Footfall
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Cover of first edition (hardcover)
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| Author |
Larry Niven & Jerry Pournelle |
|---|---|
| Cover artist | Michael Whelan |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Science fiction novel |
| Publisher | Del Rey Books |
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Publication date
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May 12, 1985 |
| Media type | Print (hardback & paperback) |
| Pages | 495 pages (first edition, hardcover) |
| ISBN | (first edition, hardcover) |
| OCLC | 11316829 |
| 813/.54 19 | |
| LC Class | PS3564.I9 F6 1985 |
Footfall is a 1985 science fiction novel written by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle. It was nominated for both the Hugo and Locus Awards in 1986, and was a No. 1 New York Times Bestseller. The book depicts the arrival of members of an alien species called the Fithp that have traveled to our solar system from Alpha Centauri in a large spacecraft driven by a Bussard ramjet. Their intent is conquest of the planet Earth.
The alien Fithp resemble man-sized elephants with multiple prehensile trunks. They possess more advanced technology than humans, but have developed none of it on their own. In the distant past on their planet, another species was dominant. This predecessor species badly damaged the environment, rendering themselves and many other species extinct, but left behind their knowledge inscribed on large stone cubes, from which the Fithp have gained their technology. Facing possible extinction due to the long-term effects of biological weapons, a group of high-ranking Fithp were selected to escape to the stars. The Chtaptisk Fithp ('Traveling Herd') are divided between 'Sleepers' and 'Spaceborn', as the ship is both a generation ship and a sleeper ship. The original leaders are subordinate to the Spaceborn, who are prepared to start a space based civilization, but are still dedicated to the generations-old ideal of conquest.
The Fithp are herd creatures, and fight wars differently from humans. When two herds meet, they fight until it is evident which is dominant; fighting then ceases and the losers are incorporated into the winning herd. The Fithp are confused by human attempts at peaceful contact. Upon arrival, they attack the Russian space station (in the novel, the U.S.S.R. is still a major world superpower) where Russians and Americans wait to greet them. They proceed to destroy military sites and important infrastructure on Earth. United States Congressman Wes Dawson and several Russian cosmonauts are captured from the ruins of the space station.
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