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The Mote in God's Eye (Moties, #1)

Questions About The Mote in God's Eye (Moties, #1)

by Larry Niven

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Answered Questions (2)

Is this book full of a bunch of self centered jerks like Ringworld?
Vance Frickey There are only a few characters an unbiased reader might consider notably "self-centered" (Niven and Cooper's Building Harlequin's Moon acquainted me …moreThere are only a few characters an unbiased reader might consider notably "self-centered" (Niven and Cooper's Building Harlequin's Moon acquainted me with many more) in The Mote in God's Eye.

Dr. Buckman's the most obvious candidate, although this is tempered by the more insightful viewpoint characters such as Horace Bury noticing that Buckman's center is actually his devotion to knowledge. Horace Bury is both undoubtedly self-centered, and disarmingly self-honest about it. Rod Blaine and Sally Fowler are both self-centered to an extent, so much so that Sailing Master Kevin Renner has to intervene between them to ease the course of their unsteady romance aboard INSS Lenin on the way back from the Mote.

I don't view the self-centered narration of some of Niven's characters as a bad thing, necessarily. We're all necessarily self-centered - even if we don't advertise the fact. Displays of selflessness such as skipping meals often simply shifts burdens onto others, and can be a way of manipulating others.

In that regard, Larry Niven and Brenda Cooper's Building Harlequin's Moon is very good - it gets the exposition of the main characters' motivations, many of which are indeed selfish, and many driven by love of others, out of the way early and lets us watch the characters evolve. The out-right altruistic characters aren't two-dimensional saints and are by no means perfect - but are the characters I'd like as friends.

The Motie Mediators, the Moties we can best identify with, are almost entirely other-centered. They are programmed to learn as much as they can about their "fyunch-clicks", the decision-makers to whom they are assigned - Motie government depending on Mediators settling disagreements between decision-makers, so that each Mediator must be a decision-maker's alter ego.

But Mediators assigned to humans don't adjust well to centering their lives around them. Most go insane (at least by Motie standards), and the ones we see in tense situations with humans abandon any pretense of objectivity, losing patience at times with their assigned humans, but also sacrificing their lives for and with them.

If the original question is "are the characters in The Mote in God's Eye poorly drawn?" - no. This novel has some of the best characterization I've seen in a science-fiction novel.(less)
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I just finished this book, thought it was great, and am reluctant to jump into the rest in the series. It ended with just enough to fuel the imagination, even the epilogue gave quite a bit more away about the future that I'd like. Do the other books truly complete the story, or are they just to fill in missing pieces that don't have to be there?
Vaughn Ohlman IMO the other books are of lesser quality than this one, especially story wise. The incredible story tension of the first book does not have a match i…moreIMO the other books are of lesser quality than this one, especially story wise. The incredible story tension of the first book does not have a match in either of the other ones.(less)
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