Trying Le Guin - Science Fiction Fantasy Chronicles: forums

stinking_dylan · 8th June 2007, 12:01 PM

I'm in the mood for new authors, and I've never read anything be Le Guin, because I was under the impression that she wrote mainly for a younger audience (other than a couple of titles like LHOD, and Lathe of H). Is this true?

Has anybody read her new trilogy? Is it a teen story, and if so, can it be enjoyed by adults also? Can anybody point out her stories or series that are aimed at younger readers?

iansales · 8th June 2007, 12:17 PM

Ler Guin does write YA novels,, but she's primarily a writer of science fiction and fantasy for adults. Some of her sf novels are considered classics of the genre - The Dispossessed, The Left Hand of Darkness, The Lathe of Heaven... Her science fiction is very considered, very thoughtful, very well-written, and often focused on anthropological and and social aspects. You could try any of her recent collections - they'll give you a good idea of what her fiction is like. The Telling, a recent sf novel, is worth trying, although it's a little more didactic than some of her earlier stuff. Four Ways to Forgiveness, also sf, is four linked novellas and very good.

Fried Egg · 8th June 2007, 12:23 PM

From what I've read, I wouldn't have said her works were predominately for a younger audience necessarilly. Her works can certainly be enjoyed by adults. Infact, whilst stories like the Earthsea trilogy can certainly be enjoyed by younger readers, I would have thought that some of the subtleties of her writing will be lost on them.

Looking at the wiki page, it seems that she has written some books for children...

iansales · 8th June 2007, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fried Egg

From what I've read, I wouldn't have said her works were predominately for a younger audience necessarilly. Her works can certainly be enjoyed by adults.

She's not a YA writer, although she has written books for a YA audience - such as the Earthsea books (it's a quintet now, isn't it?). True, you don't have to be a teenager to enjoy them... but it's doing LeGuin a disservice to characterise her as primarily a writer of books for a younger audience.

Thadlerian · 8th June 2007, 02:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stinking_dylan

Has anybody read her new trilogy? Is it a teen story, and if so, can it be enjoyed by adults also? Can anybody point out her stories or series that are aimed at younger readers?

You mean Gifts, Voices and Powers?

I've only read the first, but it was brilliant. I'm considering various ways of getting my hands on the second. Don't know if the third has been published yet.

Gifts can absolutely be enjoyed by all audiences. I think of it as the quintessential Le Guin, where she's taken all good things from her previous books and put them together, with a result that matches The Left Hand of Darkness.

j. d. worthington · 8th June 2007, 05:09 PM

Actually, there are 6 Earthsea books at this point, including Tales from Earthsea.

LeGuin has a lot of anthropological interest in her work -- her father was Alfred L. Kroeber, the anthropologist, and her mother was Theodora Kroeber, a writer, so she combined the two and brought her own perspectives to these as well.

She's certainly not limited to YA or children's books -- those are a very minor part of her output, in fact. And yes, I'd highly recommend quite a few of her books; they're not quite the fast-paced story sort of thing, but they are rich in texture and thought, and beautifully written....

EDIT: I hadn't looked at the wiki page on her before posting, so some of the information above is rather redundant....

stinking_dylan · 9th June 2007, 09:50 PM

I've ordered Gifts and Voices. I'll let you know how I get on.

I also like Tanith Lee if that's anything to go by...

The Wanderer · 11th June 2007, 12:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stinking_dylan

I've ordered Gifts and Voices. I'll let you know how I get on.

I also like Tanith Lee if that's anything to go by...

She wrote a Blake's 7 Episode once, and good it was too

madeener · 11th June 2007, 05:46 PM

Gifts is definitely essential reading for any Le Guin reader. Though the language may be a bit too clean and simple (for the sake of younger readers), the themes explored within it are certainly not. Style for this one was excellent, though I felt a few parts had to be more dramatic.

Voices is a heavier book with main characters of Gifts make a reappearance together with the book's new characters and setting. I found this one to be pretty disappointing due to the style being unable to deliver the mood of the city and its people in a strong enough manner.

And yes, Powers is out. Gonna read it once my local library gets a copy (hopefully).

spartan_pwns · 8th July 2007, 12:04 AM

Gifts is part of a trilogy? I had no idea.... I'm pretty pumped about Voices then, cuaz I Loved Gifts. It was my first Le Guin book because I also wanted to try the author but didnt want to start a massive series for some reason. Good to know Orrec's story isnt over!

areader · 8th July 2007, 12:09 AM

I read Earthsea at age 8 and recently read it again...it didn't have the same feeling to it. I've read some of her sci/fi and interviews and stuff. The anthropology comes out in her broader culture references.

Addy · 23rd July 2007, 08:10 PM

I just read Lathe of Heaven, and I loved it. I'm planning to get other books by Le Guin, but this was my first one, and I can't recommend it highly enough.

Next in my list are The Left Hand of Darkness and The Dispossessed, to begin with.

power to the J · 20th December 2007, 11:47 PM

Le Guin is a fantastic author, and I think that you'll really enjoy her (although I have no idea about your preferences). I read the first part of Earthsea at a young age, so I guess it is for YA, but I can still enjoy her stuff now.

GOLLUM · 21st December 2007, 07:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by j. d. worthington

Actually, there are 6 Earthsea books at this point, including Tales from Earthsea.

A Wizard of Earthsea
The Tombs of Atuan
The Farthest Shore
Tehanu
Tales from Earthsea (short story collection)
The Other Wind

Plus 2 short stories in The Wind's Twelve Quarters:

The Word Of Unbinding
The Rule Of Names

Along with Left Hand Of Darkness, Lathe Of Heaven and Dispossesed these are all the books I currently own by Le Guin.

Hope this helps.

PrinceAshitaka · 10th March 2011, 08:30 AM

The thing about Le Guin is that while some of her stories (like the Earthsea sextuplet) are written very simply, so that people of all ages can read them, there's also something very profound about them, that can really resonate with an adult mind..
So I'm not saying she's a YA author per se, but rather a great storyteller that people of all ages can enjoy. Though I am not sure what younger kids would make of stories like 'the Dispossessed'..

8th June 2007, 12:01 PM	#1 (permalink)
stinking_dylan Registered User Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Vale of Glamorgan Posts: 48	Trying Le Guin I'm in the mood for new authors, and I've never read anything be Le Guin, because I was under the impression that she wrote mainly for a younger audience (other than a couple of titles like LHOD, and Lathe of H). Is this true? Has anybody read her new trilogy? Is it a teen story, and if so, can it be enjoyed by adults also? Can anybody point out her stories or series that are aimed at younger readers?

8th June 2007, 12:17 PM	#2 (permalink)
iansales Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: South Yorkshire Posts: 3,363	Re: Trying Le Guin Ler Guin does write YA novels,, but she's primarily a writer of science fiction and fantasy for adults. Some of her sf novels are considered classics of the genre - The Dispossessed, The Left Hand of Darkness, The Lathe of Heaven... Her science fiction is very considered, very thoughtful, very well-written, and often focused on anthropological and and social aspects. You could try any of her recent collections - they'll give you a good idea of what her fiction is like. The Telling, a recent sf novel, is worth trying, although it's a little more didactic than some of her earlier stuff. Four Ways to Forgiveness, also sf, is four linked novellas and very good.

8th June 2007, 12:23 PM	#3 (permalink)
Fried Egg Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Devon Posts: 2,898	Re: Trying Le Guin From what I've read, I wouldn't have said her works were predominately for a younger audience necessarilly. Her works can certainly be enjoyed by adults. Infact, whilst stories like the Earthsea trilogy can certainly be enjoyed by younger readers, I would have thought that some of the subtleties of her writing will be lost on them. Looking at the wiki page, it seems that she has written some books for children...

8th June 2007, 05:09 PM	#6 (permalink)
j. d. worthington Moderator Join Date: May 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 13,183	Re: Trying Le Guin Actually, there are 6 Earthsea books at this point, including Tales from Earthsea. LeGuin has a lot of anthropological interest in her work -- her father was Alfred L. Kroeber, the anthropologist, and her mother was Theodora Kroeber, a writer, so she combined the two and brought her own perspectives to these as well. She's certainly not limited to YA or children's books -- those are a very minor part of her output, in fact. And yes, I'd highly recommend quite a few of her books; they're not quite the fast-paced story sort of thing, but they are rich in texture and thought, and beautifully written.... EDIT: I hadn't looked at the wiki page on her before posting, so some of the information above is rather redundant....

9th June 2007, 09:50 PM	#7 (permalink)
stinking_dylan Registered User Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Vale of Glamorgan Posts: 48	Re: Trying Le Guin I've ordered Gifts and Voices. I'll let you know how I get on. I also like Tanith Lee if that's anything to go by...

11th June 2007, 05:46 PM	#9 (permalink)
madeener Just another dreamer~ Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Singapore Posts: 12	Re: Trying Le Guin Gifts is definitely essential reading for any Le Guin reader. Though the language may be a bit too clean and simple (for the sake of younger readers), the themes explored within it are certainly not. Style for this one was excellent, though I felt a few parts had to be more dramatic. Voices is a heavier book with main characters of Gifts make a reappearance together with the book's new characters and setting. I found this one to be pretty disappointing due to the style being unable to deliver the mood of the city and its people in a strong enough manner. And yes, Powers is out. Gonna read it once my local library gets a copy (hopefully).

8th July 2007, 12:04 AM	#10 (permalink)
spartan_pwns Dual-wielding is better. Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Texas Posts: 11	Re: Trying Le Guin Gifts is part of a trilogy? I had no idea.... I'm pretty pumped about Voices then, cuaz I Loved Gifts. It was my first Le Guin book because I also wanted to try the author but didnt want to start a massive series for some reason. Good to know Orrec's story isnt over!

8th July 2007, 12:09 AM	#11 (permalink)
areader Butterfly gal Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Australia Posts: 118	Re: Trying Le Guin I read Earthsea at age 8 and recently read it again...it didn't have the same feeling to it. I've read some of her sci/fi and interviews and stuff. The anthropology comes out in her broader culture references.

23rd July 2007, 08:10 PM	#12 (permalink)
Addy Win awards! Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: SOUTH AMERICA Posts: 352	Re: Trying Le Guin I just read *Lathe of Heaven, and I loved it. I'm planning to get other books by Le Guin, but this was my first one, and I can't recommend it highly enough. Next in my list are The Left Hand of Darkness* and *The Dispossessed*, to begin with.

20th December 2007, 11:47 PM	#13 (permalink)
power to the J Registered User Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: New York Posts: 141	Re: Trying Le Guin Le Guin is a fantastic author, and I think that you'll really enjoy her (although I have no idea about your preferences). I read the first part of Earthsea at a young age, so I guess it is for YA, but I can still enjoy her stuff now.

10th March 2011, 08:30 AM	#15 (permalink)
PrinceAshitaka Unlikely Ally Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Australia, Victoria Posts: 19	Re: Trying Le Guin The thing about Le Guin is that while some of her stories (like the Earthsea sextuplet) are written very simply, so that people of all ages can read them, there's also something very profound about them, that can really resonate with an adult mind.. So I'm not saying she's a YA author per se, but rather a great storyteller that people of all ages can enjoy. Though I am not sure what younger kids would make of stories like 'the Dispossessed'..

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