Image credit: ESA/ATG medialab
A cursory glance at the genre makes it clear that Randall Garrett did not invent Belters, those stalwarts of the asteroid belt. Examples abound in older SF, in the works of Smith, Heinlein, and Leinster. But Randall Garrett’s Belter stories seem to have been the strongest influence on Larry Niven, who lifted the Belter culture wholesale for his Known Space series. After this, Niven’s Belters seem to have had the greatest influence on later authors.
But enough literary history! Let’s just note that the Belt and the riches it might hold are irresistible for authors looking for rugged frontiers in which to set their tales. Consider these five comparatively recent works.