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Footfall


CoverMen first saw the invader as a series of dots on astronomical plates. It moved in a way that meant it was operating under power, heading from Saturn directly toward Earth. And since no life was possible on Saturn or its moons, the ship had to be a visitor from another star.

The aliens were coming!

Mankind's frantic efforts to signal the invader went unanswered. First contact came when the aliens blasted the Soviet space station and seized the survivors, following that by destroying every dam and major installation on Earth by a rain of asteroids from space. Then the Snouts descended on Kansas, demanding servile sur-render or death for all humans.

Thus begins a war of indescribable violence and incredible destruction, with the outcome in doubt until the final page.

Caught up in the conflict of this magnificently conceived and detailed novel are dozens of truly memorable characters: Harry, who crossed half a ruined continent to save another man's wife; Harpanet, the alien who gave his allegiance to humanity; Jenny, who brought the news of the invader and was caught up in the President's councils; Congressman Wes Dawson, who, captured by aliens, tried to serve both sides; and a host of others—both human and alien.

This is how it could happen— in a novel never to be forgotten!


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This is a work of fiction. All the characters and events portrayed in this book are fictional, and any resemblance to real people or incidents is purely coincidental.

First printing, May 1985
First Ebook printing, October 2008

Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 84-24205

First Hardcover Edition: May 1985
First Mass-Market Edition: May 1986

Distributed by Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020

Printed in the United States of America

ISBN-13: 978-0-345-32344-6
ISBN-10: 0-345-32344-0

Copyright© 1985 by Larry Niven & Jerry Pournelle

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form.

A Baen Books Original
Baen publishing Enterprises
P.O. Box 1403
Riverdale, NY 10471
http://www.baen.com

Electronic version by WebWrights
http://www.webscription.net


To Robert Gleason

The song "The Battle of Garfield," given as "by David Pfeiffer and Tim Lewis" is copyrighted by Frank Gasperik, and is used with his permission.

Bonnie Dizell helped us design the aliens, and contributed pencil sketches including harness and gun.

The fithp language, and the thuktunthp, emerged during conversations with Bill Weldon and Laurie Reinecke (now Weldon).

Invading the Earth was Bob Gleason's idea. He persuaded Pournelle; Pournelle persuaded Niven. (And Niven said, "I hope you broke it to him gently that it's been done!")
 

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