101. The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin (Science Fiction) 300 p.

Sci-fi Classics Challenge

Course reading: Science Fiction

At the opening of the novel, Genly Ai, representative of the Ekumen on the planet Gethen, has been two years on that cold world, attempting to convince its people that he is an emissary from the council uniting more than eighty worlds, a union Gethen in being invited to join. The tense Gethenian political situation and his difficulty in persuading them of the truth of his story make Genly’s job dangerous, but help from a very unlikely source gives him a chance—a slim chance—of success.

I particularly like the structure of this book, which displays all of Ursula K. Le Guin’s considerable talent for world-building. Genly’s account of the events forms the main narrative, but it is interspersed with various Gethenian tales, both historical and legendary, and by a surprisingly intimate first-person perspective from one of the Gethenian characters. Each of the Gethenian tales, while they illuminate some point of Gethen’s history or culture related to the plot, yet manage to seem organic, natural, as though they really arose from Gethenian society, rather than being created to throw light on the main narrative.

Since the science fiction course I’m taking this term is intended to be something of an introduction to the genre, we’ve naturally talked a good deal about what in particular makes a book “science fiction” (which I’ll probably write more about some other time.) It’s a good course, and like all good courses, I’ve learned to recognize and articulate things that might have occurred to me, but never did. I particularly agree with the idea that science fiction is inherently a contemporary genre: no matter when or where it’s set, it’s always a reflection of, and a commentary on, its own time—and perhaps, any time. Science fiction—or at least, good science fiction—has a psychological reality that transcends the physical reality in which the action takes place.

I found that very true of The Left Hand of Darkness, which is surely one of the best science fiction novels ever written. The novel itself spends some time exploring the ways in which beings from radically different cultures can connect with one another, but it also allows the reader to connect with an invented culture, but one with enough things in common with her own to entirely suspend her disbelief over the course of the book. For example, one of the Gethenians makes a point about patriotism that resonated strongly with me:

What is love of one’s country; is it hate of one’s uncountry? Then it’s not a good thing. Is it simply self-love? That’s a good thing, but one mustn’t make a virtue of it, or a profession…¹

Although the book is mainly serious, there was at least one amusing line, which has got to be one of my favourite descriptions in fiction:

He was a hard shrewd jovial politician, whose acts of kindness served his interest and whose interest was himself. His type is panhuman. I had met him on Earth, and on Hain, and on Ollul. I expect to meet him in Hell.²

I am very grateful to have finally read this book, not just because it’s such an awesome read (although it is), but because I was so disappointed not to have liked Le Guin’s Earthsea books. She’s such an amazing person, and has done so many interesting and groundbreaking things within SFF, that I wanted to love her books, and I just didn’t. Now, at least, I can be at ease knowing that I throughly enjoyed her masterpiece, rather than just admiring its message.

Books read: 101
Pages read: 29,934

Next up: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë (re-read), Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick.

1. Le Guin, Ursula K. The Left Hand of Darkness. New York: Ace, 2000. 212. [back]
2. Ibid. 116. [back]

Tags: 50 Book Challenge 2007, Sci-Fi Classics Challenge, Ursula K. Le Guin