History Creator / LarryNiven

* ''Literature/TheFlyingSorcerers'' (with David Gerrold)

Starting in the 1970s, much of Niven’s work was in collaborations with other authors. (By the 90s, “much” became “nearly all.”) He worked extensively with Creator/JerryPournelle, including ''Literature/TheMoteInGodsEye'' and ''Literature/LucifersHammer''. He's also worked with Steven Barnes on the ''Literature/DreamPark'' series, both writers on the “Heorot” series, and others like Creator/MichaelFlynn, Brenda Cooper, Edward Lerner, and Creator/GregoryBenford.

* DidntSeeThatComing: In ''Beowulf's Children'', Aaron Tragon's (the MagnificentBastard of the novel) schemes to colonize the mainland of the planet and become the new leader of the colonists is derailed by a rather spectacular Unknown Unknown. After [[spoiler:shooting Little Chaka and Cadmann to keep them from warning everyone of the imminent continent sweeping attack of the recently discovered huge flesh-eating "bees" with SuperSpeed]], all in order to keep everyone from leaving, he goes back to the colony and tells everyone a story of how they were devoured by grendels. He puts on a ''very'' convincing act of grief and shame, while preparing to take the reins of leadership left behind by [[spoiler:Cadmann]]. All of a sudden, [[spoiler:the intelligent ''grendel'' protagonist approaches the colony, having ''saved'' Little Chaka, who proceeds to blow the whole scheme out of the water by telling everyone of Aaron's betrayal]]. The only reason Aaron avoids execution on the spot is the untimely arrival of the aforementioned [[spoiler:flesh-eating "bees" with superspeed]].

[[caption-width-right:206:[[FanNickname Speaker-To-Seafood]]]]

-->-- '''Larry Niven'''

* EcoTerrorist: The FROMATES ([=Friends=] Of Man And The Earth) terrorist group in ''Oath of Fealty''. They totally oppose the arcology Todos Santos and commit kidnapping, attempted arson, murder and attempted mass murder in their campaign to destroy it (and everyone living in it).

** ''{{Literature/Ringworld}}'', one of the earliest [=BDOs=], is a one-million-mile wide
ring built roughly in the diameter of the Earth's orbit (around another star.) Picture a giant ring spinning around the sun with the inside surface open for light, with 1000 mile high walls to hold the air in, while it spins for roughly 1 G of gravity. Population? In the trillions, with nowhere to run if something goes wrong.

* BigDumbObject

** ''{{Literature/Ringworld}}'', one of the earliest [=BDOs=], it's basically a world built roughly in the shape of the Earth's orbit (around another star.) Picture a giant ring spinning around the sun with the inside surface open for light, with 1000 mile high walls to hold the air in, while it spins for roughly 1 G of gravity. Population? In the trillions, with nowhere to run if something goes wrong.
** ''Literature/TheIntegralTrees'' series, an entire civilization living in free fall in a human-livable environment around a neutron star.

Also responsible for numerous works with Creator/JerryPournelle, including ''Literature/TheMoteInGodsEye'' (from which the term for a third hand -- the "gripping hand" -- comes. The phrase is used in the context of there being three options from which to choose, the dominant concern being the gripping hand[[note]] the motie's strongest arm[[/note]]) and ''Literature/LucifersHammer''. He's also worked with Steven Barnes on the ''Literature/DreamPark'' series.

* IfJesusThenAliens: Also used in ''Fallen Angels'' - the novel's "ruling coalition of proxmires, falwells, rifkins and maclaines" is composed of groups currently regard each other, sometimes literally, as minions of the Devil. Niven(and [[Literature/StateOfFear later]], Creator/MichaelCrichton) noticed that if those four blocs ever realized that they are [[TheHorseshoeEffect the same]] - that they all yearn for YeGoodeOldeDays - they could easily gain bipartisan support (Green liberals and fundie conservatives) and pretty much TakeOverTheWorld.

* ''{{Literature/Inferno}}'' (with Creator/JerryPournelle), a successor to [[Creator/DanteAlighieri Dante Alighieri's]] Literature/TheDivineComedy.

* IfJesusThenAliens: Also used in ''Fallen Angels'' - the novel's "ruling coalition of proxmires, falwells, rifkins and maclaines" is composed of groups currently regard each other, sometimes literally, as minions of the Devil. Niven(and [[Literature/StateOfFear later]], Creator/MichaelCrichton) noticed that if those four blocs ever realized that they are NotSoDifferent - that they all yearn for YeGoodeOldeDays - they could easily gain bipartisan support (Green liberals and fundie conservatives) and pretty much TakeOverTheWorld.