The Ringworld Throne

The Ringworld Series, Book 3

By: Larry Niven

Narrated by: Richard Powers

Length: 13 hrs and 48 mins

Publisher's Summary

Come back to the Ringworld - the most astonishing feat of engineering ever encountered. A place of untold technological wonders, home to myriad humanoid races, and world of some of the most beloved science fiction stories ever written. 

The human Louis Wu; the puppeteer known as the Hindmost; Acolyte, son of the Kzin called Chmeee: legendary beings brought together once again in the defense of the Ringworld. Something is going on with the protectors. Incoming spacecraft are being destroyed before they can reach the Ringworld. Vampires are massing. And the Ghouls have their own agenda - if anyone dares approach them to learn. 

Each race on the Ringworld has always had its own protector. Now it looks as if the Ringworld itself needs a protector. But who will sit on the Ringworld throne? 

Larry Niven is the multiple Hugo and Nebula award–winning author of the Ringworld series, along with many other science fiction masterpieces. His Beowulf’s Children, coauthored with Jerry Pournelle and Steven Barnes, was a New York Times best seller. He lives in Chatsworth, California. 

©1996 Larry Niven (P)2011 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic Reviews

“Readers who remember Ringworld from earlier encounters will no doubt relish the latest installment of the saga.” ( New York Times Book Review)

Should have stopped at the second book.

Unfortunately, this book is not really science fiction, or at least not the kind you normally expect from Larry Niven.

Taking place eleven years after the events in The Ringworld Engineers this book oddly is mostly about sex, and no, not romance but a kind of formalized inter-species ritual that all the the cultures on the ringworld seem to be obsessed with. They do it to seal trade negations, celebrate battle, or whenever they meet someone new.

Oh yeah, and vampires. Lots of vampires who emit a pheromone that makes everybody....you guessed it....want to have sex.

Now I don't mind sex and I don't particularly mind vampires but neither subject makes a good focus for what is supposed to be a hard sci-fi novel.

This really is a far cry from the the first book and very disappointing. I don't think I will continue with the series.

Porn In Space!

Any additional comments?

I am a huge Niven fan, and grew up reading his short stories and known space books. It was one of the great highlights of my young life and had a major impact on leading me into the scientific careers I have worked in over the years. However, something went sideways when he started writing sequels to Ringworld.

Somehow, Larry Niven developed an obsession with sex, nudity, and ritualistic cross-species sex. I am not at all a prude. I enjoy sexual material as much as the next guy, but not as a primary plot device in hard science fiction.

These plot-killers grew slowly over the first two sequels and began to obscure the true story. In Engineers, the story somehow survived between bouts of sex. But in Throne, the story pretty much disappeared beneath a sea of absurd and unnecessary lecherous writing.

I have tried several times to slog through these sequels, but always end up giving up somewhere within Thrones. It breaks my heart to say this about one of my literary heroes, but I would not recommend reading the Ringworld saga beyond the first, and truly amazing, book: "Ringworld".

I WOULD, however highly recommend any of the early Known Space novels. I would also say that Larry Niven is one of the all time great short story authors, so be sure to pick up all of his early short story collections, such as Neutron Star, Convergent Series, A Hole In Space, and several others.

You can skip this one

This one was harder to follow than the others. Think you can skip it. About to start reading the next one.

Disappointing book

What would have made The Ringworld Throne better?

Less rishathra and more good story telling

What could Larry Niven have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

Come up with a good plot, explore the ring world more, focus on the main characters.

What about Paul Michael Garcia’s performance did you like?

It was just fine. He's got more patience than I do to make it through this book, all while reading it aloud!

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

Not really.

Rishathra,Rishathra,Rishathra

Any additional comments?

I enjoy the series but i am sick of the constant interruption of the plot for Rishathra.

well read, but the story seems to ramble

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

not allow it to ramble as much.

What about Paul Michael Garcia’s performance did you like?

I genuinely enjoy the reader's performance. His use of tone & inflection is quite remarkable

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

no

Low point of the Ringworld series

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

Disappointing. I loved the original Ringworld book, but the sequels have gotten progressively worse. Most of this book seemed to focus on how much the Ringworld inhabitants are obsessed with having sex. I found it hard to follow, and unsatisfying. The hard science (fiction) of the Ringworld was nearly absent.

Which character – as performed by Paul Michael Garcia – was your favorite?

The narrator was actually quite good. I enjoyed the various voices he used for the different characters. They were convincing, and appropriate.

Rishathraworld: Battles of the Vampires

More Rish with more alternative hominid species than ever before!
Enjoy mind bending battles, and foreplay with fish people. New and old hero's fight and @#$! to save the Ringworld from Vampires!
It's a pretty awesome story, especially if you enjoy indulging in Rishathra as much as I do... wink wink

Food, sex, vampires = skip this one, really bad book

The charm of three of the four characters from book 1 and 2 is notoriously lacking - as these were replaced by poor substitutes. The humor isn't here either. The hard sci fi isn't here. All that made the first two books good is missing. Toss in a complete lack of plot.

a slow decline

I loved the first two books in the ringworm series, however as we progress they seem to decline in quality. the author is too set on his party dynamics in that, while characters might change, the overall feeling doesn't.

Worst so far in series. Very poor.

I struggled a bit with this, the first half of the story being so dislocated from the main plot (yes it links up and even set up aspects but really? Talk about the long way round). I dare say without it, vol and vampire nest, the story wouldn't suffer much. That says a lot to me about the story.

A plethora of new characters all with weird unpronounceable names (5* to narrator there!) and alien culture being thrown at the plot in rapid succession only to be held together by Larry Niven's love of rishathra (inter-species sex).. Its the third book and it still makes me cringe and let me tell you this book made me cringe A LOT. Just remembering the sheer amount and I'm downgrading my rating. The ending was more like the other books (actually the same as book 2 in principle) and seemed ok but I will not be reading anymore of these stories.

An excellent presentation.

To get the most out of it read / listen to Book 1 (at least) and Book 2. Incredible characters, plots and themes. A book that will, like the others from Larry Niven, be listened to many times.

The Ringworld Saga continues! Brilliantly..

For fans who can't get enough of the sheer scale of this epic saga goes to the very edge expiring the Protectors role and Louis Wu continues to try and understand and save the Ring..

not as good as 1 & 2

bit of a strained story which just goes on and on. the first two were brilliant, bit this one just leaves me cold.

Third in series but third best.

OK and essential part of the saga. But not as focused as the first two books. Also left questions of motive and character reason for some minor characters who seemed left untapped.

A Slog & a Half, and Louis Wu is barely there

Excited to continue the adventures of Louis Wu on the artificial construct known as the Ringworld? Then don't read this book.

Instead for more than half the book you follow a band of various hominids on their quest to kill vampires introduced in the last book. The names are long and silly, and Rishathra is mentioned every two sentences.

Oh, and those a fan if Chmee? Yeah, he's in this one less than Louis himself. Same for the Hindmost.

Do yourself a favour, skip this one.

It's pretty good.

Can't see any flaws. Everyone should read/listen to the ringworld series in my honest opinion. Let your imagination go wild. Attempt to grasp the scale of the ringworld.

Boring and difficult to follow

A great reading performance overshadowed by a meandering and boring story. Extremely disappointing compared to the outstanding first two books.

Ended somewhat abruptly...

Excellent narration. A great deal of machinations,but I have to say the ending was so abrupt I had to review all that had just happened to figure out why it was the end.

Unfortunately, the next is the series is a terrible recording, I won't be buying it.