thegooddoctor
2/19/2021
Very enjoyable. I recall that this was the novel that convinced me that "telepathy" could actually exist. All you need is two people who are linked into the same computer.
The diving board at the top of the Todos Santos arcology does not indicate a great empathy with the masses - but it is certainly memorable. I wouldn't necessarily say that Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle are/were "slightly to the right of Attila the Hun" politically, but no-one would ever accuse them of being lefties.
Larry Niven is certainly one of the very best of the best among hard SF authors - but it is striking how very many of his best novels are collaborations - especially those with Jerry Pournelle (and also Steven Barnes).
They return to the notion of a large arcology in southern California in their novel California Voodoo Game.
My rating system starts with a rating of one star for a story/novel that I ranked "C -". Ratings move up 1/2 star with each step, up to 5 stars (equivalent to a ranking of A+). I reserve 1/2 star for works rated D and lower.