''Crashlander'' is a

fix-up A fix-up (or fixup) is a novel created from several short fiction 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 s ...

novel by American writer

Larry Niven Laurence van Cott Niven (; born April 30, 1938) is an American science fiction writer. His best-known works are ''Ringworld'' (1970), which received Hugo, Locus, Ditmar, and Nebula awards, and, with Jerry Pournelle, ''The Mote in God's Eye'' ...

, published in 1994 () and set in his ''

Known Space Known Space is the fictional setting of about a dozen science fiction novels and several collections of short stories written by Larry Niven. It has also become a shared universe in the spin-off ''Man-Kzin Wars'' anthologies. The Internet Spec ...

'' universe. It is also a term used in the Known Space universe, denoting a human born on the planet ''We Made It''.

Plot summary

Crashlander brings together the short stories featuring the space pilot

Beowulf Shaeffer Known Space is the fictional setting of about a dozen science fiction novels and several collections of short stories written by Larry Niven. It has also become a shared universe in the spin-off ''Man-Kzin Wars'' anthologies. The Internet Spe ...

— "

Neutron Star A neutron star is the collapsed core of a massive supergiant star, which had a total mass of between 10 and 25 solar masses, possibly more if the star was especially metal-rich. Except for black holes and some hypothetical objects (e.g. white ...

" (1966), "

At the Core "At the Core" is an English language science fiction short story by American writer Larry Niven, published in 1966. It is the second in the series of ''Known Space'' stories featuring crashlander Beowulf Shaeffer. The short story was originally publ ...

" (1966), "

Flatlander Flatlander may refer to: * "Flatlander" (short story), a 1967 story by Larry Niven * ''Flatlander'' (short story collection), a 1975 collection of short stories by Larry Niven * Flatlander (Niven), a term used in Larry Niven's works * A charact ...

" (1967), "

Grendel Grendel is a character in the Anglo-Saxon epic poem '' Beowulf'' (700–1000). He is one of the poem's three antagonists (along with his mother and the dragon), all aligned in opposition against the protagonist Beowulf. Grendel is feared by a ...

" (1968), "

The Borderland of Sol "The Borderland of Sol" is a science fiction novelette by American writer Larry Niven. It is the fifth in the ''Known Space'' series of stories about crashlander Beowulf Shaeffer. The story was originally published in ''Analog'', January 1975, pr ...

" (1975), and "

Procrustes In Greek mythology, Procrustes (; Greek: Προκρούστης ''Prokroustes'', "the stretcher ho hammers out the metal), also known as Prokoptas, Damastes (Δαμαστής, "subduer") or Polypemon, was a rogue smith and bandit from Attica ...

" (1993). The stories are linked, and some of them extended, by a framing story, "Ghost". This story recounts Shaeffer's reunion with a ghostwriter whom Shaeffer had used to write about his adventures at the neutron star and at the core, Ander Smittarasheed. Ander, working for

ARM In human anatomy, the arm refers to the upper limb in common usage, although academically the term specifically means the upper arm between the glenohumeral joint (shoulder joint) and the elbow joint. The distal part of the upper limb between the ...

agent

Sigmund Ausfaller This is a list of fictional characters featured in the ''Known Space'' novels by Larry Niven. Individual characters Sigmund Ausfaller Sigmund Ausfaller, a native of Earth, is a member of the Amalgamated Regional Militia ("ARM"), working in the B ...

, has come to question him about his dealings with

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. The race first appeared in Niven’s novella ''Neutron Star''. Biology and sociology The sobriquet "Piers ...

General Products Pierson's Puppeteers, often known just as Puppeteers, are a fictional alien race from American author Larry Niven's ''Known Space'' books. The race first appeared in Niven’s novella ''Neutron Star''. Biology and sociology The sobriquet "Piers ...

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 Gridley Wu, a fictional character, is the 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″ (188 ...

, 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 ''

''. Most of the stories in the collection are retold from the point of view of Sigmund Ausfaller in ''

Juggler of Worlds ''Juggler of Worlds'' (2008) is a science fiction novel by American writers Larry Niven and Edward M. Lerner, a sequel to their ''Fleet of Worlds''. It is set in the Known Space universe. Most of the book revisits earlier stories (the Beowulf ...

''.

Crashlander (in-universe term)

A "Crashlander", in Known Space, is anyone from the planet ''We Made It''. As the names imply, the colonists who first settled the planet almost did not survive the landing.

External links

The Incompleat ''Known Space'' Concordance
Known Space stories 1994 short story collections 1994 science fiction novels Short story collections by Larry Niven Del Rey books {{1990s-sf-story-collection-stub

Plot summary

Crashlander (in-universe term)

See also

External links