Larry Niven facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Larry Niven
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Niven in 2010
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| Born | Laurence van Cott Niven April 30, 1938 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Occupation | Novelist |
| Alma mater | |
| Period | 1964–present |
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| Notable works |
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| Notable awards | Inkpot Award (1979) |
Laurence van Cott Niven (born April 30, 1938) is an American science fiction writer. He is famous for his stories that use big scientific ideas. His 1970 novel Ringworld won many important awards. These include the Hugo, Locus, Ditmar, and Nebula awards.
Niven often writes with other authors. With Jerry Pournelle, he wrote popular books like The Mote in God's Eye (1974) and Lucifer's Hammer (1977). In 2015, he received the Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master Award. This is a special award given to science fiction and fantasy writers for their lifetime achievements.
His books are mostly hard science fiction. This means they use real science and physics concepts. His stories also often have parts of detective fiction and adventure stories. He has also written fantasy books, like The Magic Goes Away series. These stories imagine magic as something that can run out, like a natural resource.
Contents
Larry Niven's Life Story
Larry Niven was born in Los Angeles, California. His great-grandfather, Edward L. Doheny, was an oil businessman. He was involved in a well-known historical event in 1892.
Niven studied at the California Institute of Technology for a short time. He earned a degree in mathematics from Washburn University in 1962. He also studied math for a year at the University of California, Los Angeles. In 1969, he married Marilyn Wisowaty. She was a fan of science fiction and historical novels.
Niven's Writing Career
Niven has written many science fiction short stories and novels. His first story, "The Coldest Place," came out in 1964. This story was about the dark side of the planet Mercury. At that time, people thought Mercury always showed the same side to the Sun.
Niven has won several major awards for his writing.
- In 1967, he won the Hugo Award for Best Short Story for "Neutron Star."
- He won the same award again in 1972 for "Inconstant Moon."
- In 1975, he won it for "The Hole Man."
- In 1976, he won the Hugo Award for Best Novelette for "The Borderland of Sol."
Collaborations and Screenwriting
Niven often worked with Jerry Pournelle. They wrote nine novels together. These include The Mote in God's Eye, Lucifer's Hammer, and Footfall.
Larry Niven also wrote for television. He wrote scripts for two science fiction TV shows:
- The original Land of the Lost series.
- Star Trek: The Animated Series, where he adapted his own story "The Soft Weapon."
His story "Inconstant Moon" was also made into an episode for The Outer Limits. Niven has even written for DC Comics' character Green Lantern. He added real science ideas like universal entropy to these comic stories.
Known Space Universe
Many of Niven's stories are set in his "Known Space" universe. In this universe, humans share star systems near the Sun with many alien species. Some of these aliens include the cat-like Kzinti and the very smart but shy Pierson's Puppeteers. These alien species are often main characters in his books.
The Ringworld series is part of the Known Space stories. Niven has allowed other writers to create stories in this setting. This started with an anthology (a collection of stories) called The Man-Kzin Wars in 1988.
Other Fantasy and Science Fiction Series
Niven also wrote a fantasy series called The Magic Goes Away. In these books, magic uses a limited resource called mana. When the mana runs out, magic stops working.
His The Draco Tavern series of short stories are lighter science fiction tales. They are told from the view of the owner of a bar where different alien species meet. The funny Svetz series includes short stories and a novel, Rainbow Mars. These stories are about a time machine that travels to different realities. It brings back mythical creatures like a roc and a unicorn.
Since the 1970s, Niven has often written with others. His main collaborators include Jerry Pournelle and Steven Barnes. He has also worked with Brenda Cooper and Edward M. Lerner.
Larry Niven's Influence
Larry Niven's ideas have influenced other works. In the Magic: The Gathering card game, a card called "Nevinyrral's Disk" uses his name spelled backward. This is because the game's magic system, which uses "mana" from "lands," was inspired by Niven's book The Magic Goes Away. Later, a character named "Nevinyrral, Urborg Tyrant" was added to the game.
Political Views
Larry Niven is known for his conservative political views. In 1967, he spoke out against the Vietnam War. However, in 1968, he signed an advertisement that supported the US staying in the Vietnam War.
Niven also advised President Ronald Reagan on the Strategic Defense Initiative. This was a plan for an antimissile defense system. He was part of a group called the Citizens' Advisory Council on National Space Policy.
In 2007, Niven and a group of science fiction writers called SIGMA began advising the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. They shared ideas about future trends that could affect security policies.
Niven's Laws
Larry Niven is also known for "Niven's Law" in science fiction fandom. This law states: "There is no cause so right that one cannot find a fool following it." Over his career, Niven has added more "Niven's Laws." He describes these as "how the Universe works" based on what he has observed.
See also
In Spanish: Larry Niven para niños
