Just Finished Reading: Man-Kzin Wars IX created by Larry Niven

This was a very relaxing “chewing gum for the mind” kind of read. Based in Niven’s ‘Known Space’, a part of the Galaxy I know well from reading stories based in it over the past 30 years, these short stories mostly revolve around the alien occupation of the human colony world Wunderland – orbiting around one of the binary stars in Alpha Centuri. The first, Pele written by Poul Anderson tells of a scientific expedition to a dying star system interrupted by the arrival of a Kzin warship. The second, His Sergeant’s Honor written by Hal Colebatch tells of the final surrender of Kzin forces on Wunderland after the arrival of a huge human fleet of warships. The third, Windows of the Soul by Paul Chafe told of the co-operation between Kzin and human law enforcement to track down an illegal organ smuggling ring on a hollowed out asteroid and last was Fly-by-Night by Larry Niven telling how a human, a Kzin and a Jotok slave outwit a renegade Kzin raiding party saving their own lives and the lives of hundreds of frozen hostages.

I haven’t read any ‘Known Space’ stories for a while but slipped back into things very easily. Niven’s creation is endlessly fascinating containing as it does both the exotic environments and exotic creatures which inhabit them. One of whom, the oft mentioned Kzin above, are one of my favourite aliens in SF. Wrongly pictured, I believe, as bipedal lions (as on the cover) these ‘rat-cats’ as they are known are distinctly alien although superficially feline in nature. Their anatomical differences to our Great Cats, what’s left of them, are many – including the fact that the Kzin are generally bright Orange! Portraying them as lions is, in my opinion, just plain laziness. Detailed descriptions of the Kzin are readily available in Niven’s early writing – so there’s just no excuse. Anyway – getting off my trusty old steed Pedant for a moment – this is a worthy addition to the ‘Known Space’ series of stories and, whilst not exactly startlingly original, they are very readable and entertaining. Although you can just start reading here I do recommend that you do read the previous books first. There is plenty to recommend them.