A Gift from Earth

At the time of my reading, Goodreads and Hardcover don't have the Known Space set of books sequenced chronologically. This book falls between the original discovery of Ringworld [I've not yet come across that book] and the original book in the series, Ringworld.

Some interesting concepts to contemplate while reading like dismembering individuals for various reasons [usually members of the lower class], keeping their body parts for the elites only, and psychic abilities.

This particular book does a good job of bringing a reader into the Known Space timeline very well but like the Planck, the storyline drops off the cliff into parts unknown. Are there books between the 'Protector' and this one? What book might come after this one? What actually happens to the Planck and its 'crew'?

The release of the story is quite old now but not too outdated in how its told. Still good storytelling, no veering off onto tangents [which I don't like at all] or bogging down the movement with unnecessary information [something else I don't like].