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A Gift from Earth

by Larry Niven

Other authors: See the other authors section.

Series: Known Space (5)

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1,4051013,066 (3.62)7
A solitary mountain rises from the searing, toxic blackness of the planet. Forty miles below, the atmosphere is sixty times as thick as Earth's, and hot enough to melt lead. The organ banks are the centre of this world. To them the subservient colonists contribute living limbs. And from them the overlords obtain the vital parts that keep them alive...… (more)
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» See also 7 mentions

Showing 1-5 of 10 (next | show all)
Excellent idea, well realised. Great pace as always. ( )
  tarsel | Sep 4, 2022 |
I'm not really being fair. The book was written in 1969 and Larry Niven's later world building in Known Space and Ringworld was so enthralling that perhaps I expect too much. This was a re-read (or so my partner tells me) but I remembered very little about it. My main problem is not that it has dated badly because it hasn't. The problem is with the writing and structure. Most of the book feels like it is about people getting from A to B or to the end of the corridor and back and it's just not very interesting. If that had been pruned out it might have made a good shorter story. ( )
  Ma_Washigeri | Jan 23, 2021 |
Another good story by Niven. Old fashion space opera. A future distant colony still gets occasional shipments from Earth. It has developed into a 2 class dictatorship. Changes are coming from within and New tech from Earth also has implications. Time for payback. ( )
  ikeman100 | Feb 8, 2020 |
Niven has created a society , a police state which is heavily dependant on organ transplants for treating even trivial ailments. the rewards of the system are almost entirely lavished on the police, with small rewards for their collaborators. A mutant, with curious mental powers and the arrival of a cargo ship, upset the applecart. ( )
  DinadansFriend | Feb 10, 2014 |
Interesting view of how a sudden new technology can drastically alter the status quo. Enjoyable, but more action-adventure than needed, and less careful thought than required. ( )
  BruceCoulson | Jan 9, 2014 |
Showing 1-5 of 10 (next | show all)
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» Add other authors (1 possible)

Author nameRoleType of authorWork?Status
Larry Nivenprimary authorall editionscalculated
Gambino, FredCover artistsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
James, TerryCover artistsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Jones, Peter A.Cover artistsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Ruiter, PonTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Schumacher, RainerTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Stach, LuiseTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Sternbach, RickCover artistsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
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To Hank
A good critic, a good friend
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A ramrobot had been the first to see Mount Lookitthat.
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(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)
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A solitary mountain rises from the searing, toxic blackness of the planet. Forty miles below, the atmosphere is sixty times as thick as Earth's, and hot enough to melt lead. The organ banks are the centre of this world. To them the subservient colonists contribute living limbs. And from them the overlords obtain the vital parts that keep them alive...

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Mount Lookitthat had a stable population.  As a small plateau, unreachable except from space, it had to have.

Naturally, the lives of its governing body, descendants of the original Crew, were more important than anyone else's.  In a way it was remarkable that they were even descendants.  For they could be kept alive for so very long--using the live parts supplied by the Colonists.

And then there were the Implementation police, more numerous than the Crew, and therefore needing more parts from the Colonists. . .It did keep the population down.
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