The Best of Larry Niven

These 27 short stories, originally published from 1965 to 2000, demonstrate Niven's tremendous range and literary prowess in the fields of SF (Hugo winners "Neutron Star" and "The Borderland of Sol," featuring clever pilot Beowulf Shaeffer), fantasy ("Not Long Before the End"), nonfiction (the famously footnote-heavy "Man of Steel, Woman of Kleenex" ), and mystery ("The Deadlier Weapon"). Standouts include "All the Myriad Ways," about what happens when everything in alternate time lines actually comes true, and 1973's prescient "Flash Crowd," about the ways that cheap, fast transportation and communication can transform global culture. An introduction by frequent Niven collaborator Jerry Pournelle (Escape from Hell) focuses on Niven's attraction to hard SF, and brief headnotes by Niven himself provide context and color. This spellbinding collection is a must for fans of classic SF. (Dec.)