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Binding: PaperbackDewey Decimal Number: 813.54 EAN: 9780441007318 ISBN: 0441007317 Label: Ace Trade Manufacturer: Ace Trade Number Of Items: 1 Number Of Pages: 320 Publication Date: July 01, 2000 Publisher: Ace Trade Release Date: July 10, 2000 Studio: Ace Trade Related Items:
Browse for similar items by category: Click to Display Editorial Review: Amazon.com: Genly Ai is an emissary from the human galaxy to Winter, a lost, stray world. His mission is to bring the planet back into the fold of an evolving galactic civilization, but to do so he must bridge the gulf between his own culture and prejudices and those that he encounters. On a planet where people are of no gender--or both--this is a broad gulf indeed. The inventiveness and delicacy with which Le Guin portrays her alien world are not only unusual and inspiring, they are fundamental to almost all decent science fiction that has been written since. In fact, reading Le Guin again may cause the eye to narrow somewhat disapprovingly at the younger generation: what new ground are they breaking that is not already explored here with greater skill and acumen? It cannot be said, however, that this is a rollicking good story. Le Guin takes a lot of time to explore her characters, the world of her creation, and the philosophical themes that arise. If there were a canon of classic science fiction, The Left Hand of Darkness would be included without debate. Certainly, no science fiction bookshelf may be said to be complete without it. But the real question: is it fun to read? It is science fiction of an earlier time, a time that has not worn particularly well in the genre. The Left Hand of Darkness was a groundbreaking book in 1969, a time when, like the rest of the arts, science fiction was awakening to new dimensions in both society and literature. But the first excursions out of the pulp tradition are sometimes difficult to reread with much enjoyment. Rereading The Left Hand of Darkness, decades after its publication, one feels that those who chose it for the Hugo and Nebula awards were right to do so, for it truly does stand out as one of the great books of that era. It is immensely rich in timeless wisdom and insight. The Left Hand of Darkness is science fiction for the thinking reader, and should be read attentively in order to properly savor the depth of insight and the subtleties of plot and character. It is one of those pleasures that requires a little investment at the beginning, but pays back tenfold with the joy of raw imagination that resonates through the subsequent 30 years of science fiction storytelling. Not only is the bookshelf incomplete without owning it, so is the reader without having read it. --L. Blunt Jackson Book Description: Winner of the Hugo and Nebula Awards for Best Science Fiction Novel of the Year A groundbreaking work of science fiction, The Left Hand of Darkness tells the story of a lone human emissary to Winter, an alien world whose inhabitants can change their gender. His goal is to facilitate Winter's inclusion in a growing intergalactic civilization. But to do so he must bridge the gulf between his own views and those of the completely dissimilar culture that he encounters. Embracing the aspects of psychology, society, and human emotion on an alien world, The Left Hand of Darkness stands as a landmark achievement in the annals of intellectual science fiction. "As profuse and original in invention as The Lord of the Rings." --Michael Moorcock "What got to me was the quality of the storytelling. She's taken the mythology, psychology--the entire creative surround--and woven it into a jewel of a story." --Frank Herbert "Evocative." --The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction "An instant classic." --Minneapolis Star-Tribune "[A] science fiction masterpiece." --Newsweek Average Rating:
 Rating:  - I guess I'm a selective SF reader....I recently began to delve into science fiction, and wanted to read some books that were considered "classics" in the genre. Sadly, I couldn't get past page 50. The story had potential to be really exciting, but it had taken a BORING bent. Decades ago, this was probably good stuff, but for THIS CENTURY, I think readers are looking for something more to get their juices flowing. Like I said, I didn't get past page 50, but it didn't seem like there was going to be any mystery, comedy, dueling, suspense, ... Read More Rating:  - This is not sci-fiIn short, if you are looking for a sci-fi book, keep looking. This is simply a fictional novel. Touching superficially on space travel and life on icy worlds does not immediately qualify as science fiction. The bulk of the book occurs in a remote world called Winter where a pre-space-travel civilization deals with the issues of first contact. There is an immediate immersion into the inner workings of that society. If you are interested in exploring topics such as what would happen if men ... Read More Rating:  - On my list of must-reads . . .I probably first read this book long before many of the posters were born, but not in a vacuum-I also read all of the other Hainish novels I could find. For whatever reason, the Hainish novels have always held my attention in a way that the Earthsea books do not. I was always struck, not by the gender-role examination, but by what the book had to say about common aspects of humanity and loyalty. Look at it also in terms of how we relate to societal norms that are different from our own. ... Read More Rating: - "The place inside the blizzard..."A masterpiece, yes, but of a quieter caliber than most of these reviews would lead one to believe. Although Le Guin herself claimed that the politics were of more importance than the gender issues, what struck me most was the latter; the gender differences call into question the nature of love. Le Guin manages to masterfully present a love story without romance: Genly Ai and Estraven grow so close by the end of the book that there remains no border between friendship and love. Ai describes ... Read More Rating: - limp. disappointing for a hugo and nebula winner.After reading The Left Hand of Darkness, I feel let down. I was looking forward to reading a philosophically-rich book detailing the struggles, frustrations and (hopefully) triumphs of a envoy dealing with an alien world and its social structures. After finishing this novel, I was reminded of the context of when this novel was written, and the largely stiff male readership that SF had in a wholly different era of the 60's when such concepts as gender equality and racial struggles were still being resolved. ... Read More 
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