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The Goliath Stone

By Larry Niven & Matthew Joseph Harrington
The Goliath Stone by Larry Niven & Matthew Joseph Harrington digital book - Fable

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Publisher Description

Scientists must stop nanites from driving an asteroid into Earth in this “brilliantly crafted . . . edge-of-the-seat thriller” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review).

Twenty-five years ago, Doctor Toby Glyer and William Connors made a revolutionary breakthrough in nanotechnology. Their controversial nanites were capable of everything from miracle cures for the terminally ill to AI for asteroid-mining missions. But when the nanite-run Briareus mission to divert an Earth-crossing asteroid dropped out of contact soon after reaching its target, the entire program was shut down and the use of nanotechnology forcibly suppressed.

Now a much, much larger asteroid is on a collision course with Earth—and the Briareus nanites may be responsible. While governments scramble to find a solution, Doctor Glyer knows that their only hope to avoid Armageddon lies in the nanites themselves. On the run, Glyer must track down Connors and find a way to make contact with their wayward children before a two-hundred-gigaton asteroid smashes into Earth. Will Glyer’s be Earth’s salvation, or destruction?

Praise for The Goliath Stone

“A fast read, filled with fascinating characters and mind-binding concepts. I should have worn a crash helmet.” —Larry Bond, New York Times–bestselling author of Shattered Trident

“A future so brilliantly rendered that it feels shockingly real. This stunning book is Niven at the absolute top of his game, a surefire award winner and fan pleaser.” —Whitley Strieber, New York Times–bestselling author of The Grays

“A rollicking good time.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“With witty dialogue and laugh-inducing prose, this is an incredible fun read, sure to entertain SF fans.” —Booklist

3 Reviews

3.0
“(Rating: 2.5/5) The driving plot of The Goliath Stone is great and should have resulted in a thought-provoking sci-fi novel, but it ultimately falls flat. Disjointed, hard-to-follow conversations interrupt any momentum the story starts to gain and the scientific knowledge/breakdowns presented often feel more pretentious than informative. But possibly the biggest detriment to the entire book is that supposedly intelligent people are 100% onboard with the eccentric rich guy purposely infecting an unknowing global population with nanobots and using these systems to alter and kill people that go against “the greater good.” For a character that so cares about women’s right-to-choose and consent, eccentric rich dude was sure ok with forcibly changing their bodies. And maybe that was a point the book was trying to make, but it was completely lost by the conclusion.”
“The story is about nanotechnology: the risks and benefits, how it could help us to exploit the stuff of our solar system, and how it could transform our own bodies. And the science is detailed, but never bogs down the plot because of the way it's handled. The plot is lightweight anyway, but what makes The Goliath Stone a great choice for a quick read is that it's that rare animal: a science fiction novel that's loaded with humour. Not Douglas Adams--this is an actual thriller of sorts. But sly witticisms, bad puns, sex jokes, and tons of pop literary references will keep you amused all the way through.”

About Larry Niven

LARRY NIVEN is the multiple Hugo and Nebula Award–winning author of the Ringworld series along with many other science fiction masterpieces. He lives in Chatsworth, California.

MATTHEW JOSEPH HARRINGTON is the author of Soul Survivor. He is currently living with fantasy artist Valerie Anne Shoemaker and four cats in San Jose, California.

Matthew Joseph Harrington

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