Destiny's Forge

I've read the entire series, and this is easily the best. Now we know why a Kzin is a Kzin. The writing is superb and the character development is something we haven't seen before. Bravo!!!!!!!!!

Larry Niven may have invented the Kzin, but Paul Chafe has revealed them. There is more brilliant imagination and invention in this novel than I have seen in almost any other story in the MKW series. The story starts fast, then picks up speed. I usually read novels in fits and starts, often taking weeks to finish them; this one I completed in less than a week, making preferential time for it over other reading and tasks. And I was sorry to see it end. And Mr. Chafe, among other fine touches, draws in an element from the work of Cordwainer Smith. Bravo, Mr. Chafe! I am envious of your talent. Highly recommended for any SF reader.

This book is great...it's back to the quality the very best novellas from the Man-Kzin series. It gets into Kzin psychology as only the best of the M-K stories have. And it is a full novel length! And it is on the Kzin home world! And there are compelling new characters! (I got really tired of Robert Saxtorph) And in addition while it fills in some holes and invents a few new concepts, it is not gratuitously re-writing the Known Space concepts as I felt some of the M-K stories were. A great new book!

I have long loved the Man-Kzin stories but they developed a sameness about them in recent years. This book blows that away. It was compelling from the very first page and it takes a closer look at the Kzin than any previous work. It is a masterpiece of the series. Most of the book takes place on the Kzin home world and the heir to the patriarchy is one of the central characters. His ancient dynasty has been undone in a coup and his only chance at restitution lies with the primitive Kzin who are assumed to have nothing to offer and a few human diplomats caught on Kzin at the wrong time. One of the human diplomats is a naval officer who hates the Kzin. Her attitudes change over time, though, and she becomes a hero of the Patriarchy. This book fill in a lot of background but, mostly, it is fun to read. It is worth all 5 stars.

This is a long book that I planned to savour over a week of lunch hours. I wound up reading it cover to cover, just couldn't put it down. Great characters, amazing alien worlds, a very sophisticated plot. There are several nice easter eggs hidden in there for the true fan to find too. Good hard SF is rare these days, but this writer really did his homework and it shows. I put it up with Red Mars and Ender's Game. Highly recommended.