patriarchy were to introduce forced population control, the Patriarchy would be exterminated for its insolence") they probably used labor-intensive child-rearing methods rather than high-efficiency forms (such as creches, BRAVE NEW WORLD-style), which means that there would not be enough males to raise/ (i.e., not just teach) the children.
There's also the question of exactly how children were brought up in human/ societies in Known Space; aside from Confinement Asteroid and glancing references in A GIFT FROM EARTH I recall very little to suggest that the pattern differs from that of Earth in the late 60's --- i.e., the women have at/ least/ half the responsibility.
[2018 EDIT: This review was written at the time as I was running my own personal BBS server. Much of the language of this and other reviews written in 1980 reflect a very particular kind of language: what I call now in retrospect a “BBS language”.]
Oof! a very palpable hit! --- although I would offer that the fault is more in the condensation of several months' lengthy discussions of nearly four years ago than of a sexist bias. I think I misquoted one of the arguments proffered by someone who was at the time
Show More
raising a 5-year-old; her suspicion was that the male Kzinti temperament could not stand the aggravation of offspring (will you grant that they can be very/ aggravating? With 6 or more of various ages running around NESFA just now I frequently find them so) and would be more likely to claw an annoying underage Kzin than to tolerate it.I also recall that at some point in the Known Space series someone specifically states that the Kzin survived despite the loss of ca. 2/3 of each male generation to war because the (non-sentient) females weren't involved; since the Kzinti even after "taming" were highly individualistic ("If the Patriarchy were to introduce forced population control, the Patriarchy would be exterminated for its insolence") they probably used labor-intensive child-rearing methods rather than high-efficiency forms (such as creches, BRAVE NEW WORLD-style), which means that there would not be enough males to raise/ (i.e., not just teach) the children.
There's also the question of exactly how children were brought up in human/ societies in Known Space; aside from Confinement Asteroid and glancing references in A GIFT FROM EARTH I recall very little to suggest that the pattern differs from that of Earth in the late 60's --- i.e., the women have at/ least/ half the responsibility.
[2018 EDIT: This review was written at the time as I was running my own personal BBS server. Much of the language of this and other reviews written in 1980 reflect a very particular kind of language: what I call now in retrospect a “BBS language”.]
Show Less
LibraryThing member wenestvedt
A story of revolution on a space colony. Quite enjoyable, as is most of Niven's stuff, but this one less for its narrative strength than from the way that he makes the science blend into the otherwise-unremarkable story of rebellion.
LibraryThing member ikeman100
Another good story by Niven. Old fashion space opera.
LibraryThing member Ma_Washigeri
I'm not really being fair. The book was written in 1969 and Larry Niven's later world building in Known Space and Ringworld was so enthralling that perhaps I expect too much. This was a re-read (or so my partner tells me) but I remembered very little about it. My main problem is not that it has
Show More
dated badly because it hasn't. The problem is with the writing and structure. Most of the book feels like it is about people getting from A to B or to the end of the corridor and back and it's just not very interesting. If that had been pruned out it might have made a good shorter story. Show Less
Subjects
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
1968-09
Physical description
254 p.; 17.7 cm
ISBN
0345275489 / 9780345275486
Local notes
Omslag: Rick Sternbach
Omslaget viser et rumskib, der er på vej væk. Rumskibet ligner en mellemting mellem et skaktårn og en øldåse
Indskannet omslag - N650U - 150 dpi
Omslaget viser et rumskib, der er på vej væk. Rumskibet ligner en mellemting mellem et skaktårn og en øldåse
Indskannet omslag - N650U - 150 dpi
Similar in this library
Series
Pages
254
DDC/MDS
| 813 |