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World of Ptavvs cover art

World of Ptavvs

By: Larry Niven
Narrated by: Bradford Hastings
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Summary

Nothing quite prepared telepath Larry Greenberg for mind-to-mind contact with an alien. In the interest of science, Larry tapped the mind of Kzanol - and that was his first mistake.

Kzanol was a thrint from a distant galaxy. He had been trapped on Earth in a time-stasis field for two billion years. Now he was on the loose, and Larry knew everything he was thinking. Thrints lived to plunder and enslave lesser planets - and the planet Kzanol had in mind was Earth!

©2019 Larry Niven (P)2019 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

What listeners say about World of Ptavvs

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clever story line

This was a enjoyable, with some really creative plot lines. I'd have scored a five, but the narrators intination threw me at times. it could have been the editing, but it was sometimes hard to tell where one paragraph or chapter ended and another began. The tempo was the same throughout. Worth a listen though.

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Slightly dated, but it still holds up

This was the first Niven book I read back in the Eighties, it got me hooked on him.

I was shocked by the ubiquitous smoking of the characters, even in hospital! I’d forgotten that bit, I suppose Niven is an addict.

I thoroughly recommend this audiobook, it’s well narrated and the story holds up, I read my paperback copy so many times it fell apart back in the day.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

plot needs to be better organised.

The story skips about a bit and you just have to assume that no sections are missing. go with it, it's quite interesting.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

One of my all time Fave Niven tales

A really excellent story; the science is old school.
The humour is middle class American.
Just a great tale in the telling the narrator instantly conveys the, what could be, confusing roles with clarity & ease
Loved it

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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Better to be read

I do like Larry Niven's books. I feel that this story, even though it was very well read might actually be better in the written version. If you enjoy it then you should give Protector, a book by L. Niven and Jerry Pournell, a read.

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A return to my youth

I read this book first in my teens and remembered that I enjoyed it. Now in my 50s I listened to it and still enjoyed the story. I’d forgotten parts of this and it is a book of its age. Dial phones in 22nd century for instance! Love the way that this book is written and the narrator is great although all voices are American accented, A few missteps in narration (left in). Also the pronunciation of a particular starship named after a famous author did grate on me every time he said it!

Otherwise a good listen.

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Classic

Classic sf. Aliens, Fusion drives, Belters, telepathic dolphins. Loved it, and well narrated too.

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