Juggler of Worlds: 200 Years Before the Discovery of the Ringworld (Fleet of Worlds series Book 2)

Covert agent Sigmund Ausfaller serves as Earth's secret weapon and humanity's defense against conspiracies from both human and alien foes. His paranoia and brilliance make him effective at uncovering the plots of others. Sigmund faces a formidable opponent in Nessus, a representative of the Puppeteers—an elder race with vastly superior technology who have long controlled the fate of worlds. Nessus schemes in the shadows with Earth's traitors and adversaries, continuing his machinations even after the Puppeteers mysteriously vanish from Known Space. As a paranoid, Sigmund has always anticipated a horrible end, but the specific details—when, where, how, why, and by whom—have remained unclear. That uncertainty begins to fade as his investigations deepen, revealing that his destiny is connected to the fates of worlds in ways he never imagined.