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A review by msjoanna
The Lathe of Heaven by Ursula K. Le Guin
5.0
This is a classic of science fiction that I last read more than twenty years ago. I was browsing things available on audio on my library's site and came across this and decided to see how it aged.
Ursula K. Le Guin is a fabulous author. She has a deep understanding of human behavior and a way of cutting right to the bone in her novels. The concept here is simple: there's a man whose dreams become reality. This concept is managed beautifully with explanations for how this works and what happens to other people when it happens. But the magic of the story is the way that these dreams get at the heart of what is going on in the dreamer's subconscious mind. And of course, the wonderful interaction with a psychiatrist who wants to use the dreamer's ability for his own ends.
An absolutely stunning novel. Well worth reading (or rereading).
Unfortunately Guidall never manages to be a favorite narrator. His narrations are clear and his voice is pleasant, but he never manages to bring the story alive--it's like listening to a science fiction movie AI read--pleasing, but no heart.
Ursula K. Le Guin is a fabulous author. She has a deep understanding of human behavior and a way of cutting right to the bone in her novels. The concept here is simple: there's a man whose dreams become reality. This concept is managed beautifully with explanations for how this works and what happens to other people when it happens. But the magic of the story is the way that these dreams get at the heart of what is going on in the dreamer's subconscious mind. And of course, the wonderful interaction with a psychiatrist who wants to use the dreamer's ability for his own ends.
An absolutely stunning novel. Well worth reading (or rereading).
Unfortunately Guidall never manages to be a favorite narrator. His narrations are clear and his voice is pleasant, but he never manages to bring the story alive--it's like listening to a science fiction movie AI read--pleasing, but no heart.