LARRY NIVEN is the New York Times bestselling author of the Ringworld series, along with many other science fiction masterpieces, and fantasy including the Magic Goes Away series. He has received the Nebula Award, five Hugos, four Locus Awards, two Ditmars, the Prometheus, and the Robert A. Heinlein Award, among other honors. JERRY POURNELLE (1933-2017) was an essayist, journalist, and science fiction author. He had advanced degrees in psychology, statistics, engineering, and political science. As a science fiction author, he is best known for his many collaborations with Larry Niven, including Inferno, Beowulf's Children and The Mote in God's Eye . Pournelle was the first ever winner of the John W. Campbell Award for Best new Writer in 1973.