Crashlander
Encyclopedia
Crashlander is a fix-up
by Larry Niven
published in 1994 (ISBN 978-0345381682), set in his Known Space
universe. It is also a term used in the Known Space universe
— "Neutron Star" (1966), "At the Core
" (1966), "Flatlander
" (1967), "Grendel
" (1968), "The Borderland of Sol
" (1975), and "Procrustes
" (1993).
Each of the stories is linked and, in some cases extended, by a framing story, "Ghost". This story recounts Shaeffer's reunion with a ghostwriter whom Shaeffer had used to write the stories "Neutron Star" and "At The Core", Ander Smittarasheed. Ander, working for ARM agent Sigmund Ausfaller, has come to question him about his dealings with Pierson's Puppeteer
s, General Products
and Carlos Wu, as well as what happened to Wu and ARM agent Feather Filip. Wu, Shaeffer and Sharrol Janss and their children, Tanya and Louis Wu
, had secretly emigrated from Earth to the planet Fafnir to escape the control of Earth's United Nations government and the ARM.
Neutron Star, At The Core, Flatlander, and Grendel were previously included in the 1968 collection Neutron Star.
Most of the stories in the collection are retold from the point of view of Sigmund Ausfaller in Juggler of Worlds
.
. As the names imply, the colonists who first settled the planet almost didn't.
Fix-up
A fix-up is a novel created from short stories that may or may not have been initially related or previously published. The stories may be edited for consistency, and sometimes new connecting material—such as a frame story—is written for the new novel. The term was coined by the science fiction...
by Larry Niven
Larry Niven
Laurence van Cott Niven / ˈlæri ˈnɪvən/ is an American science fiction author. His best-known work is Ringworld , which received Hugo, Locus, Ditmar, and Nebula awards. His work is primarily hard science fiction, using big science concepts and theoretical physics...
published in 1994 (ISBN 978-0345381682), set in his Known Space
Known Space
Known Space is the fictional setting of some dozen science fiction novels and several collections of short stories written by author Larry Niven. It has also in part been used as a shared universe in the Man-Kzin Wars spin-off anthologies sub-series....
universe. It is also a term used in the Known Space universe
Crashlander (novel)
Crashlander brings together the short stories featuring the space pilot Beowulf ShaefferBeowulf Shaeffer
Beowulf Shaeffer is a fictional character from Larry Niven’s Known Space series. Shaeffer is a crashlander, a native of We Made It, a planet circling the star Procyon...
— "Neutron Star" (1966), "At the Core
At the Core (story)
"At the Core" is an English language science fiction short story written in 1966 by Larry Niven. It is the second in the series of Known Space stories featuring crashlander Beowulf Shaeffer...
" (1966), "Flatlander
Flatlander (story)
"Flatlander" is an English language science fiction short story written in 1967 by Larry Niven. It is the third in the series of Known Space stories featuring crashlander Beowulf Shaeffer...
" (1967), "Grendel
Grendel (Niven)
"Grendel" is an English language science fiction short story written in 1968 by Larry Niven. It is the fourth in the series of Known Space stories featuring crashlander Beowulf Shaeffer...
" (1968), "The Borderland of Sol
The Borderland of Sol (story)
The Borderland of Sol is an English language science fiction novelette written in 1975 by Larry Niven. It is the fifth in the Known Space series of stories about crashlander Beowulf Shaeffer....
" (1975), and "Procrustes
Procrustes (story)
"Procrustes" is an English language science fiction short story written in 1994 by Larry Niven. It is the sixth in the series of stories about crashlander Beowulf Shaeffer. The short story was originally published in Crashlander, Larry Niven, New York: Ballantine, 1994, pp...
" (1993).
Each of the stories is linked and, in some cases extended, by a framing story, "Ghost". This story recounts Shaeffer's reunion with a ghostwriter whom Shaeffer had used to write the stories "Neutron Star" and "At The Core", Ander Smittarasheed. Ander, working for ARM agent Sigmund Ausfaller, has come to question him about his dealings with Pierson's Puppeteer
Pierson's Puppeteer
Pierson's Puppeteers, often known just as Puppeteers, are a fictional alien race from American author Larry Niven's Known Space books.- Biology and sociology :...
s, General Products
General Products (Larry Niven)
In Larry Niven's fictional Known Space universe, General Products is a Pierson's Puppeteers company which produces various spacecraft components.-General Products hull:...
and Carlos Wu, as well as what happened to Wu and ARM agent Feather Filip. Wu, Shaeffer and Sharrol Janss and their children, Tanya and Louis Wu
Louis Wu
Louis Gridley Wu, a fictional character, is the main protagonist in the Ringworld series of books, written by Larry Niven.Louis Wu was born in 2650 to Carlos Wu and Sharrol Janss. When he appears in Ringworld, Louis is 6'2" tall...
, had secretly emigrated from Earth to the planet Fafnir to escape the control of Earth's United Nations government and the ARM.
Neutron Star, At The Core, Flatlander, and Grendel were previously included in the 1968 collection Neutron Star.
Most of the stories in the collection are retold from the point of view of Sigmund Ausfaller in Juggler of Worlds
Juggler of Worlds
Juggler of Worlds is the sequel novel to Fleet of Worlds by Larry Niven and Edward M. Lerner.It is set in the Known Space universe. Most of the book revisits earlier stories...
.
Crashlander (in-universe term)
A Crashlander, in Known Space, is anyone from the planet We Made ItWe Made It
We Made It may refer to* "We Made It", a song by Busta Rhymes featuring Linkin Park* "We Made It", a song by Toto from their album Toto IV* "We Made It", a song by Tito Jackson from his 2011 album* "Looks Like We Made It", a song by Barry Manilow...
. As the names imply, the colonists who first settled the planet almost didn't.
External links
See also
- Flatlander (in-universe term)Flatlander (Niven)Flatlander is a 1995 collection of stories by Larry Niven, all set in Known Space. It is the definitive collection of all stories by Niven about ARM agent Gil Hamilton....
- Belter (in-universe term)Belter (Niven)In Larry Niven's fictional Known Space universe, a Belter refers to a resident of the Asteroid Belt around Sol, sometimes known as the Sol Belt to differentiate it from Alpha Centauri's Serpent Swarm....