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They're just not for you, man. :-) No, but seriously, if I'm accurately reading between the lines of what you wrote, you're looking for an engaging plot, and e
by eszed 3y ago
They're just not for you, man. :-)
No, but seriously, if I'm accurately reading between the lines of what you wrote, you're looking for an engaging plot, and expecting world-building and character to work in service of that. I'd argue that LeGuin (at least here: a few of her other stories are different) prioritizes philosophical / moral inquiry, and world-building (in that order), with character and (especially) plot acting in service of those.
All of which is fine, of course: not judging or crucifying you at all. (I'm reading and enjoying an entirely plot-driven book right now.)
My love for the Earthsea books (especially the first three) is wrapped up in the thoughts it makes me think, and the vistas it makes me see - for me, each of those have indelible feelings attached - none of which can be condensed into a bare recounting of "here's what happened".
To be honest with you, I can't even recall how any of the books end (though I also probably foresaw the endings as I last read them), but the dryness of Tenar's life, her fascination with the hidden emissary from beyond, and her moral delimma about helping him or not, stick with me as vividly as I'd lived them myself.
- pdimitar 3y agoThank you, those comments are helpful! And yes you are very likely correct that the entire sub-genre of this fantasy is not for me (as in, I really would like plot and world-building and some character development, not 99% philosophy). We are all tuned to different frequencies, and sometimes we change frequencies during our lives (or during a single year even) so I get it but for some reason I can't tune to LeGuin's frequency at all. Oh well.
- eszed 3y agoI suggest you try a couple of her other books before you give up on her entirely. Rocannon's World, for instance, is far more plot-driven, and serves as an introduction to her Hainish Cycle, which is a masterpiece of world building, presented across multiple (only loosely-interlinked) books and short stories. Overall, however, LeGuin is almost entirely unconcerned with technology - which, to the extent that they find that to be a significant draw of the genre, may drive away some "science-fiction" fans. (I've always thought the original name, "speculative fiction", is preferable.) LeGuin's speculations run more to the anthropological than the technological, which shouldn't be surprising, given her family background.