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{{Short description|1977 science fiction novel by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox book | 
| name = Lucifer's Hammer
| title_orig =
| translator =
| image = File:LucifersHammer.jpg
| caption = First edition
| author = [[Larry Niven]]<br>[[Jerry Pournelle]]
| illustrator =
| cover_artist = Anthony Russo<ref>{{cite web|title=Lucifer's Hammer|work=[[ISFDB]]|url=http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/pl.cgi?300072}}</ref>
| country = United States
| language = English
| series =
| genre = [[Science fiction]]
| publisher = [[Playboy Press]] (Hardcover Edition), [[Del Rey Books|Del Rey]]
| release_date = 1977
| english_release_date =
| media_type = Print (hardback & paperback)
| pages = 494 pp
| isbn = 0-87223-487-8
| dewey= 813/.5/4
| congress= PZ4.N734 Lu PS3564.I9
| oclc= 2966712
| preceded_by =
| followed_by =
}}

'''''Lucifer's Hammer''''' is a [[science fiction]] [[apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic science fiction|post-apocalypse]]-survival novel by American writers [[Larry Niven]] and [[Jerry Pournelle]] that was first published in 1977.<ref>{{cite book|date=2010|title=Postapocalyptic Fiction and the Social Contract: We'll Not Go Home Again|first=Claire|last=P. Curtis|isbn=9780739142059|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3mZLCcVSmNwC&q=lucifer%27s+hammer+new+york+times&pg=PA65}}</ref> It was nominated for the [[Hugo Award]] for [[Hugo Award for Best Novel|Best Novel]] in 1978.<ref name="WWE-1978">{{cite web |url=http://www.worldswithoutend.com/books_year_index.asp?year=1978 |title=1978 Award Winners & Nominees |work=Worlds Without End |accessdate=2009-07-20}}</ref> Two issues of a planned six-part comic book adaptation were published by [[Innovation Comics]] in 1993.<ref>{{cite web|work=Comic Vine|title=Lucifer's Hammer|url=http://www.comicvine.com/lucifers-hammer/4050-46189/}}</ref>

== Plot summary ==
The book includes descriptions of the [[Formation and evolution of the Solar System|formation of the Solar System]], where a Saturn-sized [[Planets beyond Neptune|trans-Neptunian planet]], referred to solely as "the black giant", is ejected from the central Solar System and ends up in the [[Oort cloud]], where its gravitational influence sends a [[comet]] towards the inner Solar System.

When wealthy amateur astronomer Tim Hamner co-discovers the comet, named Hamner-Brown for its discoverers, documentary producer Harvey Randall persuades Hamner to have his soap company sponsor a television documentary series on the comet. Political lobbying by [[California]] Senator Arthur Jellison eventually gets a joint [[Apollo spacecraft|Apollo]]-[[Soyuz spacecraft|Soyuz]] (docking with [[Skylab B]]) mission approved to study the comet, dubbed "The Hammer" by the media, which is expected to pass close to the Earth.

The scientific community assures the public that a collision with Earth is extremely unlikely, but the comet's [[Comet nucleus|nucleus]] breaks apart and the pieces strike parts of [[Europe]], Africa, the [[Gulf of Mexico]], and the [[Pacific Ocean|Pacific]] and [[Atlantic Ocean|Atlantic]] Oceans. These result in volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, and [[tsunamis]], destroying major coastal cities around the world, killing billions and initiating a new [[ice age]] because of the massive quantities of water and debris flung into the atmosphere.

Immediately after the strike, [[China]], anticipating that the [[Soviet Union]] will become too cold for its people and must therefore invade its neighbor, launches a preemptive nuclear attack on its neighbor. The Soviets retaliate with their own nuclear missiles, reassuring the US that it is not the target.

Jellison has taken discreet precautions and moved his people and supplies to his ranch. He takes charge and organizes the easily protected valley in the Sierra foothills where his ranch is located, dubbed the "Stronghold". Randall and Hamner separately reach the valley and are allowed in (unlike almost all other refugees). [[Jet Propulsion Laboratory]] scientist and resident genius Dan Forrester receives a warm welcome when he reveals that he has hidden a cache of invaluable "how-to" books.

Other groups organize as well. The remnants of a [[United States Army]] unit, commanded by Sergeant Hooker, resorts to cannibalism to survive. They are joined by a criminal gang led by Alim Nassor. Together they search in vain for a place that is not too heavily defended, but capable of supporting them all. Reverend Henry Armitage, driven mad by the catastrophe, shows up and absolves the "New Brotherhood Army" of their crimes and cannibalism, stating that they have a mission from God to return humanity to a simpler, non-technological way of life. Their expansion is blocked by the Stronghold, which is also their only serious rival in numbers and strength. They attack, but Jellison's outnumbered forces defeat them with the help of [[mustard gas]] and other weapons produced by Forrester.

An operational nuclear power plant nearby is also a target of the New Brotherhood. The defenders barely survive the first assault and plead for help. Jellison's people are reluctant to send it, as the greatly weakened New Brotherhood no longer poses a threat to the Stronghold, but astronaut Rick Delanty gives them a stark choice: remain safe, though their descendants will be [[peasant]]s, or attack and wipe out the New Brotherhood, and use the electric power to rebuild civilization. Just then, Jellison dies, but not before the ailing old man casts the deciding vote for the latter. They succeed, and later, it is shown that they are well on the way back to restoring civilization.

== Literary significance and reception ==
Niven and Pournelle originally pitched the story to publishers as an alien invasion story in which the aliens drop a comet onto Earth after humanity fights them. [[Jim Baen]] told them to write only the comet story. The original story idea was later written as their novel ''[[Footfall]]''.

At least one reference to prior work by the authors is present in the text, through "Crazy Eddie's Insurance", a direct reference to ''[[The Mote in God's Eye]]'' (published in 1974).

Judith T. Yamamoto, in her review for the ''[[Library Journal]]'', said that the novel was full of "good, solid science, a gigantic but well developed and coordinated cast of characters, and about a megaton of suspenseful excitement". Her one negative comment was that the pro-technology pitch might turn off some readers but "all in all it's a good book, if not a great one".<ref>{{cite journal|last=Yamamoto|first= Judith T.|date=1977-07-01|title=Lucifer's Hammer (Book Review)|journal=Library Journal|volume= 102|issue=  13|page=1528|issn=0363-0277}}</ref> ''Lucifer's Hammer'' received a nomination for the Hugo Award for Best Novel in 1978.<ref name="WWE-1978"/>

C. Ben Ostrander reviewed ''Lucifer's Hammer'' in ''[[The Space Gamer]]'' No. 13.<ref name="SG">{{cite journal|last=Ostrander|first=C. Ben |date=September–October 1977 |title=Books|journal=[[The Space Gamer]]|publisher=[[Metagaming Concepts|Metagaming]]|issue=13|pages=32}}</ref> Ostrander commented that "I recommend this book.... Don't miss it for a long, interesting story".<ref name="SG"/>

==See also==
{{portal|Novels}}
* ''[[The Hammer of God (Clarke novel)|The Hammer of God]]'', novel by [[Arthur C. Clarke]] about an asteroid strike.
* ''[[Seveneves]]'' by [[Neal Stephenson]], in which the Moon disintegrates and falls to Earth as "Hard Rain".
* ''[[The Star (Wells short story)|The Star]]'' by [[H.G. Wells]], 1897 short story which can be considered the progenitor of this SF sub-genre.
* ''[[Malevil]]'' by [[Robert Merle]], 1972 post-apocalyptic fiction

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.worldswithoutend.com/novel.asp?ID=355 ''Lucifer's Hammer''] at Worlds Without End
* [http://www.webscription.net/chapters/0872234878/0872234878.htm ''Lucifer's Hammer''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090213063619/http://www.webscription.net/chapters/0872234878/0872234878.htm |date=2009-02-13 }} sample chapters from Baen Books (the Hot Fudge Sundae scene is in "April: One")
* {{ISFDB title|1601}}

{{Larry Niven}}

[[Category:American science fiction novels]]
[[Category:1977 American novels]]
[[Category:1977 science fiction novels]]
[[Category:American post-apocalyptic novels]]
[[Category:Fiction about comets]]
[[Category:Collaborative novels]]
[[Category:Novels by Larry Niven]]
[[Category:Novels by Jerry Pournelle]]
[[Category:Novels about impact events]]
[[Category:Playboy Press books]]