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Larry Niven
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The Goliath Stone Kindle Edition

by Larry Niven (Author), Matthew Joseph Harrington (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.0 4.0 out of 5 stars 399 ratings
Scientists must stop nanites from driving an asteroid into Earth in this “brilliantly crafted . . . edge-of-the-seat thriller” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review).

Twenty-five years ago, Doctor Toby Glyer and William Connors made a revolutionary breakthrough in nanotechnology. Their controversial nanites were capable of everything from miracle cures for the terminally ill to AI for asteroid-mining missions. But when the nanite-run Briareus mission to divert an Earth-crossing asteroid dropped out of contact soon after reaching its target, the entire program was shut down and the use of nanotechnology forcibly suppressed.

Now a much, much larger asteroid is on a collision course with Earth—and the Briareus nanites may be responsible. While governments scramble to find a solution, Doctor Glyer knows that their only hope to avoid Armageddon lies in the nanites themselves. On the run, Glyer must track down Connors and find a way to make contact with their wayward children before a two-hundred-gigaton asteroid smashes into Earth. Will Glyer’s be Earth’s salvation, or destruction?

Praise for The Goliath Stone

“A fast read, filled with fascinating characters and mind-binding concepts. I should have worn a crash helmet.” —Larry Bond, New York Times–bestselling author of Shattered Trident

“A future so brilliantly rendered that it feels shockingly real. This stunning book is Niven at the absolute top of his game, a surefire award winner and fan pleaser.” —Whitley Strieber, New York Times–bestselling author of The Grays

“A rollicking good time.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“With witty dialogue and laugh-inducing prose, this is an incredible fun read, sure to entertain SF fans.” —Booklist
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  1. Print length
    384 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Tor Books
  4. Publication date
    June 25, 2013
  5. File size
    2.9 MB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

What happens when humans tamper with the natural course of evolution without anticipating the effect of their actions? Answer: absolutely nothing good. Niven and Harrington’s novel follows Dr. Toby Glyer, a brilliant scientist and the man responsible for creating nanonites. Early in his career, Glyer’s nanonites were shot onto an asteroid for the purpose of study and then promptly forgotten about. Twenty-five years later, the same asteroid is now on a collision course with earth, and driving the asteroid are evolved, now-sentient nanonites. If this impending doom at the hands of nanonites was not enough, Dr. Glyer suspects that humans, to amazing side effects, are unknowingly ingesting these evolved nanonites. Incredibly, across the nation, cancer is down, infant mortality is down, terrorism is down, and acts of violence are down. But a darker side is brewing; suicide of a very particular section of the population is skyrocketing. With witty dialogue and laugh-inducing prose, this is an incredibly fun read, sure to entertain sf fans. --Alison Downs

Review

“Who knew nanotechnology could be this much fun? The Goliath Stone is a fast read, filled with fascinating characters and mind-bending concepts. I should have worn a crash helmet.” ―Larry Bond, New York Times bestselling author of Exit Plan

“The Goliath Stone takes a giant step beyond Lucifer's Hammer into a future so brilliantly rendered that it feels shockingly real. This stunning book is Niven at the absolute top of his game, a sure-fire award-winner and fan pleaser. First-class reading pleasure.” ―Whitley Strieber, New York Times bestselling author of The Grays

“Niven is a galaxy-class storyteller.” ―Time Magaine

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00C74OY7M
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Tor Books; Reissue edition (June 25, 2013)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ June 25, 2013
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2.9 MB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 384 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.0 4.0 out of 5 stars 399 ratings

About the authors

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  1. Larry Niven

    Larry Niven

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    LARRY NIVEN is the multiple Hugo and Nebula Award-winning author of the Ringworld series, along with many other science fiction masterpieces. He lives in Chatsworth, California. JERRY POURNELLE is an essayist, journalist, and science fiction author. He has advanced degrees in psychology, statistics, engineering, and political science. Together Niven and Pournelle are the authors of many New York Times bestsellers including Inferno, The Mote in God's Eye, Footfall, and Lucifer's Hammer.

    See more on the author's page
  2. Matthew Joseph Harrington

    Matthew Joseph Harrington

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    Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

    Matthew Joseph Harrington, son of historian Joseph Daniel Harrington, was born in 1960 at the US Naval Hospital in Yokosuka, Japan. He taught himself to read at the age of two. He was enrolled in public schools in Bowie, Maryland, and received an education by skipping class to hang out in the public library. At 10 he pushed a two-ton truck uphill unassisted.

    First story ever sold was to Larry Niven for Man-Kzin Wars series— which, given that the authors up to then were such lights as Poul Anderson, Hal Colebatch, Dean Ing, Donald Kingsbury, and Dr. Jerry Pournelle, was an experience not unlike showing up for a draft physical and being inducted into the Justice League. His third published story, Soul Survivor, in Baen's Universe, has been recommended for the Nebula. He is coauthor, with Larry Niven, of The Goliath Stone.

    He has rewired his house, which had no ground, and rebuilt its sewer drain, which had burst in the crawlspace in which he had to work. Prayers are always welcome.

    He has fed a feral kitten from the palm of his hand. He has repeatedly been bitten on the palm by a kitten.

    On two occasions he has been propositioned by women who turned out to be porn stars. He turned them both down.

    He is currently living with fantasy artist Valerie Anne Shoemaker and 9 cats.

    He does not drink beer.

    Stay fannish, my friends.

    harvey-rrit.livejournal.com

    See more on the author's page
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Customer reviews

4 out of 5 stars
399 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the story premise interesting and well-written. They enjoy the fast pace and find it enjoyable. However, some readers feel the ending is abrupt and disjointed. The description is ambiguous and lacking depth. Opinions differ on the humor - some find it clever and amusing, while others find it silly or overdone. Readers also disagree on readability - some find it very readable while others find it disappointing.

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Story qualityEnjoymentPaceHumorReadabilityCharacter developmentAbruptnessDescription
58 customers mention "Story quality"47 positive11 negative

Customers like the story quality. They find the premise interesting and the tale well-written. The plot seems reasonable with a functional universe described by the authors. The theme is intriguing, and the book has an erudite tone. Readers appreciate the chapter headings with quotes from Alexander Pope and John Adams. They also enjoy the literary references and action-packed characters.

"An enjoyable, high-tech romp, written with an abundance of big ideas and served in the humorous vein of Fallen Angels. Mssrs...." Read more

"...I really enjoyed this cast of characters. The storyline was great. I had a hard time putting it down," Read more

"Well-written and interesting - but unfortunately, it ends too soon and too abruptly...." Read more

"...The second half of the novel is filled with tension and new developments...." Read more

53 customers mention "Enjoyment"47 positive6 negative

Customers enjoy the book. They find it delightful, exciting, and interesting. The story is predictable but still offers enjoyable surprises. Readers appreciate the humor and sense of humor.

"An enjoyable, high-tech romp, written with an abundance of big ideas and served in the humorous vein of Fallen Angels. Mssrs...." Read more

"...to reevaluate how an author matured over time, an insightful and enjoyable task...." Read more

"Well-written and interesting - but unfortunately, it ends too soon and too abruptly...." Read more

"...I did like the book, but didn't like having to refer to Wikipedia for scientific lucidity...." Read more

7 customers mention "Pace"7 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's fast pace. They say it's well-told with fascinating characters and a steady pace.

"...but it's told fast and well with some fascinating characters in a future, scary police-state type world...." Read more

"The story clips along at a steady rate, and includes a multitude of in-jokes for the well read and informed." Read more

"...It's a fast read, and a lot of fun, but it's mainly about th magic of nano technology and how a SF fan would remain the world if he had the power." Read more

"...An outstanding book and a fast read. The combination of science and humor was excellent...." Read more

38 customers mention "Humor"24 positive14 negative

Customers have different views on the humor. Some find it clever and funny, with veiled references and inside jokes about other science fiction stories. Others feel the excessive witty banter and references are silly and tiresome, serving no story purpose.

"...high-tech romp, written with an abundance of big ideas and served in the humorous vein of Fallen Angels. Mssrs...." Read more

"...This work was characterized by two features I found somewhat annoying...." Read more

"...They created a situation both comical and a play on all of the Sci/fi theories plausible and ridiculous while keeping it interesting..." Read more

"...Overall, its a slightly funny quick read for a slow Sunday afternoon - but most jokes elicit a groan rather than a chuckle - even for someone who..." Read more

37 customers mention "Readability"24 positive13 negative

Customers have different views on the book's readability. Some find it readable but not very rewarding, a quick read. Others say the writing is poor and poorly organized, with silly repartee based on pop culture.

"...The tone of the book is relatively light, despite the potential impact, literally, of the events described...." Read more

"...It feels like the authors just stopped writing and declared the story done...." Read more

"...Having said that, I feel this was a good read (Niven and co-authors always are) but not one of his best...." Read more

"...Larry Niven and Partner have created a nice, easy reading and well rounded plot...." Read more

26 customers mention "Character development"14 positive12 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the character development. Some find the characters fascinating and the banter between them priceless. Others feel the characters are not well-developed, blend together, and the banter is hard to believe. The heroes come off as judgmental and chatty, while the bad guys are just laughable.

"This should have been much longer. I really enjoyed this cast of characters. The storyline was great. I had a hard time putting it down," Read more

"...None of that was present in this book. There's no character development- things just happen to the people the reader happens to follow...." Read more

"...The characters are mellow and surreal, believable but intentionally not believable, they fit perfectly into the plot...." Read more

"...But to me this novel has very little of that Niven character, though perhaps (hopefully) he at least contributed to the large-picture bits about..." Read more

14 customers mention "Abruptness"0 positive14 negative

Customers find the ending abrupt. They also mention the story jumps around and skitters from character to character. The beginning is disjointed and switches back and forth between timelines.

"...Again, overall a good but not excellent read. Given the abrupt ending, perhaps we could hope for a rewrite one day but I really don't think that is..." Read more

"Well-written and interesting - but unfortunately, it ends too soon and too abruptly...." Read more

"...to reiterate what was said earlier: (1) this book is full of knee-jerk political positions and (2) there is no real conflict...." Read more

"...Finally, the end is a big fizzle." Read more

7 customers mention "Description"2 positive5 negative

Customers find the description of the scenery ambiguous and lacking depth. They also mention that the book lacks the thoughtfulness of Heinlein's work.

"...And the description is misleading- for all that the blurb says this is supposed to be about nanomachines going rouge, getting sapient, and coming..." Read more

"...you might not like this book because it lacks the depth and thoughtfulness Heinlein brought to his work...." Read more

"...style and execution of this story line is uncommon and very different in its presentation...." Read more

"...Scenery is stated, but not really described." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • D Keith Howington
    5.0 out of 5 stars A high-tech romp with big ideas, served with sly humor
    Reviewed in the United States on July 15, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    An enjoyable, high-tech romp, written with an abundance of big ideas and served in the humorous vein of Fallen Angels. Mssrs. Niven and Harrington have created a world in which nanotechnology is just starting to have an impact, but what an impact it is! And their world-building is not limited to the planet Earth.

    Beyond the story, which had much room to expand past the confines of the portion told here, one cannot help but think about the world that Harrington and Niven have described as the changes are fully realized. It is a thought both inspiring and disturbing. Some aspects are perhaps too ambitious to contemplate with today's science, but others are directly presaged by current work. And to the extent that our future goes that way, much of our world, and even we ourselves, will be unrecognizable.

    The tone of the book is relatively light, despite the potential impact, literally, of the events described. In-jokes and sly humor are featured in abundance, particularly early on as the backstories and relationships are being developed. Some aspects of the plot seem unlikely indeed, but this piece is intentionally exploring many boundaries.

    This is not a deep-drafting vessel for exploring philosophical issues, though many are touched on. It's more of a light pleasure craft, skimming over an amazing series of events and providing pleasant recreation in the process. Fans of a number of other SF greats (particularly but not only Heinlein) will be rewarded, but that background knowledge is not crucial to enjoyment. And in fact, many pieces of classical literature and human culture get woven into the tapestry, offering threads entertaining to pursue in their own right.

    I recommend The Goliath Stone highly.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Amazon Customer
    4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting but not Niven's best
    Reviewed in the United States on April 5, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    I've been reading Niven's work since the 1970s when he first began to make a name for himself. I have always been a devoted fan and recommend his works whenever I have the opportunity. I try to reread his works from time to time to keep myself reminded of what drew me to him when I was a young man. I also reread favorite authors for two other reasons. First, to reevaluate how an author matured over time, an insightful and enjoyable task. Second, to reevaluate how I have changed as a reader as I became better educated and matured both personally and professionally (my background is in physics and aerospace). Overall, I would have to say that I much prefer his solo works to those with co-authors, though I can easily understand that collaborations bring new ideas and a different vigor.

    Having said that, I feel this was a good read (Niven and co-authors always are) but not one of his best. This work was characterized by two features I found somewhat annoying. In recent years, some of his works seem to be most accessible by folks who live at SF and fantasy conventions: slang, memes, conversational devices are redolent of hanging out in the somewhat closed crowd of that fandom. (I used to live at local SF cons, too.) On the positive side this lends to the language and conventions peculiar to people in a particular community of thought, which gives the novel an atmosphere unique to that crowd. But it limits accessibility a bit, which I normally find puts me off (I live in Washington, DC, so I learn to get over things like that). None of this kept me from my usual enjoyment of new ideas or old ones put in a different light. And Niven's works are nearly always rich with that.

    The other feature that disappointed me (perhaps I demand too much of my favorite authors) is that the novel seemed less deeply or richly developed than what I think of as his better works. Among his better recent works are the Fleet of Worlds novels, carrying forward a set of rich ideas he began more than thirty years ago. (No, I'm not one of the Known Space addicts who can't understand any other construct, but I certainly understand its fascination.) I felt the "bad guys" (most of Earth's governments or their substitutes) were a little too stereotyped. Their fears and ignorances (that word should always be plural) were not as well developed as I know Niven is capable of characterizing. The protagonists, similarly, were too much like one another, though Yellowhorse is perhaps unique in Niven's work. Yellowhorse, I think, really deserved much more development though I realize it's supremely difficult to properly describe the mind of someone that complex. (Was Yellowhorse really a plot shortcut to substitute for lots of other characters so the plot could be kept moving? Again, Niven makes me think!).

    Again, overall a good but not excellent read. Given the abrupt ending, perhaps we could hope for a rewrite one day but I really don't think that is Larry Niven's style. Instead I'm prepared to hope for a sequel that fills in a few spots and satisfies the teasers suggested in the closing chapters. This could easily be the beginning of a new kind of Known Space.

    Would I recommend this book? Absolutely yes.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • robert
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great read
    Reviewed in the United States on December 11, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    This should have been much longer. I really enjoyed this cast of characters. The storyline was great. I had a hard time putting it down,
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  • Kathleen Bartholomew
    3.0 out of 5 stars Good But Too Short
    Reviewed in the United States on July 25, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    Well-written and interesting - but unfortunately, it ends too soon and too abruptly. It feels like the authors just stopped writing and declared the story done. There's ample plot line left for a sequel, and they may have one planned: but this one would have read better if it had ended with a bit more grace and explanation.
    4 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Nuada
    5.0 out of 5 stars but I have enjoyed reading it
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 17, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    In my opinion this so different to Larry Niven's style, but I have enjoyed reading it.
    The critics said it was better that Lucifer's Hammer, I would say it is as good as Lucifer's Hammer.
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  • Big Bill
    5.0 out of 5 stars Nanotech is coming for you...
    Reviewed in Canada on January 17, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    Good S-F frequently poses a set of circumstances and asks What If? What if Nanotechnology were loose in the
    solar system? Who would use it and how? Much speculation has been about artificial intelligences , computers , developing
    consciousness. Would a group of nano robots , or 'bots , acting in conjunction with each other develop a group
    mind? This book explores these questions. It is packed with S-F references and gives a nod to S-F pioneers
    like Robert Anson Heinlein in the plot of the story. The characters are larger than life and the action is brisk. The book
    and characters could easily have been elaborated on and the book should probably be at least twice as long ; editors
    and accountants may have been involved in abbreviating the manuscript. I'd love to see the longer version. Indeed
    during the book one of the characters derides the editors that fifty to seventy-five years ago had the nerve to cut work
    by R.A.H. Many S-F fans think that such actions were akin to flushing the Mona Lisa. Editors used to be
    frustrated authors that can't write , but need an income. If perfection arrived on their desk they would still have
    to change it just to justify their job/existence. Perhaps there are other books to follow this one up.
    Another worthy read co-written by Larry Niven and Mathew Joseph Harrington.
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  • Gabi
    5.0 out of 5 stars sehr empfehlenswert
    Reviewed in Germany on April 13, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Wer SciFi liebt, sollte dieses Buch sowie alle anderen der beiden Autoren unbedingt lesen.
    Geniale Ideen, die auch sprachlich gelungen umgesetzt werden.
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  • rosesinbud
    4.0 out of 5 stars Nano meets asteroid
    Reviewed in Japan on August 9, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    From reading previous books by the same author, I knew that Larry Niven has a sense of humor. However, in his latest book, he takes the scary scenario x 2 or 3, and keeps you wondering how it's all gonna turn out, while at the same time amusing you with the various personalities and humor of the characters in the story. Not as complex as the Ringworld Series, but The Goliath Stone is a good read even for those who do not really care for sci fi/fantasy.
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  • Jamie V.
    3.0 out of 5 stars Glib fun
    Reviewed in Germany on September 29, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    It recalls some of Michael Crichton's work with its loose, fast and glib dialogue, making this book a great deal of fun to read. The premis of the story is simple and a bit too predictable, but it is really only a vehicle for the characters. As a piece centred around character analysis and interaction, there are a few to few to keep this interesting. Not enough intervention for an exciting read. The book simply seems to follow its plan. No real surprises.
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