- Paperback: 480 pages
- Publisher: Collins; New Ed edition (28 Mar 1994)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0006476457
- ISBN-13: 978-0006476450
- Product Dimensions: 17.4 x 11.2 x 3.2 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 648,516 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Description
Product Description
This is the sequel to "The Mote in God's Eye". Humankind has spent 100 years agonizing over the threat posed by the only aliens they have ever threatened, the Moties. The three-armed aliens have been quarantined within the confines of their own solar system - until now.
From the Back Cover
THE GRIPPING HAND
His Excellency Horace Hussein Al-Shamlan Bury, trader and magnate, had hoped never again to hear mention of the gripping hand. Moties, the only aliens mankind has ever encountered, have two delicate right arms with small, wonderfully dextrous hands – and one powerful left arm, which wields the gripping hand…
RETURN TO MOTE PRIME
While Bury is investigating an excess of cash on the Imperial planet Maxroy’s Purchase, his long-time friend and pilot Kevin Renner first sounds the alarm: the dreaded Moties have escaped quarantine. And so begins for Bury and Renner an adventure unsuited to men of their age, which returns them to Mote Prime, launches them into battle in space…and reveals, once more, their unorthodox appreciation of Motie intelligence and ingenuity.
“A major novel, sure to be one of the most popular books of the year”
SCIENCE FICTION CHRONICLE
“Moties are one of the most fascinating species ever evoked. As mythical demons defending the structure of reality – their phrase – they make a formidable read. This is state-of-the-art SF”
THE TIMES
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I do not share the negative reviews that have been written about this book. In my opinion, this is a very good sequel to the "Moat in God's eye".
Indeed, I believe that - hoping not to offer too many spoilers! - the choices made by the authors are logical and not at all less worthy of the plot exposed in the original book.
For example, since the civilisation on Mote 1 was going to "fail" in a very short time after the humans left that planet in the 1st book, it would not be very likely that a not-so-far-away in the future comeback by the humans on that planetary system would find the "earthlings" (sorry, the "motelings") back "on speed" once again. And, the very fact that there had already been countless cycles - along with other findings of the 1st human expedition - suggested that the "asteroidal" civilisation around Mote 1 must have had a non-negligible role, particularly during the "low sides" of the Mote-1 cycles.
Once that path has been choosen, I think that the next one (who was going to be the main human character) was only logical - and also very interesting!
I did not feel that the 1st part of the book was particulary slow or boring. However, I do agree that, starting from the "big moment", the pace does quicken quite a bit.
All in all a very entertaining read - sometimes even risking to be an intellectually (what-if) stimulating one.
Indeed, I believe that - hoping not to offer too many spoilers! - the choices made by the authors are logical and not at all less worthy of the plot exposed in the original book.
For example, since the civilisation on Mote 1 was going to "fail" in a very short time after the humans left that planet in the 1st book, it would not be very likely that a not-so-far-away in the future comeback by the humans on that planetary system would find the "earthlings" (sorry, the "motelings") back "on speed" once again. And, the very fact that there had already been countless cycles - along with other findings of the 1st human expedition - suggested that the "asteroidal" civilisation around Mote 1 must have had a non-negligible role, particularly during the "low sides" of the Mote-1 cycles.
Once that path has been choosen, I think that the next one (who was going to be the main human character) was only logical - and also very interesting!
I did not feel that the 1st part of the book was particulary slow or boring. However, I do agree that, starting from the "big moment", the pace does quicken quite a bit.
All in all a very entertaining read - sometimes even risking to be an intellectually (what-if) stimulating one.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I re read the "Mote in God's eye" recently and decided to buy the follow up "The gripping hand" also known as "The Moat around Murcheson's eye"
I was not disappointed. Like the original the book builds gently and unfolds slowly but inevitably whilst giving the reader a lot of background information about the mote, the moties and the empire.
Some of the original cast are recast in this novel 20 odd years on. Not wishing to give the plot away too much - the novel concentrates on and describes the Motie civilisation of the Oort cloud and asteroid belts. This was not dealt with properly in the original novel. The plot gets pretty complex near the end of the book due to the description of and motivations of the various Motie factions.
There are some recaps to remind the reader of events and background of the original novel but these are perfunctory and brief. The ending comes to a satisfying and logical conclusion.
The novel is not quite up there with the original but it certainly kept me reading to the end.
Again the novel is well planned and thought out, is consistent with the original and maybe ends a bit too much on a positive note with most plot threads worked out satisfactorily (unlike real life politics?) Recommended.
I was not disappointed. Like the original the book builds gently and unfolds slowly but inevitably whilst giving the reader a lot of background information about the mote, the moties and the empire.
Some of the original cast are recast in this novel 20 odd years on. Not wishing to give the plot away too much - the novel concentrates on and describes the Motie civilisation of the Oort cloud and asteroid belts. This was not dealt with properly in the original novel. The plot gets pretty complex near the end of the book due to the description of and motivations of the various Motie factions.
There are some recaps to remind the reader of events and background of the original novel but these are perfunctory and brief. The ending comes to a satisfying and logical conclusion.
The novel is not quite up there with the original but it certainly kept me reading to the end.
Again the novel is well planned and thought out, is consistent with the original and maybe ends a bit too much on a positive note with most plot threads worked out satisfactorily (unlike real life politics?) Recommended.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
As the original is probably my favourite science fiction novel of all time, it was never likely that this sequel was ever going to measure up in my opinion. And it didn't.
That said, it's still readable in its own right. The Moties are probably the best-realised aliens that I've ever read about and so it was a pleasure to read a further novel about them, and also to see the return of some of the characters from the original (albeit limited to cameos at the start of the book for a good number of them).
I wouldn't disagree with the comment made by one of the previous reviewers that the reasons give for avoiding the protagonists visiting Mote Prime felt like something of a cop out, but the story still moves along apace (after an admittedly long-winded beginning) and it kept me interested to the end.
A must-read for anyone who enjoyed The Mote in God's Eye, so long as you accept that it's never going to match the heights of the original.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Better written, but no new ideas
This sequel to "The Mote in God's Eye" has few new ideas, but the authors have become much better writers in the fifteen or so years between the two books. Read more
Published 8 months ago by J. Hind
Requires attention
Sometime around 1990, the density of Larry Niven's prose started to ramp up, while the balance of the action shifted from "stuff happening" towards "people talking". Read more
Published 9 months ago by Grant Hutchison
Sequel to the Moat - not quite as...
I did enjoy this. It was a little less gripping than the Moat in God's Eye but i was so pleased to have a continuation to the story, I still sped through it. Read more
Published 20 months ago by skd
Mind-numbingly uninteresting.
Having read the previous book on this subject, I rushed to get this sequel and now regret it. Whereas the first book was excellent, the characters fantastic and the story gripping... Read more
Published on 26 Aug 2007 by D. Martin
Total disappointment
The first book (Mote in God's Eye) is one of the best I have read. I do not believe that the original authors had anything to do with this book. It is so boring! Read more
Published on 5 April 2002 by dajordan@hotmail.com
disappointing sequel
After the brilliant Mote in God's Eye I was expecting to return to Mote Prime and have a few loose ends tied up. Read more
Published on 9 July 1999
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