Born in Los Angeles in 1938, Larry Niven has been a full-time writer since leaving UCLA in 1963. A worldwide bestseller, he is best known for the legendary RINGWORLD series, which THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF SCIENCE FICTION called "the most energetic future history series ever written". A multiple winner of both Hugo and Nebula awards, Niven was once named by Arthur C Clarke as his favourite author, and his rigorous scientific consistency has earned a reputation as the premier modern author of "hard" SF.
Genres: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery
Series
Tales of Known Space
1. The World of Ptavvs (1966)
2. A Gift from Earth (1968)
Tales of Known Space (1975)
1. The World of Ptavvs (1966)
2. A Gift from Earth (1968)
Tales of Known Space (1975)
Ringworld
1. Ringworld (1970)
2. The Ringworld Engineers (1979)
Guide to Larry Niven's Ringworld (1994) (with Kevin Stein)
3. The Ringworld Throne (1996)
4. Ringworld's Children (2004)
5. Fate of Worlds (2012) (with Edward M Lerner)
1. Ringworld (1970)
2. The Ringworld Engineers (1979)
Guide to Larry Niven's Ringworld (1994) (with Kevin Stein)
3. The Ringworld Throne (1996)
4. Ringworld's Children (2004)
5. Fate of Worlds (2012) (with Edward M Lerner)
Moties (with Jerry Pournelle)
1. The Mote in God's Eye (1974)
2. The Gripping Hand (1993)
aka The Moat Around Murcheson's Eye
continued in the series by J R Pournelle
1. The Mote in God's Eye (1974)
2. The Gripping Hand (1993)
aka The Moat Around Murcheson's Eye
continued in the series by J R Pournelle
Dream Park (with Steven Barnes)
1. Dreampark (1981)
2. The Barsoom Project (1989)
3. The California Voodoo Game (1991)
aka The Voodoo Game
4. The Moon Maze Game (2011)
1. Dreampark (1981)
2. The Barsoom Project (1989)
3. The California Voodoo Game (1991)
aka The Voodoo Game
4. The Moon Maze Game (2011)
Berserker (with Poul Anderson, Edward Bryant, Stephen Donaldson, Fred Saberhagen, Connie Willis and Roger Zelazny)
7. Berserker Base (1985)
7. Berserker Base (1985)
Heorot (with Steven Barnes and Jerry Pournelle)
1. The Legacy of Heorot (1987)
1.5. The Secret of Black Ship Island (2012)
2. Beowulf's Children (1995)
aka The Dragons of Heorot
3. Starborn and Godsons (2020)
1. The Legacy of Heorot (1987)
1.5. The Secret of Black Ship Island (2012)
2. Beowulf's Children (1995)
aka The Dragons of Heorot
3. Starborn and Godsons (2020)
Known Space (with Edward M Lerner)
1. Fleet of Worlds (2007)
2. Juggler of Worlds (2008)
3. Destroyer of Worlds (2009)
4. Betrayer of Worlds (2010)
1. Fleet of Worlds (2007)
2. Juggler of Worlds (2008)
3. Destroyer of Worlds (2009)
4. Betrayer of Worlds (2010)
Bowl of Heaven (with Gregory Benford)
1. Bowl of Heaven (2012)
2. Shipstar (2014)
3. Glorious (2020)
1. Bowl of Heaven (2012)
2. Shipstar (2014)
3. Glorious (2020)
Novels
The Flying Sorcerers (1971) (with David Gerrold)
Protector (1973)
Lucifer's Hammer (1977) (with Jerry Pournelle)
The Patchwork Girl (1980)
Oath of Fealty (1981) (with Jerry Pournelle)
The Descent of Anansi (1982) (with Steven Barnes)
The Time of the Warlock (1984)
Footfall (1985) (with Jerry Pournelle)
Achilles' Choice (1991) (with Steven Barnes)
Fallen Angels (1991) (with Michael Flynn and Jerry Pournelle)
Destiny's Road (1995)
Rainbow Mars (1999)
Saturn's Race (2000) (with Steven Barnes)
Building Harlequin's Moon (2005) (with Brenda Cooper)
The Goliath Stone (2013) (with Matthew Joseph Harrington)
The Seascape Tattoo (2016) (with Steven Barnes)
Protector (1973)
Lucifer's Hammer (1977) (with Jerry Pournelle)
The Patchwork Girl (1980)
Oath of Fealty (1981) (with Jerry Pournelle)
The Descent of Anansi (1982) (with Steven Barnes)
The Time of the Warlock (1984)
Footfall (1985) (with Jerry Pournelle)
Achilles' Choice (1991) (with Steven Barnes)
Fallen Angels (1991) (with Michael Flynn and Jerry Pournelle)
Destiny's Road (1995)
Rainbow Mars (1999)
Saturn's Race (2000) (with Steven Barnes)
Building Harlequin's Moon (2005) (with Brenda Cooper)
The Goliath Stone (2013) (with Matthew Joseph Harrington)
The Seascape Tattoo (2016) (with Steven Barnes)
Collections
Neutron Star (1968)
The Shape of Space (1969)
All the Myriad Ways (1971)
Inconstant Moon (1973)
The Flight of the Horse (1973)
A Hole in Space (1974)
The Long Arm of Gil Hamilton (1976)
Convergent Series (1980)
Niven's Laws (1984)
Limits (1985)
Three Books of Known Space (1989)
N-Space (1990)
Playgrounds of the Mind (1991)
Crashlander (1994)
Flatlander (1995)
Larry Niven Short Stories Volume 1 (2003)
Larry Niven Short Stories Volume 2 (2003)
Scatterbrain (2003)
The Draco Tavern (2006)
Stars and Gods (2010)
Ringworld's Children / Fleet of Worlds (2016) (with Edward M Lerner)
Madness from the Inconstant Moon (2017)
The Shape of Space (1969)
All the Myriad Ways (1971)
Inconstant Moon (1973)
The Flight of the Horse (1973)
A Hole in Space (1974)
The Long Arm of Gil Hamilton (1976)
Convergent Series (1980)
Niven's Laws (1984)
Limits (1985)
Three Books of Known Space (1989)
N-Space (1990)
Playgrounds of the Mind (1991)
Crashlander (1994)
Flatlander (1995)
Larry Niven Short Stories Volume 1 (2003)
Larry Niven Short Stories Volume 2 (2003)
Scatterbrain (2003)
The Draco Tavern (2006)
Stars and Gods (2010)
Ringworld's Children / Fleet of Worlds (2016) (with Edward M Lerner)
Madness from the Inconstant Moon (2017)
Anthologies edited
Ad Astra and Beyond (2016) (with Forrest J Ackerman, John DeChancie, David Gerrold, Charles Lee Jackson II, Len Moffatt, Catherine Lucille Moore and Fred Patten)
Graphic Novels
Novellas and Short Stories
Becalmed In Hell (1965)
The Jigsaw Man (1967)
Wait It Out (1968)
Not Long Before the End (1969)
Rammer (1997)
The Jigsaw Man (1967)
Wait It Out (1968)
Not Long Before the End (1969)
Rammer (1997)
Non fiction
Conversations From the Edge: The Galaxy's Edge Interviews (2019) (with Peter S Beagle, Greg Bear, David Brin, Terry Brooks, Lois McMaster Bujold, Larry Dixon, David Drake, Eric Flint, David Gerrold, Joe Haldeman, Kij Johnson, Nancy Kress, Mercedes Lackey, Jack McDevitt, George R R Martin, Jerry Pournelle, Mike Resnick, Robert J Sawyer, Robert Silverberg, Harry Turtledove, Joy Ward, David Weber, Toni Weisskopf, Connie Willis and Gene Wolfe)
Omnibus editions
Three Trips in Time and Space (1973) (with John Brunner and Jack Vance)
World of Ptavvs / A Gift from Earth / Neutron Star (1991)
The Best of Larry Niven (2010)
World of Ptavvs / A Gift from Earth / Neutron Star (1991)
The Best of Larry Niven (2010)
Series contributed to
Man-Kzin
1. The Man-Kzin Wars (1988)
2. The Man-Kzin Wars II (1989)
3. Man Kzin Wars III (1990)
4. Man-kzin Wars IV (1991)
5. Man-Kzin Wars V (1992)
6. Man-Kzin Wars VI (1994) (with Gregory Benford)
7. Man-Kzin Wars VII (1995)
8. Choosing Names (1998)
9. Man-Kzin Wars IX (2002)
10. Wunder War (2003) (with Hal Colebatch)
11. Man-Kzin Wars XI (2005)
12. Man-Kzin Wars XII (2009)
13. Man-Kzin Wars XIII (2012)
14. Man-Kzin Wars XIV (2013)
The Best of All Possible Wars (1998)
Destiny's Forge (2005) (with Paul Chafe)
Man-Kzin Wars XV (2019)
1. The Man-Kzin Wars (1988)
2. The Man-Kzin Wars II (1989)
3. Man Kzin Wars III (1990)
4. Man-kzin Wars IV (1991)
5. Man-Kzin Wars V (1992)
6. Man-Kzin Wars VI (1994) (with Gregory Benford)
7. Man-Kzin Wars VII (1995)
8. Choosing Names (1998)
9. Man-Kzin Wars IX (2002)
10. Wunder War (2003) (with Hal Colebatch)
11. Man-Kzin Wars XI (2005)
12. Man-Kzin Wars XII (2009)
13. Man-Kzin Wars XIII (2012)
14. Man-Kzin Wars XIV (2013)
The Best of All Possible Wars (1998)
Destiny's Forge (2005) (with Paul Chafe)
Man-Kzin Wars XV (2019)
Anthologies containing stories by Larry Niven
Nebula Award Stories 1 (1966)
Dangerous Visions 2 (1967)
The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction 190 (1967)
Seven Trips Through Time and Space (1968)
World's Best Science Fiction 1968 (1968)
Nebula Award Stories 5 (1970)
The Best Science Fiction of the Year (1972)
The Hugo Winners: Volume 2, Part 1 (1973)
The Golden Road (1973)
The Best Science Fiction of the Year 4 (1975)
Antigrav (1975)
The Best from Galaxy, Volume IV (1976)
The Best from If, Volume III (1976)
Galaxy Science Fiction Vol. 37 No. 8 (1976)
The Best Science Fiction Stories (1977)
The Hugo Winners: Volume 3, Part 3 (1977)
100 Great Science Fiction Short Short Stories (1978)
The Best of Analog (1978)
The Science Fictional Solar System (1979)
Aliens! (1980)
Best Science Fiction Stories of the Year 1980 (1981)
Unicorns! (1982)
Sci-Fi Private Eye (1984)
Top Science Fiction (1984)
Great Science Fiction of the 20th Century (1987)
The Man-Kzin Wars (1988)
A Century of Fantasy 1980-1989 (1990)
Aliens and UFO's (1993)
Isaac Asimov's War (1993)
The Ascent of Wonder (1994)
Science Fiction, Science Fact, and You (1995)
How to Save the World (1995)
Tomorrow Bites (1995)
Sisters of the Night (1995)
The Wizards of Odd (1996)
The Way It Wasn't (1996)
Supernatural Sleuths (1996)
Cyber-Killers (1997)
Time Machines (1997)
The Playboy Book of Science Fiction (1998)
A Magic-Lover's Treasury of the Fantastic (1998)
Armageddons (1999)
Explorers (2000)
Dangerous Visions 2 (1967)
The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction 190 (1967)
Seven Trips Through Time and Space (1968)
World's Best Science Fiction 1968 (1968)
Nebula Award Stories 5 (1970)
The Best Science Fiction of the Year (1972)
The Hugo Winners: Volume 2, Part 1 (1973)
The Golden Road (1973)
The Best Science Fiction of the Year 4 (1975)
Antigrav (1975)
The Best from Galaxy, Volume IV (1976)
The Best from If, Volume III (1976)
Galaxy Science Fiction Vol. 37 No. 8 (1976)
The Best Science Fiction Stories (1977)
The Hugo Winners: Volume 3, Part 3 (1977)
100 Great Science Fiction Short Short Stories (1978)
The Best of Analog (1978)
The Science Fictional Solar System (1979)
Aliens! (1980)
Best Science Fiction Stories of the Year 1980 (1981)
Unicorns! (1982)
Sci-Fi Private Eye (1984)
Top Science Fiction (1984)
Great Science Fiction of the 20th Century (1987)
The Man-Kzin Wars (1988)
A Century of Fantasy 1980-1989 (1990)
Aliens and UFO's (1993)
Isaac Asimov's War (1993)
The Ascent of Wonder (1994)
Science Fiction, Science Fact, and You (1995)
How to Save the World (1995)
Tomorrow Bites (1995)
Sisters of the Night (1995)
The Wizards of Odd (1996)
The Way It Wasn't (1996)
Supernatural Sleuths (1996)
Cyber-Killers (1997)
Time Machines (1997)
The Playboy Book of Science Fiction (1998)
A Magic-Lover's Treasury of the Fantastic (1998)
Armageddons (1999)
Explorers (2000)
Short stories
Bordered in Black | |||
Cautionary Tales | |||
Convergent Series [short story] | |||
The Deadlier Weapon | |||
Dry Run | |||
Like Banquo's Ghost | |||
The Meddler | |||
Night on Mispec Moor | |||
The Nonesuch | |||
One Face | |||
The Schumann Computer | |||
Singularities Make Me Nervous | |||
Transfer of Power | |||
Wrong Way Street (1965) | Nebula Awards (nominee) | ||
At the Core (1966) | |||
Neutron Star [short story] (1966) | Hugo | ||
A Relic of the Empire (1966) | |||
The Ethics of Madness (1967) | |||
Flatlander [short story] (1967) | Nebula Awards (nominee) | ||
Handicap (1967) | |||
The Handicapped (1967) | |||
The Long Night (1967) | |||
Safe at Any Speed (1967) | |||
The Soft Weapon (1967) | |||
All the Myriad Ways [short story] (1968) | Hugo (nominee) | ||
Grendel (1968) | |||
Death by Ecstasy [short story] (1969) | |||
The Flight of the Horse [short story] (1969) | |||
Leviathan (1970) | |||
The Fourth Profession (1971) | Hugo (nominee) | ||
Inconstant Moon [short story] (1971) | Hugo | ||
Rammer [short story] (1971) | |||
There's a Wolf in My Time Machine (1971) | |||
Cloak of Anarchy (1972) | |||
What Good Is a Glass Dagger? (1972) | |||
The Alibi Machine (1973) | |||
The Hole Man (1974) | Hugo | ||
A Kind of Murder (1974) | |||
Plaything (1974) | |||
ARM (1975) | Hugo (nominee) | ||
The Borderland of Sol (1975) | Hugo | ||
The Children of the State (part 3) (1976) | |||
Down and Out (1976) | |||
Mistake (1976) | |||
Cruel and Unusual (1977) | |||
Grammar Lesson (1977) | |||
Rotating Cylinders and the Possibility of Global Causality Violation (1977) | |||
The Subject is Closed (1977) | |||
The Magic Goes Away [short story] (1978) | World Fantasy (nominee) | ||
The Locusts (1979) (with Steven Barnes) | Hugo (nominee) | ||
The Green Marauder (1980) | |||
The Real Thing (1982) | |||
The Integral Trees (part 3 of 4) (1983) | |||
The Integral Trees (part 4 of 4) (1984) | |||
The Warriors (1988) | |||
Assimilating Our Culture, That's What They're Doing (1989) | |||
The Return of William Proxmire (1989) | Hugo (nominee) | ||
The Wishing Game (1989) | |||
Madness Has Its Place (1990) | |||
Procrustes (1993) | |||
The South Los Angeles Broadcasting System (1993) | |||
Song of the Night People (1995) |
Awards
|
Larry Niven recommends

Extinction (2024)
Douglas Preston
"The novel moves like a bullet, and I was hooked throughout. Preston's research and scientific acumen were especially impressive. He really puts you there in the scene and convinces you . . . this is happening! An amazing achievement."

Hot Moon (2022)
(Apollo Rising, book 1)
Alan Smale
"I loved it. Great 'hard' science fiction with convincing space battles."

Primordial Threat (2018)
(Exodus , book 1)
M A Rothman
"Primordial Threat is a good combination of science and adventure fiction."
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