Does Niven ever get any better than the first half of Bordered in Black? I've read at least two other collections of his not featuring this story and none of them are as dark or evocative. I find his "Known Space" universe kind of intrusive and his other stories only barely tugging themselves along by the premise.
If none of his other stories manage the same dark sci-fi, cosmically spooky feel, which is the kind of kick I'm on, any recommendations for ones that do? I've read Blindsight, which was interesting but brittle, I'm struggling through Echopraxia, and I've read a dozen other books that only partially fit the theme (Rendezvous with Rama, 2001 novelization, Up the Walls of the World, etc).
I was thinking of checking out Call of the Black River and Revelation Space eventually, but was wondering if anybody has more prescient recs.
I'm gonna bump this once with some cosmic imagery and then leave it, I'll deal alright wallowing.
>>7888003
i've never heard of a Niven story called Bordered in Black. his wikipedia entry doesn't mention it.
i gave up on him after the appalling mess that was The Mote Around Murcheson's Eye. too many minor characters.
>>7888003
>if anybody has more prescient recs.
... you do know what that word means, right?
>>7888506
He considers his short stories his best work, I'd start there if you were at all interested. I know for certain his N-Space collection has it.
>>7888514
Haha wow that wasn't entirely on the nose, sorry man. You could finagle it into being applicable, maybe; I hate walking into some books without a little foresight. Expectations can make or break a work.
>>7888520
you don't like the Known Space books.. what else has he done? some fantasy stories, the Svetz time-traveler ones, Footfall, the Motie books, and the Ringworld books.
i liked the first Ringworld book, the second was weird, the third had too many characters.. he seems to have that problem.
>>7888003
>dark sci-fi, cosmically spooky feel
Charles Stross's short story collection "Toast".
the story you want is called "A Colder War". imagine Neal Stephenson collaborating with H.P. Lovecraft. dark as *fuck*.
