The World of Ptavvs

by Larry Niven

Book Overview

Nothing quite prepared telepath Larry Greenberg for mind-to-mind contact with an alien. In the interest of science, Larry tapped the mind of Kzanol--and that was his first mistake.Kzanol was a thrint... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0345300548
• ISBN13: 9780345300546
• Release Date: May 1981
• Publisher: Del Rey Books
• Weight: 0.27 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Chilling alien malavolence

Ptaavs are creatures that use amplified psychic powers to dominate other races. Brutal amongst themselves and not the least hesitation to use and kill men. The novel is action packed and bloody...and interesting. But what makes it so fascinating is most of the novel is from the point of view of the alien. Great 60s SF. They don't make it like this anymore. Seriously, forgotten gem. Check it out.

Back when Known Space was great

Larry Niven really had a great universe with his "Known Space" series. It was just plain fun and imagnative. Larry has returned back to the Ring World and known space. But Ringworld's Children has pretty much ended the series and there isn't much more that can be done unless somebody decides to be a writer if Larry franchises it. That being said, I really liked World of Ptavvs. Larry's universe if fun and fairly PG rated, no really offensive stuff here. Indeed, this story goes well with the later Ringworld, Neutron Star stories, and the rest of Know Space. Basically, in this book the universe is old and there have been several wars of expermination between various species. About a few billion years past the Trints are mind-controlling overlords of the universe. They are double crossed and decided to exterminate life in the universe. Basically, the only thing left alive in the universe is food scum and we all evolved from that. Fast forward a billion years. Explorers on earth find a frozen statue of an alien. They use a stasis field, turn off the alien's stasis, and a threat comes to earth that could enslave the universe. Niven write fun and fast. To pass time the mind controlling Alien pays cards and the people who are controlled figure the thing is stupid, it can't spot card patterns. The lesson is clear: people in control don't have to be smart (that was known in 1966 and is still true today). Niven's high points in writing is in his playground of "Known Space". The novels read fast, are not boring, and are always fun. Now, this novel was written back in 1966. So, it's a little dated. We pretty much know there are no Martians. Still, it's fun. I rate it a 4 star.

A Great Feat of the Niven Universe!

By far my favorite Larry Niven book of all time, this book explains HOW WE GOT HERE!!! Larry Greenberg, a telepath, touches minds with an alien frozen for billions of years! However, an "incident" occurs, and Larry thinks he is Kzanol (weird name for an alien, huh?). the book is about how he and the real alien race to find an object that can allow you to control the entire population of Earth! I won't say more than that, so you'll have to read it yourself (I really encourage you to!).

First "Known space" novel-chronologically.

The foundations for the basic backround of "Known-space" are laid here.The story itself is of Larry Grinberg and Kzanol the thrint-an "enslaver" bilion years old who crashed into earth and got stuck in his stasis-suit protection system.Since objects in stasis are perfect mirors , when Kzanol is found he's treated as the "sea-statue".Larry , a human telepath who works with dolphins , agrees to try and read the sea-statue's thoughts when a friend suggests he's an alien in stasis.Kzanol , who's powerfull psionic powers allow him to enslave (allmost!) any intelligent being , is awakend into the connection with the human telepath. As a result , Larry thinks he's Kzanol and starts a race against the real Kzanol towards neptun inorder to reach Kzanol's spare space-suit which is also in stasis , and has in it a kind of telepatic-enhancer that will allow whoever finds it first to overcome the other and control earth ( a common thrint aspiration ).The end I will leave untold. It is a good book , nothing more , and I recommend it particularlly to those avid sci-fi and Niven fans as myself , that have to read every Known-space story , if only to the purpose of saying-"I've read'em all!"

Great ideas!

This is one of Larry Niven's excellent Known Space stories. The premise is pretty fascinating, and I think the Slavers are one of Niven's best-developed alien races. This engaging book makes the most of Niven's talent for interesting ideas.