Again

[threemonkeys]

I think I said this after the last Ringworld book. Why do I keep buying Larry Niven books? I just keep doing it. I keep reading them too. This time is was Building Harlequin's Moon by Larry Niven and Brenda Cooper. To be fair, it was a lot better than the last Ringworld book but then that isn't exactly praise. Perhaps working in collaboration keeps ol' Larry on track. Actually I suspect that Brenda Cooper did most of the actual writing and Niven supervised.

The story is coherent and clearly written like an earlier Niven story. In fact there is a lot more that is like previous Niven stories. I kept thinking "oh just like A Gift from Earth", or "just like Legacy of Heorot" or Rainbow Mars or Ringworld. Self parody maybe.

Comments

[threemonkeys.livejournal.com]

Meanwhile I go into the bookshops, and despite all the books, there is nothing for me to buy.

I bought the Niven book because I was given a book token and couldn't find anything more interesting. Of course I could have waited but I'm not wired that way unfortunately.

I find that I am reading more short fiction than I used to and more fiction from small press publishers who are publishing more for love than money. I'm sure the factors you describe are part of the reason for this change.