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bdawg's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
Fun book with each chapter exploring a different plane of reality. I found the planets diverse and unique. While of course I liked some of the planes more than others I found them all interesting to read about and none were too samey.
Every plane has some new critique or reflection on society and life which I've come to love from LeGuin. The framing device for the plane travel is also very fun and adds another little layer to the whole thing.
Every plane has some new critique or reflection on society and life which I've come to love from LeGuin. The framing device for the plane travel is also very fun and adds another little layer to the whole thing.
lyleblosser's review against another edition
4.0
An eclectic but surprisingly coherent collection of "extra-planar" tales, blending unique and at times nearly incomprehensible cultures that stretch the definition of what it means to be human way beyond the typical borders. Amazing that such differences in humanity could be written by a single author and collected in a single volume. Although this is Le Guin, after all, so I suppose I should not have been too surprised.
nekoreiko's review against another edition
I could not get into this book. The store and the shirt stories, wine kind of interesting, were mostly boring and pedantic.
michael5000's review against another edition
3.0
A collection of xenological ecologies, societies, and linguistics, by one of the great masters of creating such things. The framing device is, alas, pretty silly; the sketches would have been better off without it.
beetree's review against another edition
4.0
I'm not usually much for short stories but I found this completely delightful.
rebeccacider's review against another edition
4.0
A fun mixture of satire and worldbuilding. Very Gulliver's Travels, really, except with a likable narrator!
lyriclorelei's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
4.0
Some interesting world concepts explored in this.
corvinaq's review against another edition
5.0
As close to perfection as humanly possible, this book is a collection of interesting, thought-provoking, clever short stories about visiting other planes of existence.
2016 Read: It seems like every time I read this book it gets more gentle, wise, and provocative.
2016 Read: It seems like every time I read this book it gets more gentle, wise, and provocative.
macnchz's review against another edition
4.0
This is a short story collection based on the premise that being bored in an airport allows you to change planes - that is, reality planes. The different alternate realities/dimensions presented in this book are colorful and interesting. I quite liked it!