Welcome to a world like no other.
The Ringworld is a landmark engineering achievement, a flat band three million times the surface of the Earth, encircling a distant star. Home to trillions of inhabitants, not all of whom are human, and host to amazing technological wonders, the Ringworld is unique in all of the universe.
Explorer Louis Wu, an Earth-born human who was part of the first expedition to Ringworld, becomes enmeshed in interplanetary and interspecies intrigue as war and a powerful new weapon threaten to tear the Ringworld apart forever. Now the future of Ringworld lies in the actions of its children:Tunesmith, the Ghould protector; Acolyte, the exiled son of Speaker-to-Animals, and Wembleth, a strange Ringworld native with a mysterious past. All must play a dangerous game in order to save Ringworld's population—and the stability of Ringworld itself.
Blending awe-inspiring science with non-stop action and fun, Ringworld's Children is the perfect introduction for readers new to this New York Times bestselling series, and long-time fans won't want to miss it.
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"After being very disappointed with the 3rd book in the Ringworld series, I still moved onwards to see what the conclusion held. Finally, Niven returned to a more compelling plot and more illumination into the history of the Ringworld and origin of the Pak Protectors. Worth the read if you liked the original Ringworld."
— Thomson (4 out of 5 stars)
“Great story telling is still alive in science fiction because of Larry Niven, and his finest work is the Ringworld series.”
— Orson Scott Card“Niven’s masterly use of SF strategies hits every note and springs surprises and plot turns with dizzying pace. Niven…lifts readers far from the conventional world—and does it with dash.”
— Los Angeles Times“Niven jams enough ideas for several novels into each one he creates.”
— Seattle Times“I enjoyed nearly every minute of the nine and a half hours of listening in Ringworld’s Children. In fact, I would have been happy with another nine hours!”
— SFFAudio.com" Although I didn't particularly like the previous installment, I gave this final book in the series a shot. It was much more enjoyable read than I was expecting. Niven got it together for this finale. "
— Fred, 2/15/2014" Disappointing. It seems the whole Ringworld shtick has become too formulaic and Niven has (hopefully) rightfully discorporated it without morose sentimentality. Much as I enjoyed earlier volumes this one was discontinuous and disjoint but still all too predictable, the ending telegraphed from the first ten pages or so. It is a good piece of short airplane flight reading to distract from the oppression of excessive bureaucracy and overpopulation or suitable for the adamantine Niven fan but otherwise a less than weak attractor. "
— Bruce, 2/7/2014" Niven can't stop picking this scab...I think I've gotten to the end of the Ringworld / Known Space books, and then boom another appears. I think he kind of phoned this one in, its a slip of a books and goes quick, and seems to existing only to tie up a handful of loose ends and send all the key characters off (literally) in the right direction. Of interest primarily to series completists. "
— Booth, 2/5/2014" If you look up the word boring in the dictionary, you would find this book in the "see also" paragraph. "
— John, 1/24/2014" Much better than Ringworld Throne, but otherwise forgetable. "
— Matt, 1/15/2014" Better than Throne "
— Ghoover318, 1/10/2014" Defenitly read this series in order, as Niven does not repeat himself. The ending sort of leaves itself open for another book. Like his intro says this book sort of explaines the science of the ring world. "
— Kenneth, 12/25/2013" 4th and final novel in the series tying together all the loose ends and leaves you wit ha smile "
— Sean, 11/29/2013" This is the third book in the Ringworld series, and brings the series to a satisfactory conclusion. A war threatens to destroy Ringworld, and a rejuvenated Louis Wu is instrumental in assisting the new generation of Ringworld residents in developing a solution. "
— John, 11/25/2013" i dont know why vampires got added... "
— Jeremy, 11/21/2013" Hadn't read him in years. His last 4 or five books have been writte with someone else. I think he i getting old. "
— Charlie, 11/21/2013" not worth reviewing. So tired of this series. "
— Graham, 5/20/2013" This book is a good read, but not up to par with the whole of Niven's writing. There is not much of a plot, characters appear out of no where, and events happen with very little explanation. I still love Niven, though. "
— Davea, 11/23/2012" I enjoyed the whole series "
— Debra, 10/8/2012" This book returns to the magnificent Ringworld once again, and as usual it's under threat. This time it's a bunch of hostile alien races with powerful weapons making war on one another around the Ringworld. The usual suspects perform another round of intellectual acrobatics to make it all safe. "
— Geir, 8/30/2012" I don't even remember when I read this; just that I did. I got rather tired of this series by the end. I think it's because I was none too fond of the main characters - they were rather anti-heroic in a lot of ways, and that always detracts from my enjoyment of a good story. "
— Annette, 7/21/2012" More fun in the ginormously huge playground Niven created! "
— Scott, 6/8/2012" After the greatness that was Ringworld and the awfulness that was Ringworld Throne, I didn't know what to expect, but this was a decent book, and it adds some layers to Ringworld that didn't exist before. "
— Chuck, 4/28/2012" The fourth and so far final book in the Ringworld series. This one was getting a little too weird for me. Perhaps I need to re-read it. "
— Jan, 3/4/2012" Well, this is (so far) the last book in the Ringworld series. It was far more enjoyable to me than "Ringworld's Throne". Plenty of adventure. It was obvious to me some of what would happen, but it was very readable - Niven pared down on the hard science. "
— Karen, 2/27/2012" Much has improved in this installment of Ringworld. Less rishathra and more story, especially concerning Protectors. "
— Cory, 2/19/2012" Very satisfied with this book. Brought back all the enjoyment from reading the original, Ringworld. "
— Wes, 1/26/2012" Kind of a fun ending to this part of the series. Interesting physics issues/questions/thoughts. "
— Mark, 12/16/2011" This is the third book in the Ringworld series, and brings the series to a satisfactory conclusion. A war threatens to destroy Ringworld, and a rejuvenated Louis Wu is instrumental in assisting the new generation of Ringworld residents in developing a solution. <br/> "
— John, 4/21/2011" Loved all of the books in this series. <br/>A great imaginative world, books have a great flow very easy to read impossible to put down at times. <br/> "
— Mark, 4/16/2011" It is on page 250 of 288: It's a great concusion to the seris, though I would have made it very different. I'm glad Louis Wu didn't end as a protecter. I dont like clifhanger endings. At least to a seris. <br/> "
— Tristan, 8/31/2010" Not bad. Feels sorta like this was a re-hash of the first book in some ways (stranded, confused) but still an interesting read. "
— Chris, 4/29/2010" After the greatness that was Ringworld and the awfulness that was Ringworld Throne, I didn't know what to expect, but this was a decent book, and it adds some layers to Ringworld that didn't exist before. "
— Chuck, 8/26/2009" Although I didn't particularly like the previous installment, I gave this final book in the series a shot. It was much more enjoyable read than I was expecting. Niven got it together for this finale. "
— Fred, 3/25/2009" Much better than Ringworld Throne, but otherwise forgetable. "
— Matt, 12/12/2008" Fun read, the ending was a little too open. "
— Scott, 10/17/2008" i dont know why vampires got added... "
— Jeremy, 10/14/2008" Still way too much rishathra but at least we have protectors duking it out which is always enjoyable to read. <br/> "
— Hien, 8/27/2008" 4th and final novel in the series tying together all the loose ends and leaves you wit ha smile "
— Sean, 7/14/2008Larry Niven is the multiple Hugo, Locus, and Nebula Award–winning author of science fiction short stories and novels, including the Ringworld series, as well as many other science fiction masterpieces. His Footfall, coauthored with Jerry Pournelle, was a New York Times bestseller.
Barrett Whitener has been narrating audiobooks since 1992. His recordings have won several awards, including the prestigious Audie Award and numerous Earphones Awards. AudioFile magazine has named him one of the Best Voices of the Century.