← Back to Concept Index
shadow-square-wire
A dangerous, nearly invisible black thread that can trap and injure, central to the chapter's conflict and the group's mission.
1 chapter across 1 book
Ringworld (1970)Larry Niven
Chapter 23 -
In Chapter 23 of Ringworld, the protagonists confront a dense cloud of dangerous shadow square wire in a native city, leading to a violent skirmish with local fanatics. Nessus, the puppeteer, is gravely injured by the wire trap, and Louis Wu performs an emergency tourniquet using Teela's scarf to save him. The chapter highlights the tension between exploration, survival, and the mysterious significance of the shadow square wire.