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pkiwi's review against another edition
4.0
Le Guin is a master at short stories and this collection is a delight. Contains "Those who walk away from Omelas" among others. Several stories clearly tie into her other work and can therefore be a bit hard to read without prior knowledge of say, the Hainish cycle.
alexzayts's review against another edition
5.0
Okay, I'll admit, not all stories had a 5 star rating for me. Still, wow, this was so diverse! A fairy tale retelling, a story through diary entries and even a reverse werewolf! Ursula K. Le Guin never ceases to amaze me, especially her short stories seem to carry a spark I see in no other author. She tackles so many ideas in her works, and this collection happened to tackle a kind of "anti-war" theme. This quote may serve as a good example:
"The joy built upon successfully slaughter is not the right kind of joy; it will not do; it is fearful and it is trivial."
"The joy built upon successfully slaughter is not the right kind of joy; it will not do; it is fearful and it is trivial."
madvixeninabox's review
adventurous
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
mary_soon_lee's review against another edition
4.0
Ursula K. Le Guin is one of my favorite authors, and this collection contains twenty of her science fiction and fantasy stories, most of which I had read before (though years ago). While there are a few stories that didn't appeal to me, the rest range from good to superb.
The opening story, "The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas," is particularly powerful. It had a huge impact on me when I read it in the 1970s. And it still does. I also love "The Author of the Acacia Seeds," a story about communicating with the alien. And I love "Nine Lives," a story that takes a familiar science fiction concept and grounds it in character.
I note that I read this collection aloud to my twelve-year-old daughter as our bedtime reading. Several times I asked her whether she wanted me to switch to another book, and each time she told me to continue with the Le Guin.
The opening story, "The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas," is particularly powerful. It had a huge impact on me when I read it in the 1970s. And it still does. I also love "The Author of the Acacia Seeds," a story about communicating with the alien. And I love "Nine Lives," a story that takes a familiar science fiction concept and grounds it in character.
I note that I read this collection aloud to my twelve-year-old daughter as our bedtime reading. Several times I asked her whether she wanted me to switch to another book, and each time she told me to continue with the Le Guin.
musebeliever's review against another edition
challenging
dark
5.0
It took me a long time to digest this one as I would read one short story, and then I would stare into the void for one hour, steeped in existential dread. Excellent.
rodneywilhite's review against another edition
5.0
"Betrayals," "The Matter of Seggri," "Solitude," and "The Wild Girls" are among the best short stories I've ever read. More anthropology than fiction, but also more realism than spec. Incredibly emotional and moving, but also largely set on alien world with nonhumans. They're hard to explain, but I feel like a whole new world of literary expression has opened up before me, and I am in awe. You just have to read it.
rolandishereandqueer's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
depeachymode's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
I had to skip around in this one as I haven’t finished the Hainish cycle and didn’t want it spoiled for me, but the stories I did read had all of Le Guin’s characteristic beauty and intelligence. I especially liked Mazes and The Rule of Names, which fall on pretty much completely opposite ends of the tonal spectrum but were equally thought-provoking. I miss Ursula like a mf 😭
meghan111's review against another edition
5.0
What I keep thinking of when I imagine explaining the appeal of Le Guin's brand of anthropological sci-fi is how she explores power in different social structures and how it affects ordinary people.
ladylegerwood's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
really enjoyed this selection of short stories - the worlds she created ... I wanted to know more!