Review: The Draco Tavern, by Larry Niven
Overall rating: 5/5
Larry Niven is my favorite author, so when I discovered that he had a new book coming out this year, I was delighted. Like other Niven fans, I’ve learned to be disappointed by his recent works. But lately I’ve discovered what I think is the key to his writing: Niven is far superior as a short story writer than as a novelist. His immense creativity and his sense of humor just work better in a shorter form. His longer fiction, on the other hand, can meander at times. Now this is an overgeneralization, and Niven does have some wonderful novels, but I think it holds true, especially today. The Draco Tavern is a collection of short stories, bar tales to be exact. This is a perfect medium for Niven, letting him toss a mind-boggling idea or two–then into each story, then closing it. And these are not little ideas he’s playing with. In this collection you will see discussions of religion, immortality, morality, terrorism, punishment, fairness. And through it all is Niven’s heartfelt call for exploration, and a melancholy undercurrent that our species is tired of exploring new frontiers. Overall, this is an excellent collection, and one that I heartily recommend to seasoned Niven readers and newcomers alike.