Inconstant Star is an omnibus collecting two previously published novellas by Poul Anderson set during the Man-Kzin Wars in Larry Niven's Known Space Universe. The novellas were originally published in separate volumes of the Man-Kzin Wars (series): "Iron" from The Man-Kzin Wars (first anthology), and "Inconstant Star (story)" from Man-Kzin Wars III.
Synopsis[]
"When humans and kzinti met, the kzinti introduced themselves with a scream-and-leap of joyous anticipation. But - surprise! - the monkey boys and girls of Planet Earth not only fought back but won! How, how could the Warrior Race have fallen prey to slinking cowardly (albeit clever) leaf-eaters who didn't even possess weapons?
After long hard thought the Kzin have come up with an answers: the first time they didn't leap hard or fast enough! After all, no matter how clever the humans may be, they won't stand a chance if it all happens so suddenly that monkey cleverness never has a chance to come into play. So when Eric Saxtorph and his crew stumble across the secret of the Great Attack the kzinti are more than a little upset.
And when kzinti are upset, you know what they do..."
"Iron"[]
- See Characters for descriptions
Robert and Dorcas Saxtorph are hired to carry Laurinda Brozik to a new star system she has discovered. The mission is financed by her wealthy father, Steven Brozik. Her professor, Arthur Tregennis, accompanies them, but Ulf Reichstein Markham also forces his way into the party.
"Inconstant Star"[]
The Saxtorphs are hired by Tyra Nordbo to search for her disgraced father Peter Nordbo, who was taken by kzin to investigate a strange discovery ten light-years away.