Books

London: Victor Gollancz Ltd, 1972. First U.K. Edition. First hardcover edition of Niven's best-known work, originally published as a Ballantine paperback original in 1970. "An exploration team consisting of an exotic mix of humans and aliens investigates a huge artifact [the Ringworld] occupying a planetary orbit around a sun. A novel of imaginary tourism; its real hero is the artifact, whose nature is further explored and explained in Ringworld Engineers (Barron, Anatomy of Wonder 4-392). A highspot of the genre, winning the Hugo, Nebula, and Locus awards in 1971. First Impression. Octavo (20.25cm); maroon paper-covered boards, with titles stamped in gilt on spine; dustjacket; [4],5-288pp. Tiny indentation to upper rear board edge, just a hint of foxing to upper edge of textblock, else internally fresh; very Near Fine. Dustjacket is unclipped (priced £1.90 net), with a faint wrinkle at upper spine panel, else a bright, Fine example.

Ringworld is a science fiction novel by Larry Niven, known for its sophisticated treatment of hard SF concepts and the early exploration of the 'big dumb object' story device.

The first edition of 'Ringworld' can be identified by its full cloth binding, lack of ISBN (which was not widely used until 1970), and the publisher's code 'K18' on the page after the end of the text.