1. The Dispossessed
The Dispossessed by Ursula K Le Guin - since I've been a fan of Le Guin for almost as long as I can remember, my copy isn't the one pictured here but a mid-1970's reprint. It's been a while, though, since I read any of my collection of her works, so I thought I'd get on with that this year... expect to see more Le Guin popping up here as we travel through 2007!
The Dispossessed is the story of Shevek, a physicist from the communitarian planet Anarres, populated by refugees from the other planet in their star system, Urras. The inhabitants of Anarres are brought up to hold all things in common, so that being 'propertarian' (in other words, seeking to possess anything for themselves) is almost an unforgivable sin. In contrast, when Shevek visits Urras, he finds a world fascinated by him but one which wants to use his brilliance, the theories that it seems only he can devise, not for the good of all but to control and threaten other lifeforms.
What I really like about The Dispossessed is the cleverness of the parallel storyline - Shevek on Anarres, growing up, meeting Takver who will become his life partner, then their separation by the needs of their society; Shevek going to Urras, being temporarily seduced by what he finds there, but then discovering that all is not as it seems. I've enjoyed re-reading this book and now I'm very much looking forward to reacquainting myself with Ms Le Guin over the next few months.
Comments
Oh, and the first and third books of the Earthsea trilogy. I don't accept books four and five as even part of it, they're just so different in tone and feel.
I remember being completely freaked out by the scenes in The Tombs of Atuan where Ged gets left behind in the labyrinth to starve to death in the darkness - I think I must have been 9 or 10 at the time, so Ms Le Guin and me go way back...
However, I agree with you about The Left Hand of Darkness, which is a fantastic book.