The Left Hand of Darkness

by Ursula K. Le Guin

mass market paperback

Published July 26, 1974 by Ace.

ISBN:: 978-0-441-47802-6

(5 reviews)

[Comment by Kim Stanley Robinson, on The Guardian's website][1]: The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K Le Guin (1969)

One of my favorite novels is The Left Hand of Darkness, by Ursula K Le Guin. For more than 40 years I've been recommending this book to people who want to try science fiction for the first time, and it still serves very well for that. One of the things I like about it is how clearly it demonstrates that science fiction can have not only the usual virtues and pleasures of the novel, but also the startling and transformative power of the thought experiment.

In this case, the thought experiment is quickly revealed: "The king was pregnant," the book tells us early on, and after that we learn more and more about this planet named Winter, stuck in an ice age, where the humans are most of the time …

[Comment by Kim Stanley Robinson, on The Guardian's website][1]: The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K Le Guin (1969)

One of my favorite novels is The Left Hand of Darkness, by Ursula K Le Guin. For more than 40 years I've been recommending this book to people who want to try science fiction for the first time, and it still serves very well for that. One of the things I like about it is how clearly it demonstrates that science fiction can have not only the usual virtues and pleasures of the novel, but also the startling and transformative power of the thought experiment.

In this case, the thought experiment is quickly revealed: "The king was pregnant," the book tells us early on, and after that we learn more and more about this planet named Winter, stuck in an ice age, where the humans are most of the time neither male nor female, but with the potential to become either. The man from Earth investigating this situation has a lot to learn, and so do we; and we learn it in the course of a thrilling adventure story, including a great "crossing of the ice". Le Guin's language is clear and clean, and has within it both the anthropological mindset of her father Alfred Kroeber, and the poetry of stories as magical things that her mother Theodora Kroeber found in native American tales. This worldly wisdom applied to the romance of other planets, and to human nature at its deepest, is Le Guin's particular gift to us, and something science fiction will always be proud of. Try it and see – you will never think about people in quite the same way again.

[1]: www.theguardian.com/books/2011/may/14/science-fiction-authors-choice

19 editions

Carlos Cámara reviewed The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin (Hainish Cycle, #4)

Good ideas, bad story

2 stars

Content warning It contains spoilers

After having enjoyed a lot The Dispossessed, and having read so many great reviews about this book, I cannot stop but feeling disappointed or under the impression that I failed to understand it or it was not the right time for me to read it.

I must recognize the originality of describing a whole hermaphrodite species in a forever frozen world, with their own culture and social organisation (something I enjoyed). But I felt that the story that was promised was weak, full of Deus ex machinas, unnecessary interruptions, and not even as strong and moving as I had imagined. Is the bonding between Therem and Genly as strong as suggested or is it merely survival? Are their beliefs about the other so shaken and deconstructed as suggested or were simply weak prejudices broken by the forced coexistence?

The fact that I found the narrative unconsistent and unnecessarily complex, didn't help at all. Genli's trip is littered with plenty of complex concepts that are not fully developed, (I am still unsure about what the Shifgrethor is -I had to look at Wikipedia and stack exchange), legends, explanations about calendars or chapters written from somedody else's perspective, without a clear criteria or rhythm on when those interludes are added. But probably, what I found most disappointing was the constant mentions to the how different gethenian culture, society and cosmogony are due to their hermaphroditism, but IMHO, it is never not clearly exemplified in anything specific, not to mention the missed opportunity of using they/them pronouns (albeit I'm aware that that might not be that commonplace back in 1969, and probably editors thought that books had to had male characters to be sold).

Nickbwalking@ramblingreaders.org reviewed The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin (Hainish Cycle, #4)

Review of 'The Left Hand of Darkness' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

It's a classic for a reason. It's not an easy read, but it's one of the most thought-provoking pieces of SF I've read. Ideas and scenes that will occupy my mind for a long time.

Jectoons reviewed The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin (Hainish Cycle, #4)

Un libro adelantado a su tiempo, un titán de la ciencia ficción

5 stars

Los conceptos tratados en esta novela están increíblemente adelantados a su tiempo. Le Guin tiene la destreza narrativa de sumergirnos de lleno en el mundo de la novela, y empatizar (y un poco odiar) al personaje principal a través de quien estamos conociendo este planeta de hielo. Un clásico en todo el sentido de la palabra, pero uno que se ha mantenido fresco y relevante desde 1969.

exosferablog reviewed La Mano Izquierda de La Oscuridad by Ursula K. Le Guin

Review of 'La Mano Izquierda de La Oscuridad' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

Una reflexión sobre las relaciones humanas, el género, el poder, el nacionalismo, la guerra y la política dentro de un marco de ciencia ficción, en un planeta inhóspito y frío, que invita al recogimiento. Los mensajes que deja el libro son como el frío de Invierno, se filtran hasta los huesos. Una vez lo empecé no pude parar. Cualquiera diría que es de 1969, con cuestionamientos y reflexiones muy actuales.

Thom reviewed Left Hand Of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin

Review of 'Left Hand Of Darkness' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

Reading science fiction in year order from the 50s shows just what a decade of change the 60s was, and this novel was the apex. While grand science fiction, it is also a human story which really took off halfway through the book, with both main characters on the run.

I won't try and summarize the book, and could barely scratch the surface of deeper meaning that other reviewers have found. Let's just say I agree completely with the Hugo and Nebula wins, its inclusion in the "defining science fiction of the 60s" list, along with nearly every other top science fiction list. Recommended!