The Mote in God's Eye

By: Larry Niven, Jerry Pournelle

Narrated by: L J Ganser

Length: 20 hrs and 28 mins

Publisher's summary

Writing separately, Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle are responsible for a number of science fiction classics, such as the Hugo and Nebula Award-winning Ringworld, Debt of Honor, and The Integral Trees. Together they have written the critically acclaimed best-sellers Inferno, Footfall, and The Legacy of Heorot, among others.

The Mote In God's Eye is their acknowledged masterpiece, an epic novel of mankind's first encounter with alien life that transcends the genre. No lesser an authority than Robert A. Heinlein called it "possibly the finest science fiction novel I have ever read".

©1991 Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle (P)2009 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

• All-Time Best Science Fiction Novels (Locus Magazine)

A Flawed Classic

my main problem with this book begins with the logic used. I imagine to 1970s mind that produce this novel, The logic webs used make perfect sense but in today's mind they seem flawed. the way in which they deal with moties when they are in the system don't make much sense and likely the entire book would precipitate differently because of those differences. besides that point the book leaves a lot of questions unanswered and a lot of loose ends, which I hate. Also the narrator seemed hurried and has an unusual diction that makes it hard to follow.

Solid Sci Fi With Bonkers Story

This is an imperfect book. The writing and narration are solid, but not spectacular. The “first contact” story is wonderful and the species met is beyond brilliant - genuinely “best ever” territory. One additional observation: the “speculative science” of personal electronics is so ridiculously dead-on (for a book written in 1974) that it seems like the author is spending a bit too much time explaining how iPads work. All in all, highly encouraged- tremendously entertaining.

Brilliant

I knew of this book well before I listened to it, and knew its reputation as a science fiction classic. That reputation is well deserved.

The authors were visionary in their scope, and clearly spent the effort needed to create a realistic space traveling human society. Their aliens are similarly well rounded, and the complexities of a totally different civilisation are painted in vivid text.

The narrator has done a good job with the work, appropriately adopting accents and ‘alien words’.

In short, it is easy to see why this is considered a classic. Brilliant.

Possibly the finest SF novel I've ever read

I am not a fan of Niven after reading his terrible Ringworld novel, and had not read Pournelle before this. I picked it up due to the rave review of Heinlein. This would be a great story suggestion or anyone new to the genre.

Reviews of the sequel are consistent in saying it's not worth reading, so I'm going to skip it despite my eager desire for more in this world.

Good classic sci-fi

In terms of today’s societal norms , media and scientific advancements over the past 40 years, the story is a bit dated. But still great classic sci-fi.

Nice science fiction

This story is believable although it is set way way in the future that you would think some politics and technology would have developed or moved on. Very much US Navy style. Love the Russian characters. Not too happy the way women are not as important as the male characters however, the book was written in the 70s so you have to take that into account. Never the less the story stands up and is a good yarn. Could do with a little more human villains I think.

A cosmic moral dilema

This book was recommended to me by several friends who's opinions I respect so i gave it a shot. It turned out to be one of the most compelling scifi books I've read.

I prefer stories driven by deep, intriguing characters. Stories where you get inside their heads and understand their motivations, plots, dreams, and flaws. That isn't this book.

So why was it so good? Simply put, the grand scale, epic setting of a far flung future and thought provoking first contact between humans and aliens make this book impossible to ignore. I found myself thinking of the fundamental dilemas at the heart of the story well after I was finished reading it. The alien race is very convincing in it's detailed non-humanness. This is really the star of the book. L J Ganser does a good job in verbalizing this alienness and narrating in general.

I feel like the end was frustrating but on reflection I found it believable- we tend do solve our problems today in ways that don't really solve them... I can't say much more without spoiling things. :)

Keeping in mind that "Mote" was written in the 1970's may help those who can't accept the technological and cultural oddities that date it but I treated those elements as part of a human civilizations set so far in the future that it would have very little in common with ours that it kind of worked.

Enjoyable for most of it.

a few points felt a little bit sluggish towards the end but overall I enjoyed the book.

Interesting ideas surrounded by a difficult read

Any world building dealing with the Motie species is excellent. Very well done aliens. Unfortunately the humans are almost as alien. Almost seems like a Victorian approach to war, science, and culture (especially women). The only cultural regions (derived from Earth) that play a role are Ireland, Britain, Russia, and the nebulous Levant (with Germany and American briefly mentioned). This might be for the best because I doubt the book would handle race very well, but it never mentions what happened all the other human races and cultures. This is most noticeable when comparing humans to the alien Moties.

The central plot that (finally) develops is pretty compelling, but it takes a while to get rolling.

Two comments said by Sally really bothered me and made me almost start skipping any part that didn't involve a Motie:
1)That pregnant women are practically useless
2)How horrible and unfair it is that Moties only live 25 years.
The second comment highlights the arrogrance the humans in the story have toward their society as the default standard. She pities the Moties almost as if they are underprivileged children.

Specimen of great classic sci-fi

I love stories like this that grapple with possible complexities of meeting alien races. I like how it isn't just assumed one culture would be dominant to another, both have strengths and weaknesses, and one culture having the tech of star travel doesn't necessarily make them superior (on the topic read the short story The Road not Taken by Harry Turtledove) The writing shows it's age a bit in the writing of female characters and roles but who knows what human societies may be like in the future. Overall, I enjoyed it.