"Ringworld"

A very long time ago I'd given this book a try once before and didn't get far. This time Larry Niven hooked me with the kzin, and the sheer scale of his vision. The road trip aspect was a bit of a grind, and there were too many magical inventions just for the author's convenience, but the ending somehow delivered -- something I didn't foresee when I peaked ahead.

• "You're cowards. Your whole ethical system is based on cowardice."
• One never offers a kzin hazard pay. The kzin is not supposed to have noticed the danger
• In challenging a kzin, a simple scream of rage is sufficient. You scream and you leap."
• the Hindmost, the one who leads us all
• "Those-who-rule in the puppeteer fleet have speculated that the people of Earth are breeding for luck."
• "Why flying worlds? Somehow it doesn't seem safe to throw habitable worlds about with such gay abandon."
• This black, too, was filled with stars. The black of the space seemed to encroach on continents of sunlight.
• "Three million worlds within aircar distance. That'd solve any population problem."
• The gods do not protect fools. Fools are protected by more capable fools.
• Twenty shadow squares in a Maypole dance, their edges joined by threads cut to lengths of five million miles.
• "But what should we improve? Not your intelligence. . Nor is your sense of self-preservation, nor your durability, nor your fighting talents." "So you decided to make us lucky," said Louis. And he began to laugh.
• It was like falling into the eye of God. The visual effect was horrifying, terrifying, almost comically overdone.
• "She's just just what any puppeteer would give his soul to be. She can't be injured. She can't even be uncomfortable, unless it's for her own benefit. "