Protector

Author:

Niven, Larry

Publication date:

1973-09

Publication type:

Novel

Published:

paper, Ballantine, 1973; paper, Futura (British)

Opus No.:

Setting:

Known Space

I.U.C.:

K.S. 17 (2124 - 2341)

ISBN:

0-86007-848-5

Characters:

Jack Brennan; Luke Garner; Elroy Truesdale; Pak Protectors; Alice Jordan

Summary:

In the first part, Phssthpok, the first known "outsider" (alien) has entered the solar system and it does not appear to be friendly. Its first act is to kidnap a native of the Asteroid Belt, Jack Brennan, and crashland on Mars.

The second part, Vandervecken, follows the story of Brennan, whose lifespan has been enhanced enormously due to his contact with the alien, and one of his descendants, Roy Truesdale, in an interplanetary war that the rest of human space simply must not find out about...

The first part of this book originally appeared as "The Adults" in Galaxy, June 1967 (#21).

Notes:

Brand-new assumption introduced to Known Space: humanity is descended from the Pak. The novel 's second section is called "Vandervecken," and takes place in 2340. The first part is Adults, The

Reprints:

Reprints Characters Awards Notes as Il Defensore, hardback, dall'Oglio editore 1975; as Der Baum Des Lebens, Wilhelm Goldmann Verlag, München, paper; as Protecteur, Editions Albin Michael, 1976, paper; paper, as Beschermheer, Elsevier Nederland B.V., Amsterdam/Brussels 1977; paper, 1979, Japan, Hayakawa Publishing Inc.; Audio Book: Books on Tape, 1998, read by Connor O’Brien