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)

Fans of Star Trek will love this "first encounter"

This book reads like a Star Trek fan fic. I loved this book for it's suspense. I can ALMOST forgive it's major flaw.

What I did NOT love was how flimsy the female characters are. The book opens with an extremely harrowing experience by it's only female character (no seriously... while the aliens do have females, she is literally the ONLY human female character, and the story is told from the POV of the humans). The story then promptly switches to how much she wants to forge her own identity separate from her wealth, but goodness isn't the captain handsome? There is a vague attempt to make her interesting as an anthropologist, but it's clear from the outset that her purpose is to be the love interest of the captain, and once their love is established, her intelligence is rapidly reduced to "pretty rich girl" and she gets to pick out fancy dresses and fuss over third world poverty.

That said, it was an interesting portrayal of a first contact, and if the author had only left the romance out of it, it could have been a 5 star read, easily.

Entertaining plot

Entertaining read. Interesting story line but not as punchy or gripping as I would’ve liked.

meh

meh. I like the mote concept, but this dragged... not enough development. The ending was flat.

Flat

As an idea, it's not bad but it is way too long of a story with too few (any?) characters that you care about, that it became a slog to get to the end.
The main problem I have with it is that the characters are described in third person in most of the book and almost always from the point of view of interaction with others. In few times an inner dialog is described, it's done little to illuminate the characters. So, in the end all the characters seem as plot devices.
Most of the science in the book seems only half thought through. The aliens have almost magical capabilities and yet they still seem dull.

the writing is good

The writing is good and it has a good premise but the story wanders bit there moments of huh what?

Good story

This was an easy story for listening, comprehension and was enjoyable. I would enjoy reading the next installment whenever it comes along.

Just ok

I came to this book as a recommendation that was similar to blindsight. It has no similarities to blindsight and was just ok.

can't stop listening

Found myself on the edge of my seat and can't wait on what will happen.

A very nice story for Sci-Fi Fans!

An Original and Fresh Classic, Despite Its Age...

Niven and Pournelle have collaborated in the past, but none as fantastic and addictive as this unique take on alien contact. They've built an entirely different culture, with different motivations, desires, and ideals. Throw in a nightmarish hidden agenda (which side you ask? I'm not telling!), as well as a ancient secret that may mean the destruction of one race over the other.

If I say more about this awesome audiobook, I'll ruin it for you, and I won't do that. So, take a leap of faith, trust me, and BUY THIS AUDIOBOOK. It's stunning in scope, sweeping in depth, and reads so well, that you'll easily recommend this to others, just like I'm doing to you right now!

Excellent through and through.

This is one of my favorite science fiction novels and now one of my favorite audiobooks.
The themes and the writing as superb, as is to be expected from Niven and Pournelle, and despite what other reviewers might say, the narration is also excellent; a mix between dramatization and plain reading that adds a layer of interest and helps differentiate the many characters in the story.