2011 Reading #29: The Farthest Shore by Ursula K. Le Guin
Books 1-10.
Books 11-20.
21. The Tombs of Atuan by Ursula K. Le Guin.
22. Rebellion at Christiana by Margaret Hope Bacon.
23. American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang.
24. This Sweet Sickness by Patricia Highsmith.
25. Sandstorm: A Forgotten Realms Novel by Christopher Rowe.
26. The St. Paul Stories of F. Scott Fitzgerald, edited by Patricia Hampl and Dave Page.
27. Thor: The Mighty Avenger Volume 2 by Roger Langridge, Chris Samnee, and Matt Wilson.
28. A Brood of Foxes by Kristin Livdahl.
29. The Farthest Shore by Ursula K. Le Guin. I've come to the conclusion that--so far, at least--I like Le Guin's science fiction a little better than I like her fantasy. That's not to say that I dislike her fantasy, but the first three Earthsea books all have strong moral themes, and this volume in particular has a sort of lyrical didacticism to it that I find myself reacting against. The Hainish/Ekumen books are moral books too, but the questions they pose are more open-ended, the answers more complex. There's also the fact that this book is in part about the Empty Throne, and how putting the Rightful King on it is a large part of restoring the world's balance; I am bothered by the class problems inherent in such stories. Certainly Le Guin handles it better than most, but it grates. On the other hand, there are things like the Children of the Open Sea, and the dragons of Earthsea, which are as evocative as any creations from fantasy literature. It's still a good book, but it's one that I have some problems with.
Books 11-20.
21. The Tombs of Atuan by Ursula K. Le Guin.
22. Rebellion at Christiana by Margaret Hope Bacon.
23. American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang.
24. This Sweet Sickness by Patricia Highsmith.
25. Sandstorm: A Forgotten Realms Novel by Christopher Rowe.
26. The St. Paul Stories of F. Scott Fitzgerald, edited by Patricia Hampl and Dave Page.
27. Thor: The Mighty Avenger Volume 2 by Roger Langridge, Chris Samnee, and Matt Wilson.
28. A Brood of Foxes by Kristin Livdahl.
29. The Farthest Shore by Ursula K. Le Guin. I've come to the conclusion that--so far, at least--I like Le Guin's science fiction a little better than I like her fantasy. That's not to say that I dislike her fantasy, but the first three Earthsea books all have strong moral themes, and this volume in particular has a sort of lyrical didacticism to it that I find myself reacting against. The Hainish/Ekumen books are moral books too, but the questions they pose are more open-ended, the answers more complex. There's also the fact that this book is in part about the Empty Throne, and how putting the Rightful King on it is a large part of restoring the world's balance; I am bothered by the class problems inherent in such stories. Certainly Le Guin handles it better than most, but it grates. On the other hand, there are things like the Children of the Open Sea, and the dragons of Earthsea, which are as evocative as any creations from fantasy literature. It's still a good book, but it's one that I have some problems with.