The Reading Corner.

[Buster's Uncle]

It was a really dark background, but I recall it as trees and not incompatible with swamp - Luke in the foreground, like he was standing back up after bending over to pick something up when he spotted Vader.

-Who was still scary way back then.

[Dio]

The Life of Pi by Yuan Martel

[Dio]

Dionysiaca by Nonnus of Panopolis

[gwillybj]

The Renegades by Tom Young
http://tomyoungbooks.com/

[Mart]

Ringworld series, by Larry Niven.

The series has 5 books from which, as they say, the fifth is also a sequel to another series by Larry Niven, so combining both plots.

I must admit, that I was able to read the series only to some point in book 3.
The first book was a blast, the whole idea of such a construction in space was somehow much more interesting than Dyson sphere. Ringworld lets the inhabitants to admire starfield sky, although having smaller area. But with certain size, it is no longer that important, kinda.

The second book was not that interesting any more, though pleasant to read, and third, somehow I could not go through it.

Anyone read the whole series? And can share his/her impressions?

and wiki link:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ringworld_series

[Buster's Uncle]

Excellent series on the strength of the first and second books.  The Ringworld Throne isn't good - not bad, either, but I can't believe in all those Protectors running around without Armageddon happening.  Ringworld's Children is better, but same problem.  Too many mysteries solved, and the Ringworld in general has gotten infinitely smaller in the mind with each book.  Haven't read the ***(Betrayer?) of Worlds that takes place partly after yet.

Protectors stop working as stories that make sense used more than, roughly, once.  One Protector makes for a heck of a story - more than one not closely related runs into too many logical problems.  -I LOVED Destroyer of Worlds, but I really REALLY didn't believe it.

[Mart]

You have read both series, I guess?
Is Fleet of Worlds series better than Ringworld?

[Buster's Uncle]

Absolutely not.

I have all the Ringworld books, and have read each a minimum of twice.  I've read Juggler of Worlds and Destroyer of Worlds - both twice.  Haven't laid hands on Fleet of Worlds or Betrayer of Worlds.  Yet.  They're good, but as good?  Nah.

[Rusty Edge]

My Niven reading was haphazard. When my brother or I came across one of his paperbacks in a book store we'd probably buy it.  I read Engineers before Ringworld. It's an awesome idea. But the devolved humans? Not as much. I read another, possibly Throne.

I didn't know there so many books now. Did Niven write them on his own, or with a collaborator? Maybe someday I'll get on a Niven reading project.

I preferred the Beowulf Schaeffer stories myself.

[Buster's Uncle]

The of Worlds series was mostly written by Edward Lerner doing a fair Niven imitation, though Niven would, no doubt, deny it.

Have you read the Crashlander collection of Schaeffer stories?  Two new ones to it - hints at why Louis Wu didn't think of his dad when he saw the Longshot in Ringworld...

[Rusty Edge]

The of Worlds series was mostly written by Edward Lerner doing a fair Niven imitation, though Niven would, no doubt, deny it.

Have you read the Crashlander collection of Schaeffer stories?  Two new ones to it - hints at why Louis Wu didn't think of his dad when he saw the Longshot in Ringworld...

Some of the repackaged collections run together in my memory. I haven't owned any of them for years- the collection was given to my sister, and the ones I've purchased since have been forwarded to her.

[Buster's Uncle]

....A woman who likes Niven?  That's a new one by me.  What does your sister look like?  Is she single?...

[Lord Avalon]

Star Wars: Choices of One by Timothy Zahn

I read Ringworld & Ringworld Engineers so long ago, I barely remember. Don't know if I read #3. Niven was one of my favorite authors at the time.

[Rusty Edge]

....A woman who likes Niven?  That's a new one by me.  What does your sister look like?  Is she single?...

She married her college boyfriend after graduation, and they lived happily ever after.

 Actually, you would like her. She was a Psychology and Theater major, with a minor in French (that with honors). She earned a living stage managing and directing for a few years, but now she does human/user interface and programmer/manager interface for a tech company in Seattle. She lives in an apartment lined with books.

[Buster's Uncle]

I've been re-reading Infinity's Shore be David Brin for about a month, and I'm only halfway through.  That says less about the book -I don't believe in Brin's Uplift Universe, but he spins a good yarn anyway- and more about my sleep cycles lately.  I ain't been getting enough, and I'm passing out before I get more than ten pages into my bedtime reading, usually about two.

I finally wrapped this one up Monday night -suddenly, I'm getting enough sleep, so getting a lot more bedtime reading done before I drift off.  I tried to find the next book, which seems to wrap up the series, for a reread while this was still relatively fresh in my head, but haven't turned it up yet.

Fronterra by Lewis Shiner.  Already halfway through, and pretty sure I'd somehow missed reading this in the years-old cache' it turned up in.  Shiner never disappoints, and it's a Mars novel, though predating the flood of them in the 90s by almost ten years.