Powers by Ursula Le Guin

[altariel]

I am so pleased that Powers, the third book in Le Guin's trilogy Annals of the Western Shore has won a sixth Nebula for her. It is the most remarkable book about the quest for freedom, identity, self-knowledge. Reading it felt like being given a gift of wisdom and craft. The other books are splendid, but Powers is something special.

Comments

[mrazalais.livejournal.com]

I have some catching up to do.

I thought Gifts was classic Le Guin, but hadn't realised that there were more!

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I liked Voices more than Gifts: I think they build steadily. Enjoy!

[azalaisdep.livejournal.com]

I nearly didn't get into Gifts - there was something so bleak and sparse and strange about it - but I was glad I'd persevered. RG and I will have to catch up before the trilogy turns into a tetralogy turns into a...

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I think this trilogy is definitely finished - but then I would have said the same about Earthsea!

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Thank you! [adds to reading list]

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Enjoy!

[communicator.livejournal.com]

So, is it worth starting from 'Gifts' then?

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Yes, I'd start with Gifts and read the three of them through. They're not dependent on each other, but I think it's probably a richer experience that way.

[communicator.livejournal.com]

Thanks, I rarely read children's books, but I did noticed they have Gifts on audible, so I may listen to that next.

I'd very much like to read Le Guin's Lavinia, but it doesn't seem to be on sale in this country.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Hope you enjoy it and I'll look forward to hearing what you thought of it.

Lavinia is on sale via Amazon, but if you're staying away from there since #amazonfail, it's on the Waterstone's website too.

[glitterboy1.livejournal.com]

they have Gifts on audible

Oh, cool. I have a credit waiting to be used, and I'm about to abandon my current one, so thanks for the pointer.

Thanks, altariel, for the news.

[greylin.livejournal.com]

This was indeed excellent news and I shall have to read the three books all over again now. May the great lady live to at least eleventy-one and keep on writing!

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Hear hear!

[watervole.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the post. It's reminded me to go out and buy the first book in the series.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Hope you enjoy; it's a wonderful series.

[intertext.livejournal.com]

That's great news! I adore Le Guin, but strangely have not read those books; at least, I started Gifts and bounced off it, but I've heard so many good things about them that I feel I should give it another try.

PS: love the icon!

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Actually, I nearly bounced off Gifts at the very start, but passed a certain point and got absorbed. Voices is lovely, and, as I say, I thought Powers was something else. Her world-building, particularly in the last two, was a masterclass: economic in its exposition, but with resonance and depth. I really hope you like them.

And I'm glad you like the icon! :-)

Why do your Le Guin posts do this to me?

[dkpalaska.livejournal.com]

Dang it, they're all available at the library, too.

*chucks weekend plans*

Re: Why do your Le Guin posts do this to me?

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Oops! Still, a very good use of the weekend...

[dkpalaska.livejournal.com]

Thought I would drop back by this thread and thank you for the recommendation. Instead of a weekend, I lost about two night's sleep. :)

It was an excellent series overall, but you are right: Powers is special. I loved Gav's eventual realization that up until the end, no place he'd lived had ever delivered freedom to all (read: women), no matter what that society promised. A very believable and compelling character development.

Though I found myself wondering fervently what happened to Gav's friends and protectors at his childhood home, and making up my own endings for them. So even the minor characterizations were superb, as usual.

Thanks again!

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I'm thrilled you liked the series, and that Powers rang so truly for you too. It's just... wow. Easily amongst my favourites of hers, and probably ahead of any of the Earthsea books. YES to his realization that if anyone is unfree, none of us are truly free. I thought the skewering of the "Robin Hood" style society of outlaws in the forest was particularly good.

I wonder if anyone will take the series on for Yuletide this year?

BTW, I thought more about the nuzgul you pitched at me on Isabeau's journal at TFF, and left you a tiny wee snippet in response... although I don't know if it quite answers it!

[dkpalaska.livejournal.com]

I thought the skewering of the "Robin Hood" style society of outlaws in the forest was particularly good.

Oh, yes! A very nice transition in Gav's viewpoint from wanting so badly to believe in them, to realizing the same, continuing shortcomings. I also enjoyed the prelude of it concerning the Brotherhood of the Forest, where even fellow "brothers" are oppressed by their leaders. The more things change...

I was very sad that Gav lost so many who had helped him, or that we never know how they ended, but glad that Melle at least survived. I was particularly hopeful for her, given her name...

I wonder if anyone will take the series on for Yuletide this year?

Argh!! *repeats mantra: "I will not go looking for Le Guin fanfic. I will not go looking for Le Guin fanfic..."*

Though if you write it, I will rejoice. :) I especially want to know what happened to Yaven and Sotur.

Re: tiny wee snippet. Hooray!! Shall bop over now!

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I was very sad that Gav lost so many who had helped him, or that we never know how they ended

He passes through so many lives. I suppose each one of them could be a book like this in their own right: how each of them came to self-determination (if they did).

*repeats mantra: "I will not go looking for Le Guin fanfic. I will not go looking for Le Guin fanfic..."*

:-D I had a look at the Yuletide archive, but there are only stories based on Earthsea and The Left Hand of Darkness. Perhaps someone might ask for Annals fic this year?

I crave fanfic based on Rosemary Sutcliff's The Lantern Bearers. forodwaith has written one gorgeous piece.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Oh, there's also earthsea_fic, if you haven't seen that.

[dkpalaska.livejournal.com]

Oh, there's also earthsea_fic, if you haven't seen that.

You are evil. I really don't need that temptation - I can't even keep up with reading/reviewing Tolkien fanfic these days!

[altariel.livejournal.com]

*innocent eyes*

[katlinel.livejournal.com]

Hurrah!

So many books, so little time to re-read. I will definitely track down Lavinia soon.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Hurrah indeed!

BTW, the book about Narnia that we were struggling to recall was The Magician's Book by Laura Miller. the_wild_iris surprised me with a late birthday gift of it on Monday. I'll read and pass on if you like?

[katlinel.livejournal.com]

Hurrah for the_wild_iris too! Yes, please, I'd love to borrow it sometime, but there's no hurry.

[azalaisdep.livejournal.com]

It is the most remarkable book about the quest for freedom, identity, self-knowledge

And I just noticed with interest that one of the reviews quoted on Le Guin's Web site suggests "The series is also concerned with power — or rather, the giving up of power" - that's such a Le Guin theme...

[espresso-addict.livejournal.com]

I've promised myself I won't start any new reading till I've finished the story I'm procrastinating on writing (aka haven't started yet), but this is a good spur to write faster.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Yes! An excellent reward!