Short Stories By Larry Niven

"The Beginning of the End"

A powerful warlock long ago discovered a terrible secret, and now, at last, he must use it. This story, incidentally, is the reason for the title of the Magic:The Gathering card "Nevinyrral's Disk." It's a good read, though since its writing, others have picked up the concept, making it less original than it was.

"What Good Is a Glass Dagger?"

The Warlock (of the "The Beginning of the End," The Magic Goes Away, etc), and a lycanthrope ally battle against the world's first necromancer in the last days of magic on the earth. In my opinion, better than "The Beginning of the End."

"The Lion in the Attic"

A story about an unusual taver, with a yet more unusual owner, in the final days of the Age of Magic (the same setting as the Warlock's Wheel stuff, albeit without that character). It's a pretty decent tale, but it didn't grab me the way the other stories in this setting have.

"Unfinished Story #1"

This is essentially an extended, half-page-long pun. Sadly enough, when I first read it at the age of twelve or so, I didn't get the reference at all, and still thought it was pretty cool. For whatever that's worth.

"Unfinished Story #2"

I'm going to risk serious copyright infringement and reprint this story for you in its entirey:

It was a dark and stormy night...

No comment.

"Inconstant Moon"

Winner of the Nebula Award. This short displays a side of Niven we rarely get to see, as it's not incredibly caught up in hard science (though we do get quite a good bit of that none the less), and there's even some romance. It's late night in L.A., and the moon and the planets have suddenly brightened. Would you know what to do?

"Bordered In Black"

This story has some Known Space-like accoutrements (most notably the "blind spot" hyperspace), but does not seem to be in the Known Space timeline. When humans first escape their solar system, they discover that they are not alone... But the implications of the planet are too much for some to handle.

"All The Myriad Ways"

"All the Myriad Ways" is the name of a short story. All the Myriad Ways is the name of a collection of short stories. The short is, in Niven's own words, an attempt to be the be-all and end-all of infinite dimension stories, in which for every decision or random event, there are actually many different universes, the outcome of the event being different in each one. As Niven will admit, "All the Myriad Ways" didn't end the sub-genre, but I have to agree with the premise of the story – that such a cosmology is inherently pretty depressing. One of Niven's better known and better-liked shorts.

"Rammer"

Jaybee Corbell is brought back from his frozen suspension to serve the totalitarian State, one hundred years after he entered cryogenics in hopes of a cure for his cancer. Now he is sent to seed colony worlds for humans in a Bussard Ramjet. An interesting tale, this short is also the beginning (but not meat) of the book A World Out of Time

"Limits"

One of the "cautionary tales" told in the setting of the Draco Tavern, a bar catering to alien patrons. This short is a commentary on humankind's habit of defining everything by limits, then straining to surpass those limits. Like the other cautionary tales, a good story, with a particularly nice ending.

"War Stories"

Another of the Draco Tavern "cautionary tales," this one about the boom and bust of humanity's wars, and an alien entrepeneur. Cute. Not great, but cute.

"The Green Menace"

Another "cautionary tale." This one centers around an unimaginably old alien returning to earth for the first time in literally billions of years. The lesson is one of displacement, I suppose.

"The Patchwork Man"

The first of Niven's organ bank tales. I still think that it makes a chilling about of sense, and recommend it to anyone. Very, very good ending.

"The Theory and Practice of Teleportation"

"The Theory and Practice of Teleportation" isn't a short story. It's an essay on some technological and societal restrictions that might apply to various kinds of teleportation devices. If you have the slightest interest in how to write science fiction, if you have the slightest inclination to write science fiction, if you, indeed, have the slightest desire to write any form of fiction, read this essay! I can not emphasize enough how cool "Teleportation" is. It's a perfect example of Niven's greatest strength – his ability to seamlessly create new cultures which fit perfectly with their technology and enviroments. Even if you don't write hard sci-fi, there are very valuable lessons in this essay about how to create continuity. And it's actually quite a pleasure to read.

"The Theory and Practice of Time Travel"

Another essay in the same vein as "The Theory and Practice of Time Travel." This one's a little bit less enthralling, primarily because time travel is an inherently flakier subject. However, if you have any desire to write a time travel story, hunt this essay down and read it. Do yourself the favor.

"Man of Steel, Woman of Kleenex"

Another essay, but this one is just out and out funny. Here, Niven turns his logical mind to the myriad problems Superman would have attempting to produce an heir, and believe me, it's hilarious. It's also, if you think about it, a sort of gentle warning at the sort of gaping logical holes that can be created by people who don't do the sort of careful integration of supernatural elements and world that Niven does.