The Descent of Anansi

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First edition (publ. Tor Books)
Cover art by Howard Chaykin

The Descent of Anansi is a 1982 science fiction novel by American writers Steven Barnes and Larry Niven.

Plot summary

A space station manufactory attempts to become commercially independent from its government backers by exporting super-strong nanowire that can only be manufactured in free-fall.

Following an attempt to sabotage their first delivery and hijack the cargo, the intrepid crew realizes they can escape the hijackers. Their shuttle Anansi can become a modern-day version of its namesake, an African spider-god, by descending to Earth on a thread.

The physics of tidal forces are explained, and the possibilities of orbital tethers to accelerate payloads into higher orbits (or indeed de-orbit shuttles without retro-rockets) are woven into a hard science fiction thriller.

Reception

Dave Langford reviewed The Descent of Anansi for White Dwarf #54, and called it "Fast-moving, predictable, inoffensive."^[1]

References

^ Langford, Dave (June 1984). "Critical Mass". White Dwarf. No. 54. Games Workshop. p. 24.

External links

Page at International Speculative Fiction Database

Bibliography of Larry Niven

Known Space

World of Ptavvs (1966) A Gift from Earth (1968) Neutron Star (1968) Protector (1973) Tales of Known Space (1975) Flatlander (1976) The Patchwork Girl (1986) Crashlander (1994)
Ringworld	Ringworld (1970) The Ringworld Engineers (1979) The Ringworld Throne (1996) Ringworld's Children (2004)
Man-Kzin Wars¹
Fleet of Worlds²	Fleet of Worlds (2007) Juggler of Worlds (2008) Destroyer of Worlds (2009) Betrayer of Worlds (2010) Fate of Worlds (2012)

The Magic Goes Away

Written with
Jerry Pournelle

Inferno (1976) Lucifer's Hammer (1977) Oath of Fealty (1981) Footfall (1985) Escape from Hell (2009)
Moties³	The Mote in God's Eye (1974) The Gripping Hand (1993)
Heorot⁴	The Legacy of Heorot (1987) Beowulf's Children (1995) Destiny's Road (1997) Starborn & Godsons (2020)