Flatlander by Larry Niven is a collection of short stories that detail the adventures of a futuristic detective named Gil “The Arm” Hamilton. I don’t see this on the Hugo or Nebula lists, but the book represents some quality sci-fi. In the back of the book, Niven talks about the challenges of writing these stories. Not only does he need to think up engaging sci-fi, but also a believable mystery. I was amused that he talked about how he wouldn’t “cheat” by suddenly introducing a sci-fi device that would change the rules, i.e. “Oh, he just used his Invis-o-ray to sneak past the guards.”
Flatlander is set in an over-crowded future where humans have made major steps in populating the moon and asteroid belts. People born in the different environments have begun to change form; Belters are short and stocky with muscular legs for maneuvering in zero-G, Lunies are very tall and slender which I suppose enables them to leap around the moon better, and Flatlanders and those who dwell on Earth.
Overpopulation is a major theme of this book. Society has basically perfected organ transplantation such that one can live a long time by having organs replaced. This creates a high demand for organs, leading to the crimal activity of “organlegging” – kidnapping and breaking people down into component organs to sell on the black market. In society’s attempt to meet the organ demand almost all crime is met with the death penalty, meaning that you’ll be broken up and placed in the organ banks.
The main character, Gil Hamilton, works for a specialized law enforcement organization that deals with these organ-related crimes. He also happens to have telekinetic powers, as do a small number of people in the Flatlander universe. So what you get is mostly murder mysteries with a sci-fi twist, generally involving organleggers.
One thing I found interesting was that Niven once again creates a more or less jealously-free society where free love is the norm. He does the same thing in Ringworld which I believe is supposed to be the same universe (though at a different time) in which Flatlander is set. I’ve seen this idea in Arthur C. Clarke novels as well; a guy has multiple wives and any additional sex partners he happens across with no ill consequences. Niven does a little bit better job than Clarke at examining this idea and not just throwing out a rosy view of an all-you-can-eat sex buffet with no backing. In Flatlander I think that Gil enters into an arrangement with two lovers and another guy. I believe how it works is that they stay in this 4-way relationship to provide some stability while Gil and one of the lovers exercise their “birthright” to have a child. I haven’t seen Clarke give much thought to the raising of children in these free love type of societies so I was happy that Niven examined the idea.
I found Flatlander to be solid both in terms of sci-fi and murder mystery. Because of the way Niven fleshes things out, the private-eye-in-space thing is less of a gimmick and more of quality read.