Classic Science Fiction. The 1970 Hugo and 1971 Nebula award winning novel Ringworld by Larry Niven contains sexy babes, quirky aliens and strange worlds. The mission is to explore the huge ring that surrounds a distant star. For the most part, the novel is light and fun.
One serious note does weave itself through the novel: What does it mean to be lucky? Teela, one of two human on the exploration, is a twenty year old who was bred to be lucky. Her luck isn’t always so lucky for those around her.
I encountered something interesting as I read the book. When I really put effort into visualizing the characters, as if I was watching a science fiction movie, I found the experience quite fun. If I just read for plot or to find some profound insight, I was a bit bored.
Ringworld, which is the first in a series, is part of our science fiction heritage. It is one of those “must reads” and now I’ve read it. I am on to some more modern science fiction for the next few days.
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