Oh hey! That sounds a little like a super shitty version of mobiles from Ursula K LeGuin’s Ekumen! If anyone is interested in an actually good version of this, I would suggest reading just about the entire Hainish Cycle, they’re all really good! For this trope in particular I would recommend specifically Left Hand of Darkness (might be my favorite book ever written, really, it’s just so, so good), The Telling, and Rocannon’s World.
The first Culture book is more of an action story that introduces some elements of the Culture. You can probably skip it initially if you want the headier stuff, but it’s a very good grounding into the setting and the events of the book, the Idiran-Culture War, is the in-universe event that moves the Culture from non-interference to a “guiding hand” model which informs the motivations of the civilization in later books.
Player of Games is an excellent Culture book that uses its whole chest to critique imperialism.
Use Of Weapons requires a lot of focus to parse through because it’s telling two stories in opposite chronological order and outlines more of the real human cost of the Culture’s policies of interference.
Does anyone else have this issue? I love sci-fi, avowed commie, but I just can’t get hooked on Le Guin’s writing. I don’t know what it is, I like the concepts, the plots, but it just doesn’t hook me. I haven’t tried Left Hand of Darkness though and I’ve heard that’s her best.
It probably depends on what hooks you. I bounced off Left Hand of Darkness at first. Later read The Dispossessed (now my favorite book), The Lathe of Heaven, The Birthday of the World short story collection, and I’m trying to get into Left Hand again now, which I’m finding a bit easier to read after becoming comfortable with Le Guin’s writing style.
Left Hand of Darkness is wonderful but personally The Dispossessed resonated with me quite a bit more, just found it breathtakingly human in a way that totally broke me down. probably my favourite book now.
She’s certainly got an older feel to her writing. I feel like it requires more work to get into, but I find the payoff is usually worth it. This might sound weird, but I think she had higher expectations from her readers than most authors have nowadays.
It does have that feel, I can tell she is a great writer. I’ll have to give it another go. It takes a little effort to fully visualize what she writes probably because it is just more advanced prose than most things I read, I read a lot more non-fiction these days than novels so it’s a little tricky at times to interpret the more poetic/metaphoric style, especially when I am stressed and can’t focus well.
I totally get what you mean; Starting off, her books always have a dimmer picture in my head. As if the images were being illuminated by a flickering candle that could go out at any time. It takes quite a few chapters before I feel like I’m getting the full picture.
This might sound weird, but I think she had higher expectations from her readers than most authors have nowadays.
Just an aside, but I strongly suspect this is like a literary equivalent to shows being made for second screens.
Oh hey! That sounds a little like a super shitty version of mobiles from Ursula K LeGuin’s Ekumen! If anyone is interested in an actually good version of this, I would suggest reading just about the entire Hainish Cycle, they’re all really good! For this trope in particular I would recommend specifically Left Hand of Darkness (might be my favorite book ever written, really, it’s just so, so good), The Telling, and Rocannon’s World.
Seconding LeGuin. But Comrade, if you haven’t read The Culture series yet, you’d probably really enjoy them.
I haven’t read Rocannon’s World yet. I’ll have to that check that out. I’ve still gotta read the Earthsea Cycle too, I’m afraid.
I hadn’t even heard of The Culture series! I will indeed read those, they look great! Thanks for the recommendation!
The first Culture book is more of an action story that introduces some elements of the Culture. You can probably skip it initially if you want the headier stuff, but it’s a very good grounding into the setting and the events of the book, the Idiran-Culture War, is the in-universe event that moves the Culture from non-interference to a “guiding hand” model which informs the motivations of the civilization in later books.
Player of Games is an excellent Culture book that uses its whole chest to critique imperialism.
Use Of Weapons requires a lot of focus to parse through because it’s telling two stories in opposite chronological order and outlines more of the real human cost of the Culture’s policies of interference.
Hey, I’m currently publishing the audiobook of “the player of games” from the culture series on my peertube in 15-ish minutes bite size parts. I have the first 5 up right now if you’re interested.
Awesome! Welcome, hope you like them!
Does anyone else have this issue? I love sci-fi, avowed commie, but I just can’t get hooked on Le Guin’s writing. I don’t know what it is, I like the concepts, the plots, but it just doesn’t hook me. I haven’t tried Left Hand of Darkness though and I’ve heard that’s her best.
It probably depends on what hooks you. I bounced off Left Hand of Darkness at first. Later read The Dispossessed (now my favorite book), The Lathe of Heaven, The Birthday of the World short story collection, and I’m trying to get into Left Hand again now, which I’m finding a bit easier to read after becoming comfortable with Le Guin’s writing style.
Left Hand of Darkness is wonderful but personally The Dispossessed resonated with me quite a bit more, just found it breathtakingly human in a way that totally broke me down. probably my favourite book now.
She’s certainly got an older feel to her writing. I feel like it requires more work to get into, but I find the payoff is usually worth it. This might sound weird, but I think she had higher expectations from her readers than most authors have nowadays.
It does have that feel, I can tell she is a great writer. I’ll have to give it another go. It takes a little effort to fully visualize what she writes probably because it is just more advanced prose than most things I read, I read a lot more non-fiction these days than novels so it’s a little tricky at times to interpret the more poetic/metaphoric style, especially when I am stressed and can’t focus well.
I totally get what you mean; Starting off, her books always have a dimmer picture in my head. As if the images were being illuminated by a flickering candle that could go out at any time. It takes quite a few chapters before I feel like I’m getting the full picture.
Just an aside, but I strongly suspect this is like a literary equivalent to shows being made for second screens.