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3.62 AVERAGE
3.62 AVERAGE
adventurous
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I definitely liked this one more than World of Rocannon. It shows us two alien cultures as seen by the other culture, and their interactions. It's short and simple, and its narrative arch is not very impressive, but it's okay or even good scifi, hands down.
PLANET OF EXILE (1966) was my 3rd book by Le Guin in the last few months, another of her Hainish Cycle. The story follows an exiled group of humans that have taken up residence on the planet of Werel. Le Guin explores "otherness" in this story in actions between the native planetary humans and the "farborn" as the exiled humans are called. She brings in an interesting temporal element here (similar to the GOT idea of the "long summer" and "winter is coming") as seasons last for decades, and then switch abruptly. It's an early work, not as deep and nuanced, but worth the time if you're into Ursula.
Definitely has the hallmarks of an early Le Guin in the male fantasy hero thing BUT also shows the sensitivity to courage, love, and all in all Humanity that le guin is a master of. adaptation, acceptance, survival, and kinship are the human ken, whether terran, tevaran, or gaal. i love the interplay of worldview and halting struggle for understanding between Rolery, the stubborn outcast girl, Jakob Agat, the sensitive and noble young hero, and Wold, the gruff and philosophical old chief.
adventurous
mysterious
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
3.5; for what is considered more of a "classic" read, I liked this!!
adventurous
challenging
dark
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Le Guin has an amazing talent for character. This book, though quite short, makes a reader care profoundly for all the characters, and quite a few of them have flaws that make them un-likable - and more Human. It's also fascinating to see the wisdom and foresight that Le Guin had writing this book in 1966. This book is a classic example of how ahead of her time she was, taking ecology, social and racial justice, and feminism to their extreme (and logical) conclusions. Absolutely brilliant piece of science fiction writing.
adventurous
dark
sad
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No