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A review by goldandsalt
The Lathe of Heaven by Ursula K. Le Guin
5.0
I had no interest in the premise, but it was available at the library when nothing else was, and I trusted Le Guin.
Always trust Ursula K. Le Guin.
This book is about the ethics of research, it's about objectivity and subjectivity, it's about being part of earth (or nature) rather than outside and above it, it's about power and the limits of benevolence.
Also it takes place in PDX where I live, and it was a thrill to live through many different Portland realities.
Tiny, plot-irrelevant spoiler: also a delight that Mt St Helens is described as a cone while it's Mt Hood that becomes active. But it's all alternate realities, so it doesn't feel wrong or dated, just like this was a set of alternate realities where it was Hood rather than Helens that blew! This is the kind of frisson of sci-fi delight I live for!
Always trust Ursula K. Le Guin.
This book is about the ethics of research, it's about objectivity and subjectivity, it's about being part of earth (or nature) rather than outside and above it, it's about power and the limits of benevolence.
Also it takes place in PDX where I live, and it was a thrill to live through many different Portland realities.
Tiny, plot-irrelevant spoiler: also a delight that Mt St Helens is described as a cone while it's Mt Hood that becomes active. But it's all alternate realities, so it doesn't feel wrong or dated, just like this was a set of alternate realities where it was Hood rather than Helens that blew! This is the kind of frisson of sci-fi delight I live for!