80's Novel that has long-lived people and gyroscopes
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Back in the early 80's I read a novel and remember two scenes. The scenes were related, as I recall.
The first scene had the protagonist looking at his friend, who proved to be an antagonist, standing in the doorway of his rocket (which had fins, landing fins). One fin had been shot off and the rocket continued to stand due to the gyroscope, which whined as it spun up, trying to keep the rocket upright. Eventually the gyroscope blew apart, killing the antagonist.
The second scene had the protagonist speaking with a woman, who proved to be the now-dead antagonist's mother. She dropped her pretense, allowing the protagonist to see her for who she really was. Being wealthy, she had paid for whatever Clarkean magic allowed for incredibly long life-spans. Though looking like she aged no more than 35-45, she had a look on her face due to all the accumulated knowledge and experience that gave away her condition. The protagonist's response to this moment was, "you're old." Said in surprise or awe.
story-identification novel
edited Nov 13 at 15:08
TheLethalCarrot
36.7k15199242
asked Nov 13 at 14:30
JBH
505315
add a comment |
up vote
16
down vote
favorite
Back in the early 80's I read a novel and remember two scenes. The scenes were related, as I recall.
The first scene had the protagonist looking at his friend, who proved to be an antagonist, standing in the doorway of his rocket (which had fins, landing fins). One fin had been shot off and the rocket continued to stand due to the gyroscope, which whined as it spun up, trying to keep the rocket upright. Eventually the gyroscope blew apart, killing the antagonist.
The second scene had the protagonist speaking with a woman, who proved to be the now-dead antagonist's mother. She dropped her pretense, allowing the protagonist to see her for who she really was. Being wealthy, she had paid for whatever Clarkean magic allowed for incredibly long life-spans. Though looking like she aged no more than 35-45, she had a look on her face due to all the accumulated knowledge and experience that gave away her condition. The protagonist's response to this moment was, "you're old." Said in surprise or awe.
story-identification novel
edited Nov 13 at 15:08
TheLethalCarrot
36.7k15199242
asked Nov 13 at 14:30
JBH
505315
add a comment |
up vote
16
down vote
favorite
up vote
16
down vote
favorite
Back in the early 80's I read a novel and remember two scenes. The scenes were related, as I recall.
The first scene had the protagonist looking at his friend, who proved to be an antagonist, standing in the doorway of his rocket (which had fins, landing fins). One fin had been shot off and the rocket continued to stand due to the gyroscope, which whined as it spun up, trying to keep the rocket upright. Eventually the gyroscope blew apart, killing the antagonist.
The second scene had the protagonist speaking with a woman, who proved to be the now-dead antagonist's mother. She dropped her pretense, allowing the protagonist to see her for who she really was. Being wealthy, she had paid for whatever Clarkean magic allowed for incredibly long life-spans. Though looking like she aged no more than 35-45, she had a look on her face due to all the accumulated knowledge and experience that gave away her condition. The protagonist's response to this moment was, "you're old." Said in surprise or awe.
story-identification novel
edited Nov 13 at 15:08
TheLethalCarrot
36.7k15199242
asked Nov 13 at 14:30
JBH
505315
Back in the early 80's I read a novel and remember two scenes. The scenes were related, as I recall.
The first scene had the protagonist looking at his friend, who proved to be an antagonist, standing in the doorway of his rocket (which had fins, landing fins). One fin had been shot off and the rocket continued to stand due to the gyroscope, which whined as it spun up, trying to keep the rocket upright. Eventually the gyroscope blew apart, killing the antagonist.
The second scene had the protagonist speaking with a woman, who proved to be the now-dead antagonist's mother. She dropped her pretense, allowing the protagonist to see her for who she really was. Being wealthy, she had paid for whatever Clarkean magic allowed for incredibly long life-spans. Though looking like she aged no more than 35-45, she had a look on her face due to all the accumulated knowledge and experience that gave away her condition. The protagonist's response to this moment was, "you're old." Said in surprise or awe.
story-identification novel
story-identification novel
edited Nov 13 at 15:08
TheLethalCarrot
36.7k15199242
asked Nov 13 at 14:30
JBH
505315
edited Nov 13 at 15:08
TheLethalCarrot
36.7k15199242
asked Nov 13 at 14:30
JBH
505315
edited Nov 13 at 15:08
TheLethalCarrot
36.7k15199242
edited Nov 13 at 15:08
TheLethalCarrot
36.7k15199242
edited Nov 13 at 15:08
TheLethalCarrot
36.7k15199242
36.7k15199242
asked Nov 13 at 14:30
JBH
505315
asked Nov 13 at 14:30
JBH
505315
asked Nov 13 at 14:30
JBH
505315
505315
add a comment |
add a comment |
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
up vote
28
down vote
accepted
This is not a novel, but the Larry Niven short story "Grendel".
The Drunkard's Walk stood on two legs, wildly unbalanced, like a
ballet dancer halfway through a leap. Only her spinning gyros held her
monstrous mass against gravity.
....
Right then, the rest of it fell into place. "You're old."
answered Nov 13 at 16:06
Organic Marble
23.4k482123
1
Right! I read the short in Crashlander. I love this site.
– JBH
Nov 13 at 16:47
add a comment |
up vote
20
down vote
This sounds like the story Grendel from Larry Niven's Neutron star collection where Beowulf Shaeffer is investigating an abduction of an alien sculptor.
Shaeffer gets into a conflict with the kidnapper and the fight results in the following:
The impact has damaged the yacht's landing gear and it is being held upright only by its gyroscopes. Bellamy rushes back aboard to try to deal with this, but the gyros overload and seize up while he is still on the boarding ladder, causing the yacht to spin end-for-end and bounce off into the distance. Bellamy is thrown high into the air and to his death.
There is a character in the story, Margo, who admits to being the kidnappers mother.
Worth a read, as is all Niven's work.
answered Nov 13 at 16:05
PEW
65634
9
"but the gyros overload and seize up while he is still on the boarding ladder, causing the yacht to spin end-for-end and bounce off into the distance. Bellamy is thrown high into the air and to his death." This happens to me in Kerbal Space Program more often than it should
– qazwsx
Nov 13 at 18:04
add a comment |
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
28
down vote
accepted
This is not a novel, but the Larry Niven short story "Grendel".
The Drunkard's Walk stood on two legs, wildly unbalanced, like a
ballet dancer halfway through a leap. Only her spinning gyros held her
monstrous mass against gravity.
....
Right then, the rest of it fell into place. "You're old."
answered Nov 13 at 16:06
Organic Marble
23.4k482123
1
Right! I read the short in Crashlander. I love this site.
– JBH
Nov 13 at 16:47
add a comment |
up vote
28
down vote
accepted
This is not a novel, but the Larry Niven short story "Grendel".
The Drunkard's Walk stood on two legs, wildly unbalanced, like a
ballet dancer halfway through a leap. Only her spinning gyros held her
monstrous mass against gravity.
....
Right then, the rest of it fell into place. "You're old."
answered Nov 13 at 16:06
Organic Marble
23.4k482123
1
Right! I read the short in Crashlander. I love this site.
– JBH
Nov 13 at 16:47
add a comment |
up vote
28
down vote
accepted
up vote
28
down vote
accepted
This is not a novel, but the Larry Niven short story "Grendel".
The Drunkard's Walk stood on two legs, wildly unbalanced, like a
ballet dancer halfway through a leap. Only her spinning gyros held her
monstrous mass against gravity.
....
Right then, the rest of it fell into place. "You're old."
answered Nov 13 at 16:06
Organic Marble
23.4k482123
This is not a novel, but the Larry Niven short story "Grendel".
The Drunkard's Walk stood on two legs, wildly unbalanced, like a
ballet dancer halfway through a leap. Only her spinning gyros held her
monstrous mass against gravity.
....
Right then, the rest of it fell into place. "You're old."
answered Nov 13 at 16:06
Organic Marble
23.4k482123
answered Nov 13 at 16:06
Organic Marble
23.4k482123
answered Nov 13 at 16:06
Organic Marble
23.4k482123
answered Nov 13 at 16:06
Organic Marble
23.4k482123
23.4k482123
1
Right! I read the short in Crashlander. I love this site.
– JBH
Nov 13 at 16:47
add a comment |
1
Right! I read the short in Crashlander. I love this site.
– JBH
Nov 13 at 16:47
1
1
Right! I read the short in Crashlander. I love this site.
– JBH
Nov 13 at 16:47
Right! I read the short in Crashlander. I love this site.
– JBH
Nov 13 at 16:47
add a comment |
up vote
20
down vote
This sounds like the story Grendel from Larry Niven's Neutron star collection where Beowulf Shaeffer is investigating an abduction of an alien sculptor.
Shaeffer gets into a conflict with the kidnapper and the fight results in the following:
The impact has damaged the yacht's landing gear and it is being held upright only by its gyroscopes. Bellamy rushes back aboard to try to deal with this, but the gyros overload and seize up while he is still on the boarding ladder, causing the yacht to spin end-for-end and bounce off into the distance. Bellamy is thrown high into the air and to his death.
There is a character in the story, Margo, who admits to being the kidnappers mother.
Worth a read, as is all Niven's work.
answered Nov 13 at 16:05
PEW
65634
9
"but the gyros overload and seize up while he is still on the boarding ladder, causing the yacht to spin end-for-end and bounce off into the distance. Bellamy is thrown high into the air and to his death." This happens to me in Kerbal Space Program more often than it should
– qazwsx
Nov 13 at 18:04
add a comment |
up vote
20
down vote
This sounds like the story Grendel from Larry Niven's Neutron star collection where Beowulf Shaeffer is investigating an abduction of an alien sculptor.
Shaeffer gets into a conflict with the kidnapper and the fight results in the following:
The impact has damaged the yacht's landing gear and it is being held upright only by its gyroscopes. Bellamy rushes back aboard to try to deal with this, but the gyros overload and seize up while he is still on the boarding ladder, causing the yacht to spin end-for-end and bounce off into the distance. Bellamy is thrown high into the air and to his death.
There is a character in the story, Margo, who admits to being the kidnappers mother.
Worth a read, as is all Niven's work.
answered Nov 13 at 16:05
PEW
65634
9
"but the gyros overload and seize up while he is still on the boarding ladder, causing the yacht to spin end-for-end and bounce off into the distance. Bellamy is thrown high into the air and to his death." This happens to me in Kerbal Space Program more often than it should
– qazwsx
Nov 13 at 18:04
add a comment |
up vote
20
down vote
up vote
20
down vote
This sounds like the story Grendel from Larry Niven's Neutron star collection where Beowulf Shaeffer is investigating an abduction of an alien sculptor.
Shaeffer gets into a conflict with the kidnapper and the fight results in the following:
The impact has damaged the yacht's landing gear and it is being held upright only by its gyroscopes. Bellamy rushes back aboard to try to deal with this, but the gyros overload and seize up while he is still on the boarding ladder, causing the yacht to spin end-for-end and bounce off into the distance. Bellamy is thrown high into the air and to his death.
There is a character in the story, Margo, who admits to being the kidnappers mother.
Worth a read, as is all Niven's work.
answered Nov 13 at 16:05
PEW
65634
This sounds like the story Grendel from Larry Niven's Neutron star collection where Beowulf Shaeffer is investigating an abduction of an alien sculptor.
Shaeffer gets into a conflict with the kidnapper and the fight results in the following:
The impact has damaged the yacht's landing gear and it is being held upright only by its gyroscopes. Bellamy rushes back aboard to try to deal with this, but the gyros overload and seize up while he is still on the boarding ladder, causing the yacht to spin end-for-end and bounce off into the distance. Bellamy is thrown high into the air and to his death.
There is a character in the story, Margo, who admits to being the kidnappers mother.
Worth a read, as is all Niven's work.
answered Nov 13 at 16:05
PEW
65634
answered Nov 13 at 16:05
PEW
65634
answered Nov 13 at 16:05
PEW
65634
answered Nov 13 at 16:05
PEW
65634
65634
9
"but the gyros overload and seize up while he is still on the boarding ladder, causing the yacht to spin end-for-end and bounce off into the distance. Bellamy is thrown high into the air and to his death." This happens to me in Kerbal Space Program more often than it should
– qazwsx
Nov 13 at 18:04
add a comment |
9
"but the gyros overload and seize up while he is still on the boarding ladder, causing the yacht to spin end-for-end and bounce off into the distance. Bellamy is thrown high into the air and to his death." This happens to me in Kerbal Space Program more often than it should
– qazwsx
Nov 13 at 18:04
9
9
"but the gyros overload and seize up while he is still on the boarding ladder, causing the yacht to spin end-for-end and bounce off into the distance. Bellamy is thrown high into the air and to his death." This happens to me in Kerbal Space Program more often than it should
– qazwsx
Nov 13 at 18:04
"but the gyros overload and seize up while he is still on the boarding ladder, causing the yacht to spin end-for-end and bounce off into the distance. Bellamy is thrown high into the air and to his death." This happens to me in Kerbal Space Program more often than it should
– qazwsx
Nov 13 at 18:04
add a comment |
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