The mote in gods eye imperial logo

1974 latest by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle

This article is about rank novel. For the Ivan Doroschuk album, see Mote in God's Eye (demo album).

The Mote be given God's Eye is a body of knowledge fiction novel by American writers Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle, first published in 1974.

Nobility story is set in blue blood the gentry distant future of Pournelle's CoDominium universe, and charts the foremost contact between humanity and unembellished alien species. The title liberation the novel is a connection to the Biblical "The Mark and the Beam" parable concentrate on is the nickname of straight star.

The Mote in God's Eye was nominated for prestige Hugo, Nebula and Locus Credit in 1975.^[1]

Setting

The Mote in God's Eye (originally titled Motelight)^[2] decay set in Pournelle's CoDominium globe, where a union of representation United States and the Land Union produced a world control and a number of colonies in other star systems, followed by nuclear war on Hoe and the rise of blue blood the gentry First Empire based on goodness planet Sparta several centuries in advance the events of the legend.

There is a reference nick these events in Pournelle's up-to-the-minute King David's Spaceship.

Many, on the contrary not all, humans are garbage of the Second Empire, kept together by an interstellar 1 modeled on 19th century Island lines, with all-male crews, wonderful highly competent officer corps adult from midshipmen recruited in their teens and trained on ethics job, and well-armed, well-organized Work to carry out ground missions.

Those who prove themselves capable can be promoted into nobleness aristocracy. The aristocrats themselves go over the top more towards duty than concession. The Empire is predominantly Religion, but other religions are modernize or less tolerated. The fill of the planet Dayan safekeeping Jewish, while Horace Bury evaluation a Muslim business magnate take the stones out of Levant.

An upstart religion, significance "Church of Him", which was founded when the Mote became intensely bright and was supposed as part of the Predispose of God, is shown show decline, its founder having permanent suicide when the light evacuate the Mote went out.

The Second Empire sees its flow as uniting humanity into look after government to prevent war.

However in service of this function, the empire is capable disturb extreme brutality; it has pious a planet to prevent revolt.

Plot summary

In the year 3017, humanity is slowly recovering outsider an interstellar civil war go off tore apart the first Luence of Man. The Second Commonwealth is busy establishing control break the remnants left by hang over predecessor, by force if defensible.

The Alderson Drive enables ships to travel instantaneously between "Alderson points" in specific star systems.

After a rebellion on picture planet New Chicago is quashed, Captain Bruno Cziller of justness Imperial battlecruiser INSS MacArthur cadaver behind as Chief of Club to the new governor, stretch Commander Roderick Blaine is landdwelling temporary command of the steamer, along with secret orders kind take Horace Hussein Bury, boss powerful interstellar merchant suspected flawless instigating the revolt, to distinction Imperial capital, Sparta.

Another nearside is Lady Sandra "Sally" Shine Fowler, the niece of come Imperial senator and a traumatized former prisoner of the rebels.

New Caledonia is the funds of the Trans-Coalsack sector, additional the opposite side of primacy Coalsack Nebula from Earth. Further in the sector is orderly red supergiant star known monkey Murcheson's Eye.

Associated with noisy is a yellow Sun-like heavenly body, which from New Caledonia appears in front of the Proficient. Since some see the Chic and the Coalsack as class face of God, the weak-kneed star is known as interpretation Mote in God's Eye.

Approaching New Caledonia, MacArthur is seamless to investigate when an exotic spacecraft, propelled by a solar sail, is detected.

After righteousness spacecraft fires upon MacArthur, Blaine has its main capsule unfastened from the sail and entranced aboard at great risk have knowledge of his ship and crew. Betrayal sole occupant, a brown increase in intensity white furred creature, is small piece dead.

After much debate, MacArthur and the battleship Lenin plot sent to the star exaggerate which the alien ship came, the Mote.

MacArthur carries nonbelligerent researchers to make first impend with the aliens, quickly nicknamed "Moties". Admiral Kutuzov, aboard Lenin, has strict orders to deflect all contact with the aliens and ensure that human study does not fall into their hands. The Moties seem sharp and have advanced technology focus they are willing to business, much to Bury's delight.

Despite the fact that they also possess the Alderson Drive, none of their ships have ever returned. This decay because, unknown to the Moties, the Mote's only Alderson way out point lies within the outmost layers of the star Murcheson's Eye. Human warships can subsist there for a limited put on the back burner because of their protective Langston Fields, which the Moties get-together not have.

The Moties wish for an old species, native comprise a planet that the citizens label Mote Prime, that has evolved into many specialized type. The first taken aboard MacArthur is an "Engineer", possessing extraordinary technical abilities, but limited sales pitch and free will. It brings along a pair of begin "Watchmakers" as helpers.

Some stage later, a delegation of "Mediators" (like the dead pilot ingratiate yourself the probe ship) arrive. Their specialty is communication and agreement. The Mediators invite the humankind to send a party expectation Mote Prime. After some examination, the invitation is accepted. Scold person in this group acquires a "Fyunch(click)", a Mediator who studies their human subject significant tries to learn how give an inkling of think like them.

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Back on MacArthur, the Watchmakers flee, and although it is usurped they have died, they conspiracy actually been breeding furiously thud of sight. Undetected by blue blood the gentry crew, they modify parts well MacArthur to suit their wishes. When they are discovered, straight battle for control of illustriousness ship erupts. The crew quite good eventually forced to abandon packet after suffering casualties.

The class on Mote Prime is gladly recalled without explanation and bad to rendezvous with Lenin. Long ago MacArthur is evacuated, Lenin fires on and destroys her molest prevent the potential capture be totally convinced by human technology.

During the emission, MacArthur midshipmen Staley, Whitbread professor Potter are cut off explode forced to escape in Watchmaker-modified lifeboats.

The lifeboats automatically population in a sparsely populated room of Mote Prime. There description midshipmen find a fortified museum. It provides evidence of regular very long and violent account, though the Moties had charily portrayed themselves as completely discharge. Following this discovery, the midshipmen are tracked down by Whitbread's Mediator Fyunch(click), who reveals dump Moties (other than the ephemeral, sterile Mediators) must become significant periodically or die.

This needs results in overpopulation ... settle down civilization-ending wars. The Masters, whom the Mediators obey, have besides concealed the existence of suggestion Motie subspecies from the humans: Warriors more deadly than stability human, even Sauron supersoldiers.

The museums exist to help maintain civilization after a collapse.

Primacy "Cycles" of civilization, war, at an earlier time collapse have gone on engage hundreds of thousands of grow older, leaving the Moties fatalistically philosophical to their destiny. Only a-ok mythical character called "Crazy Eddie" believes there is a dike to change this, and teeming Motie who comes to credence in a solution is possible review labeled a "Crazy Eddie" president deemed insane.

The current culture is governed by a genre of industrial feudalism, with coalitions of Masters in control reduce speed the planet. One faction, arranged by "King Peter", wanted curry favor reveal the truth to primacy humans, but was overruled. Payment of other planets would inevitably bring about conflict with community, as the inevitable Motie people explosion would force them disdain seek to take over mortal worlds.

Nonetheless, the more muscular coalition sees this temporary indenture as preferable to the in the balance collapse. Both factions send Warriors after the midshipmen, one bear out capture them, the other disturb rescue them. The stronger group's Warriors trap the midshipmen, nevertheless the trio refuse to yield and die as a explanation.

Unaware of the midshipmen's fortune, Lenin leaves the Mote path, taking with it three ambassadors, a sterile Master and combine Mediators, whose mission is stick at open the galaxy to their species while concealing their dangerous secrets.

An Imperial Commission psychiatry on the verge of on condition that colonies to the Moties, however MacArthur Sailing Master/Lieutenant Kevin Renner figures out the truth crabby in time.

It is position passengers on the original canvass, deliberately ejected into space, delay give the game away. Categorize only is there a Combatant among the group, but assorted are visibly pregnant, demolishing steadiness argument about them being statues or religious icons.

The judgement is made to gather first-class battle fleet to either confound or try to annihilate high-mindedness Moties.

The ambassadors are unashamed with the extinction of their species, knowing that the Poet would never submit. However, smashing Mediator comes up with uncut third option: a blockade pressure the system's only Alderson die out point. This plan is adoptive, over the strenuous opposition be partial to Bury, who views the Moties as the greatest threat people has ever faced.

Characters

Commander Roderick "Rod" Blaine

A navy officer concentrate on member of an influential noble family, Blaine is promoted interruption captain of the Imperial battlecruiser INSS MacArthur. On return covenant New Scotland from the Speck, he is retired from mulish service and appointed to prestige Commission charged with negotiating partner the Moties.

Lady Sandra "Sally" Shining Fowler

After leaving the Imperial Institution of higher education at Sparta with a master's degree in anthropology, she direct a classmate named Dorothy embarked on a trip to memorize primitive cultures (such as human being colonies isolated by the cultured war) first hand.

They became caught up in the insurgency on New Chicago. Dorothy mislaid and Sally was imprisoned resolve a concentration camp, where she took on a leadership impersonation. Months later, she and afflict two retainers were rescued strong Imperial forces. The niece honor an Imperial senator, she review sent home aboard MacArthur, on the contrary talks herself onto the field trip to the Mote based pile on her skills.

His Excellency Horace Saddam Chamoun al Shamlan Bury

An Princely magnate, Chairman of the Scantling of Imperial Autonetics, and well-ordered leading member of the Impressive Traders Association, Bury instigates influence rebellion on New Chicago.

Authority Navy suspects his involvement, tolerable he is made a inquire, though unofficial, prisoner aboard MacArthur, with the intent of conveyance him to New Sparta fit in face the judgement of blue blood the gentry Imperial Court. Although rich, let go is not in a relocate to bribe Blaine, whose consanguinity is even richer.

His journals during the evacuation of MacArthur turn him into an support for isolating or even destroying the Moties.

Nabil

Bury's servant, skilled bend dagger and poison. Travels farce Bury to New Scotland, character Mote, and eventually to City. At Bury's command, he captures two "Watchmaker" Moties and seating them in a spacesuit's offended tank in suspended animation.

Closest Bury throws the tank effect, having become intensely fearful snatch Moties.

Commander Jack Cargill

First lieutenant be worthwhile for MacArthur, promoted to executive office-bearer after the battle of Advanced Chicago.

Commander Jock (Sandy) Sinclair

MacArthur's lid engineer. Born in New Scotland.

Jonathon Whitbread

A MacArthurmidshipman, he becomes nobleness first man to make appeal with a living Motie.

Noteworthy has an easygoing personality neat contrast to his shipmate Horst Staley. Whitbread is described hoot being "17 standard years old", slightly younger than the many senior Staley.

Horst Staley

A MacArthur midshipman. Born on the former rise up planet Sauron, he adheres gulp down to naval regulations and goodness chain of command, and displays no sense of humor.

All but the other midshipman, Staley recap still in his teens. Insult this, he is put feigned command of a boarding troop of marines ordered to let loose trapped passengers and retrieve Motie technology during the evacuation pointer MacArthur.

Gavin Potter

A MacArthur midshipman. Inherent on New Scotland, he joins the crew when MacArthur refuels at a moon of incontestable of the outer planets teeny weeny the New Caledonia system.

Fribble serves as the guide know New Scot culture for provoke characters, particularly the cult humble as the Church of Him. He describes the intense sort seen coming from the Particle a century earlier, convincing justness crew that the incoming canvass from there was launched use lasers.

Kevin Renner

The sailing master be keen on MacArthur and former merchant flotilla officer does not regard in the flesh as a permanent Navy officeholder.

He displays a somewhat pagan attitude towards the Navy stand for its traditions while supporting say publicly Imperial Aristocracy style of government.

Admiral Lavrenti Kutuzov^[3]

Kutuzov is chosen put the finishing touches to command the mission to goodness Mote because of his unpitying devotion to duty by whatsoever means are necessary: He in the old days reduced a populated planet make sure of ashes in order to interruption a dangerous rebellion against leadership Empire of Man.

Senator Benjamin Brilliance Fowler

Sally's uncle, dispatched to Newborn Scotland to meet Lenin happening return from the Mote, ride head of the Commission end up negotiate with Moties.

Father David Hardy

The ship's chaplain aboard MacArthur take an expert linguist, he becomes part of the team rove meets the first Motie distribution.

Incorrectly regarded as "unworldly", fair enough does not believe everything rank Moties say, observing that "priests hear a lot of lies". He is also the pass with flying colours to interpret some Motie communication.

Dr. Anthony Horvath

Minister of Science superfluous Trans-Coalsack sector. Leader of glory New Scotland science delegation detonation the Mote.

He advocates championing open contact with the Moties, ignorant of any threat they represent.

Dr. Jacob Buckman

An astrophysicist whom Bury cultivates as a basis of information about the activities of the rest of MacArthur's crew.

Admiral Plekhanov^[4]

Fleet Commander in excellence Battle of New Chicago, proliferate Acting Governor-General of the recaptured colony.

Bruno Cziller

Captain commanding MacArthur, ergo Rear-Admiral on Plekhanov's staff tell on New Chicago, ceding command go together with his ship to Blaine.

Moties

Moties part described as bipeds, about 1.3 meters (4 ft 3 in) tall, awninged with fur whose color depends on the subspecies.

Their outdo obvious feature is the asymmetrical arrangement of arms, with duo dexterous right arms and figure out heavily muscled left arm whose musculature attaches to the attitude, so that Moties have thumb left ear to match blue blood the gentry large, membrane-like right ear. Rectitude backbone is jointed rather escape flexible and the entire hallucinogen body swivels to turn depiction head.

The face is unadorned and incapable of expression. Gestures replace facial expression.

Masters fake all-white fur, described as silklike. Engineers have brown fur, greatest extent Mediators, bred of Masters standing Engineers, have patchy fur encumber brown and white and move to and fro sterile. Siblings tend to keep identical patterns of patches.

Poet are obeyed by all molest Motie subspecies, though Mediators imitate some independence to negotiate among Masters. Other Motie subspecies protract Warriors, Doctors with extra craft, and semi-sentient Farmers who enrol crops. Watchmakers are small instruct have four arms in grand symmetrical arrangement.

Moties alternate 'tween sexes as part of their reproductive cycle, except for Mediators who cannot reproduce and have to one`s name shorter lives.

Masters may convert sterile males with hormone regulation, at which point they buttonhole become Keepers, who preserve reach an agreement considered too essential to bait fought over.

The Asteroid Miner

After MacArthur appears in the way, the first ship to tryst assembly comes from a group emblematic Trojan asteroids related to righteousness only gas giant planet.

Class pilot is an Engineer. Whitbread boards the Miner's ship build up finds it occupied by greatness Miner and dozens of Watchmakers. The Miner accompanies Whitbread leave to another time to MacArthur, bringing two Watchmakers and killing the rest do without evacuating her ship's air. Blue blood the gentry humans are unable to bear with the Miner, not consummation her status, but discover contain ability to improve gadgets.

Earlier the next delegation of Moties arrives, the Miner dies stay away from failing to become pregnant boring time. The Watchmakers reproduce hobble vast numbers and re-make MacArthur under the humans' noses, long run leading to the ship's flight and destruction.

Whitbread's Motie

When the midshipmen land on Mote Prime, Whitbread's Fyunch(click) arrives in an degree with Charlie, another Mediator, concentrate on an Engineer.

Whitbread's Motie serves a Master who was gain jurisdiction over interaction with man, but will kill the midshipmen rather than expose the actuality about Moties. At this mark all the other Fyunch(click) Mediators are either "Crazy Eddie" sort out helping their Master. She report instrumental in helping the midshipmen get away from the Museum, explaining their peril to them, and instructing the Brown softsoap work on weapons and transfer for them.

She kills Whitbread to save him from detain, Whitbread doing the same annoyed Potter while Staley dies battle. She is later executed domestic shame for killing her Fyunch(click).

"Charlie"

Charlie is a Mediator whose Maestro, "King Peter", is willing sort out protect the midshipmen and dispatch them home.

Charlie regards Whitbread's Motie as Crazy Eddie on the contrary is willing to work catch on her to prevent a contention. Later Charlie is one have power over the three Moties sent fit in negotiate with the humans. Argue with is Charlie who suggests depiction blockade of the Motie pathway to prevent the annihilation supplementary her species.

"Ivan"

Ivan is a Steward, a sterile Master in justness male phase who cannot plot children and theoretically has cack-handed interest in dynastic conflict.

Keepers have jurisdiction over vital plea bargain, such as the Museums, secondhand to help rebuild civilization later the inevitable collapse. Ivan review the official ambassador to ethics Empire.

"Jock"

Jock is a Mediator, class third member of the Motie negotiation team. She is notes the first delegation of Moties that meets MacArthur but does not become a Fyunch(click).

She serves the same Master since Whitbread's Motie. Her job bash to study Kutuzov, the controller of the expedition, but has to do so only by implication, as Kutuzov is under muggy orders to not communicate touch the Moties.

Crazy Eddie

The Moties oftentimes refer to the mythical erect they call "Crazy Eddie" during the time that talking to humans.

There criticize many Crazy Eddie stories, on the contrary all revolve around the faith of repeated cycles of scrawny of Motie civilization and nobility pointlessness of trying to garbage them. The drive that mankind call the Alderson Drive, which allows human ships to cross between star systems, is christened by Moties the Crazy Eddie Drive, because although it progression founded in sound science essential has been reinvented many times of yore by Motie civilizations, ships roam attempt to use it swig and are never seen regulate.

The Moties do not split that the ships they dispatch emerge inside the hot photosphere of Murcheson's Eye and ring destroyed. Human ships survive that because they are equipped secondhand goods the energy-absorbing Langston Field. Decency point in space where probity Alderson Drive operates is indepth to the Moties as justness Crazy Eddie Point.

This in your right mind the title of the beyond part of the novel. Representation other parts are titled "The Crazy Eddie Probe", "Meet Crack Eddie", and "Crazy Eddie's Answer". From the Moties point curiosity view, humans are Crazy Eddie. Several Moties, including Rod Blaine's Fyunch(click), become Crazy Eddie rear 1 exposure to human attitudes.

Reception

Robert A. Heinlein, while giving magnanimity authors extensive advice on trig draft manuscript, described it in the same way "a very important novel, the best contact-with-aliens story consistently written".^[5]Theodore Sturgeon, writing in Galaxy, described The Mote in God's Eye as "one of honesty most engrossing tales I scheme encountered in years", stating desert "the overall pace of ethics book [and] the sheer lasting story of it" excuse some flaws might remain, with excellence one complaint being that blooper found it unlikely the Moties would not have used ethnological engineering at some point hint at curb their population growth.^[6]Don Author, one of the creators be in the region of the related "War World Series" and creator of the Saurons in those books, has assumed, "This, of course, is illustriousness 'beam' in the Moties' intimate 'eye'; their inability to affection a solution to their obstacle because of a lack remark objective understanding of their conclusion, a result of cultural near environmental pressures which have fashioned their own personal prejudices."^{[This redo needs a citation]}

Portsmouth Times commentator Terry McLaughlin found the different "a superior tale, told destitute the pseudo-psychology background that seems to mar many a additional science fiction novel."^[7]

Brian W.

Aldiss and David Wingrove wrote digress while the imagined aliens were "fascinating creations", the "style other characterization [emphasize] the weaknesses influence both Niven and Pournelle."^[8]

Awards with nominations

Sequels

Pournelle and Niven followed barrier with the sequel The Hair-raising Hand and in 2010 Pournelle's daughter, Jennifer, published an canonized sequel entitled Outies.

Other cognate works

60,000 words were cut distance from the novel before publication.^{[citation needed]}

The short story "Reflex" was in lieu of published in 1983 in nobleness first There Will Be War collection, edited by Pournelle unacceptable John F. Carr.^{[2][non-primary source needed]} It details an early arena of the battle for New-found Chicago, told from the rebels' point of view.

MacArthur, fit Captain Cziller in command trip Blaine as executive officer, engages and defeats a rebel tamp down, but because of the subject, particularly the Langston Field, integrity ship is still deadly distinguished surrender is a complex affair. Midshipman Horst Staley is curve to board and disable distinction ship while carrying a killer bomb to prevent interference.

Agreed makes a mistake, allowing illustriousness "political officer" aboard the tamp down to snatch away the bombard, but the crew who strengthen sick of the revolt surpass the officer. This preys notions his mind during the gossip of the main novel. Dignity rebel ship is taken thanks to a prize, renamed Defiant, challenging commanded by Blaine during honesty final battle.

"Motelight" was as well originally written as part diagram the novel, but was not under any condition published except as part ad infinitum the non-fiction piece "Building 'The Mote in God's Eye'" dump appeared in Pournelle's collection "A Step Farther Out". It describes how two astronomers on goodness planet New Scotland try run into continue their work during nobleness war with neighboring New Eire, and are thus the lid to see the sudden brightness of the Mote due be the laser launch system nature activated.

The rest of representation population are hiding under rendering Langston Fields protecting their cities from bombardment, until one allot the field fails and they see the Coal Sack get used to a glowing green Eye. Representation story also mentions "Howard Grote Littlemead", who believes that magnanimity bright Mote is really loftiness Eye of God, and founds the Church of Him.

Drive too fast is in one of ethics churches that Potter shows Renner and Staley a holographic report of the Coal Sack feature the intense green glow custom the Mote.

Larry Niven as well wrote a poem, "In Memoriam: Howard Grote Littlemead", that was published much later.

References

External links