56 reviews for:

Vaster than Empires and More Slow

Ursula K. Le Guin, Ursula K. Le Guin

4.07 AVERAGE

rymrgard's review against another edition

5.0

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I stumbled over this shortstory while reading Volume I of the Library of America Hainish Cycle and it ended up being my unexpected favourite of the collection — note unexpected favourite, not favourite overall, since I had the strong feeling I would love Left Hand of Darkness and The Dispossessed from the start. In fact, they are the reason I picked up Ursula K. Le Guin in the first place.

One review of this short story makes a reference to Solaris and I completely agree. While it isn‘t fresh on my mind anymore — I definitely have to reread Solaris very soon as I‘m sure I would enjoy it much more now than I did previously — the mood created is very similar in its eerieness, its unsettling horror, its deep thrumming terror of the Unknown, stranded sentience in an alien environment.

Since this was published in A Wind‘s Twelve Quarters originally, I will probably pick up that collection when I‘m done with Volume II.
I wish this was longer. I hope for more of this. I love the Lem side of Le Guin.

lion_nes's review against another edition

5.0

dark emotional inspiring reflective tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

leonietjeuh's review against another edition

5.0

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An excellent arboreal and social/psychological scifi short story. Depictions of autism were a bit outdated.

elizafiedler's review against another edition

4.5

challenging mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

newcombe74's review against another edition

4.25

reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

st256's review against another edition

4.5

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

samjonester's review against another edition

3.0

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

llcoffj's review against another edition

4.0

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

gwenhwyfar's review against another edition

3.0

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The first part of this story has elements that have not aged well, might as well say it right off the bat. It's hard to miss. It also doesn't continue throughout the story, and it leads us through a compelling story and a more or less ok ending. It's also the chronologically earliest story I've seen in the Hainish cycle so far, back in the early league days of colonialism. I like the idea of some random dude trying to become friends with a whole planet. The ending, as mentioned, was a little milquetoast. Felt a bit sudden, a lot handwaved, like when a parent is telling a bedtime story and it's getting late so they skip details to wrap it up. I did really like this story's arc, though. I feel like I've seen shades of it in other works. 6/10

lhagani's review against another edition

4.75

emotional reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: No