The Smoke Ring

In the free-fall environment of the Smoke Ring (an immense gaseous envelope and neutron star circling a habitable cluster of plants, trees and animals), descendants of the starship Discipline’s crew no longer remember their Earth roots or the existence of Sharls Davis Kendy, the computer AI controlling the ship — until Kendy initiated contact once more, 500 years after the crew whom the half-mad AI calls “mutineers” were abandoned on this strange world (see The Integral Trees).


Fourteen years later only Jeffer, the Citizens Tree “Scientist”, knew that Kendy was watching and advising. When Citizens Tree rescues a family of loggers, they learn of the Admiralty, a military organization in a town unknown to Citizens Tree. Jeffer is among those who want to visit the town and the Admiralty, which may have maintained intact Discipline's original computer library. The events following the visit to the town and the subsequent flight from the Admiralty form part of this exciting tale of adventure, danger and courage.


"The setting of Niven's 1984 novel The Integral Trees was striking and imaginative, even for this acclaimed world builder; it's well worth the second visit made in this sequel." 

- Publishers Weekly


“Niven has come up with an idea about as far out as one can get." 

- Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine 


"Great storytelling is still alive in science fiction because of Larry Niven." 

- Orson Scott Card, author of ENDER'S GAME


"The scope of Larry Niven's work is so vast that only a writer of supreme talent could disguise the fact as well as he can." 

- Tom Clancy, author of THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER


"His tales have grit, authenticity, colorful characters and pulse-pounding narrative drive.  Niven is a true master!" 

- Frederik Pohl

 

"Larry Niven is one of the giants of modern science fiction." 

writer." 

- The Baltimore Sun

 

"Niven ... lifts the reader far from the conventional world — and does it with dash." 

- The Los Angeles Times

 

"Niven ... juggles huge concepts of time and space that no one else can lift."  

- Charles Sheffield

 

"In creating a geologic world and in the interactions between humans and aliens, Niven is superb." 

- Boston Sunday Globe

 

"One of the genre's most prolific and accessible talents." 

- Library Journal


LARRY NIVEN:

Born April 30, 1938 in Los Angeles, California. Attended California Institute of Technology; flunked out after discovering a book store jammed with used science fiction magazines.  Graduated Washburn University, Kansas, June 1962: BA in Mathematics with a Minor in Psychology, and later received an honorary doctorate in Letters from Washburn. Interests: Science fiction conventions, role playing games, AAAS meetings and other gatherings of people at the cutting edges of science. Comics. Filk singing. Yoga and other approaches to longevity. Moving mankind into space by any means, but particularly by making space endeavors attractive to commercial interests. Several times we’ve hosted The Citizens Advisory Council for a National Space Policy. I grew up with dogs. I live with a cat, and borrow dogs to hike with. I have passing acquaintance with raccoons and ferrets. Associating with nonhumans has certainly gained me insight into alien intelligences.


In 2015, Larry Niven received the Grand Master Award, given by The Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America.