Ursula Le Guin's best?

[yngvi]

I've read most of her famouse stuff maybe 20-30 years ago but I've re-read the Earthsea books 4 or 5 times. I deliberately didn't read Tehanu until about 3 years ago and thought it was a worthy addition to the trilogy but I only read 'The Other Wind' a few weeks ago. Her writing style is still strong but although I can see why she wrote it, I think she probably should have left it at four books.

I tried to re-read 'The Left Hand of Darkness' last year but it was way too slow and I lost interest at about page 70. Strange isn't it? (I thought it was brilliant when I first read it, and it probably still is)

[Talysia]

I think The Earthsea Quartet would be my choice, although I liked The Farthest Shore the best. So far, these are the only books of hers I've read (something to remedy in the near future), so I'll likely post again with my opinions then.

[woodsman]

Haven't read as much Le Guin as I'd like, but, The Word For World is Forest and The Telling would be favourites alongside those already mentioned. Earthsea was my introduction to fantasy in many ways so holds a very special place in the hollow tin chest.

For short story I'd put up Paradises Lost and Solitude, although, I haven't read The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas.

[Jsun]

'A Wizard of Earthsea' is the only novel of hers I really love. Two short stories I thought were great: "The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas", and "Things".

[J-Sun]

Greetings O hyphen-less one.

I'd agree with stencyl and others that I'd be torn between The Lathe of Heaven and The Left Hand of Darkness for novel. However, I'll also give a nod to brunnerpulpishism's Planet of Exile which is likely the most underrated of her novels.

As far as stories, it's been a looong time since I read one. I'll agree that "The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas" was one of the most memorable, but I'm not sure that equals "best". It seems like I liked a lot of the contents of The Wind's Twelve Quarters and some of The Compass Rose including "The Diary of the Rose" and others. (I didn't much like the stuff in Orsinian Tales, though.

[Jsun]

Greetings O hyphen-less one.

Sheesh. <guffaw> Nice to meet a more dashing version of myself.

Agree about Orsinian Tales.

j

EDIT: Surely someone so excellent named remembers 'Things' from 'Twelve Quarters'?

[J-Sun]

Originally Posted by Jsun

Sheesh. <guffaw> Nice to meet a more dashing version of myself.

I don't think I'm very dashing but we can excuse accuracy in the name of a good pun.

Originally Posted by Jsun

EDIT: Surely someone so excellent named remembers 'Things' from 'Twelve Quarters'?

Sorry, but I sure don't. I'm very bad with remembering stories by name but even looking over my copy it isn't ringing bells. I've got a lot to read but I think it's time to re-read this one (story and whole collection) soon.

[Jsun]

Well when you get to 'Things', think of me, your truncated namesake lol. j

[Grimward]

*Observes the coincidental colliding of namesakes*

You sure you two weren't separated at birth?

Regarding the august Ms. LeGuin (have to be careful there, wouldn't want to imply that she is Ms. August:, I've only read the original Earthsea triology and The Left Hand of Darkness, so possibly I'm not qualified to weigh in here. From what I have read (and I'm likely to pick up Tehanu at least at some later point, if not Lathe as well), I like A Wizard of Earthsea the best.

[Jsun]

You sure you two weren't separated at birth?

I don't know about him, but I definitely was. j

[GOLLUM]

I've got Twelve Quarters, so I'm looking forward to all this mystery surrounding 'Things'....

Welcome to both Js....

[J-Sun]

Originally Posted by GOLLUM

Welcome to both Js....

Thanks. Glad to be here.

[Jsun]

The Linearly Augmented One speaketh as for me. j