The Left Hand of Darkness...underrated masterpiece!

A place for anything *not* Donaldson.

Moderator: I'm Murrin

Post Reply
dibro
Servant of the Land
Posts: 6
Joined: Tue Dec 04, 2007 12:17 pm

The Left Hand of Darkness...underrated masterpiece!

Post by dibro »

I've been lurking here forever, but this is the first time I've contributed. I just wanted to say that I've read many books that were recommended here, and have discovered many new favorites. But after reading Ursula Le Guin's "The Left Hand of Darkness", I find myself very surprised that it hasn't been mention more often here...it is fabulous!!!

Of course I've read the earthsea books, and loved them! but for some reason I've resisted reading other books by Le Guin. No more!

So, I thought I'd throw this book out there as a suggestion for others who struggle to find quality reading material. Also, I'd love to hear what you guys think of this book :)
User avatar
Relayer
The Gap Into Spam
Posts: 1365
Joined: Tue Dec 20, 2005 4:36 am
Location: Wasatch Stonedown

Post by Relayer »

I read this many years ago... excellent book! Thanks for the reminder. If you liked that, then try the Dispossessed too.

I have Earthsea on audio but haven't gotten to them yet.
"History is a myth men have agreed upon." - Napoleon

Image
User avatar
danlo
Lord
Posts: 20838
Joined: Wed Mar 06, 2002 8:29 pm
Location: Albuquerque NM
Been thanked: 1 time
Contact:

Post by danlo »

This thread on Ahira's Hangar (KW's sister site) may interest you The Dispossessed/Left Hand of Darkness and there's also a discussion of the latest book in the Hainish Cycle, The Telling (Fist and Faith moderates the LeGuin forum there, aka: Highdrake).
fall far and well Pilots!
User avatar
Fist and Faith
Magister Vitae
Posts: 25450
Joined: Sun Dec 01, 2002 8:14 pm
Has thanked: 9 times
Been thanked: 57 times

Post by Fist and Faith »

Hey, why don't y...

Doh! danlo beat me to it!!! :mrgreen:
All lies and jest
Still a man hears what he wants to hear
And disregards the rest
-Paul Simon

Image
User avatar
danlo
Lord
Posts: 20838
Joined: Wed Mar 06, 2002 8:29 pm
Location: Albuquerque NM
Been thanked: 1 time
Contact:

Post by danlo »

Slow moderators! Worthless, I tells ya! :mrgreen:
fall far and well Pilots!
User avatar
emotional leper
The Gap Into Spam
Posts: 4787
Joined: Tue May 29, 2007 4:54 am
Location: Hell. I'm Living in Hell.

Post by emotional leper »

My shrink kept on trying to get me to read this.

I wonder if there's a connection between "The Left Hand of Darkness" and "The Left Hand of the Damned" thing.
B&
User avatar
Fist and Faith
Magister Vitae
Posts: 25450
Joined: Sun Dec 01, 2002 8:14 pm
Has thanked: 9 times
Been thanked: 57 times

Post by Fist and Faith »

Did you ever read it? I assume your shrink told you why s/he wanted you to read it?
All lies and jest
Still a man hears what he wants to hear
And disregards the rest
-Paul Simon

Image
User avatar
Worm of Despite
Lord
Posts: 9546
Joined: Sat Oct 26, 2002 7:46 pm
Location: Rome, GA
Contact:

Post by Worm of Despite »

I will be reading this book in my Sci-Fi/Eng 3990 class. Our professor definitely has good taste. :)

I hear the book, like the later Earthsea books, is very gender-focused. I find that she is never heavy-handed with it, though.
User avatar
emotional leper
The Gap Into Spam
Posts: 4787
Joined: Tue May 29, 2007 4:54 am
Location: Hell. I'm Living in Hell.

Post by emotional leper »

Fist and Faith wrote:Did you ever read it? I assume your shrink told you why s/he wanted you to read it?
No, he never did.

I still have a scary Theory that my shrink was a time-traveling, older me.
B&
User avatar
danlo
Lord
Posts: 20838
Joined: Wed Mar 06, 2002 8:29 pm
Location: Albuquerque NM
Been thanked: 1 time
Contact:

Post by danlo »

These things happen.
fall far and well Pilots!
User avatar
lucimay
Lord
Posts: 15045
Joined: Thu Jul 28, 2005 5:17 pm
Location: Mott Wood, Genebakis
Contact:

Post by lucimay »

LHofD is my FAVORITE of Leguin's!!! 8)
you're more advanced than a cockroach,
have you ever tried explaining yourself
to one of them?
~ alan bates, the mothman prophecies



i've had this with actors before, on the set,
where they get upset about the [size of my]
trailer, and i'm always like...take my trailer,
cause... i'm from Kentucky
and that's not what we brag about.
~ george clooney, inside the actor's studio



a straight edge for legends at
the fold - searching for our
lost cities of gold. burnt tar,
gravel pits. sixteen gears switch.
Haphazard Lucy strolls by.
~ dennis r wood ~
User avatar
emotional leper
The Gap Into Spam
Posts: 4787
Joined: Tue May 29, 2007 4:54 am
Location: Hell. I'm Living in Hell.

Post by emotional leper »

danlo wrote:These things happen.
Yes, but then again, I'm a Timelord, and these things happen more frequently with us. 8)
B&
User avatar
Zenlunatic
Black Belt in Foreplay
Posts: 587
Joined: Sun Dec 30, 2007 10:52 am
Location: Santa Fe

Post by Zenlunatic »

Yeah, "Left Hand" was great...she's best known for "Earthsea" but those aren't her best books, IMHO...I'll echo that "The Dispossessed" is excellent.
What are you looking at?
dibro
Servant of the Land
Posts: 6
Joined: Tue Dec 04, 2007 12:17 pm

Post by dibro »

wow...thanks for pointing me in the direction of Ahira's Hangar...more great discussions and ideas!!! Excellent!
User avatar
Fist and Faith
Magister Vitae
Posts: 25450
Joined: Sun Dec 01, 2002 8:14 pm
Has thanked: 9 times
Been thanked: 57 times

Post by Fist and Faith »

And welcome to the Watch! :D
All lies and jest
Still a man hears what he wants to hear
And disregards the rest
-Paul Simon

Image
User avatar
Menolly
A Lowly Harper
Posts: 24184
Joined: Thu May 19, 2005 12:29 am
Location: Harper Hall, Fort Hold, Northern Continent, Pern...
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 15 times
Contact:

Post by Menolly »

Zenlunatic wrote:Yeah, "Left Hand" was great...she's best known for "Earthsea" but those aren't her best books, IMHO...I'll echo that "The Dispossessed" is excellent.
Really?

Earthsea is the only LeGuin I have read so far, and that recently because of the group read on AWoE at the Hangar, and in search for the source of the name of my Ranyhyn. :D I loved the series and short stories, but have not ventured further yet.
Image
dibro
Servant of the Land
Posts: 6
Joined: Tue Dec 04, 2007 12:17 pm

just finished "The Dispossed"

Post by dibro »

that was fabulous as well! As much as I love the earthsae books, I have to say that these are better!
User avatar
ninjaboy
<i>Haruchai</i>
Posts: 526
Joined: Thu Dec 06, 2007 11:32 am
Location: Melbourne, Australia

Post by ninjaboy »

Did anyone see that Anime film that was made from the Earthsea books? I haven't got around to it yet.. But I suspect it would be good!!

Anyway LeGuin is def one of my fave authors.. I read the Disposessed a long time ago after being a long time fan of SciFi and (then) wished my (then) favourite authors Asimov and Clarke would write stuff like that. But they're brilliant.

Oh and EmotionalLeper - does your shrink theory invonve in yourself one day becoming a TimeLord?
Forgive my death.
It was my flesh that failed you, not my love.
Post Reply

Return to “General Fantasy/Sci-Fi Discussion”