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20 All Time Classic Sci Fi Novels - The Dispossessed
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- Author: Ursula Le Guin
- Type: Paperback
- ISBN: 1857988825
- Publisher: Gollancz
Synopsis
Most of Le Guin's science fiction is set in a human galaxy where the distance of time and space imposed by relativity is mitigated by instantaneous transmission of information through a gadget called the ansible. The Dispossessed, famous for being Ken Livingstone's favourite science fiction novel, was the book in which she told us of Shevek, the ansible's inventor, and the ironies of his career. Shevek is a loyal citizen of a poor anarchist world, Anarres, which finds frills like research hard to afford; he travels to the neighbouring world of Urras, to find that unbridled capitalism is not much fun either. "Nio Esseia, a city of four million souls, lifted its delicate glittering towers across the green marshes of the Estuary as if it were built of mist and sunlight...Was all Nio Esseia this? Huge shining boxes of stone and glass, immense, ornate, enormous packages, empty, empty." At once one of the greatest of SF novels about political ideas and idealism, and a stunning novel of character, The Dispossessed has at its centre Shevek, scientist and near-saint, a flawed human being whom we come to know as we know few characters in modern science fiction. --Roz Kaveney
Reviews
I bought "the Dispossessed" after a friend recommending it as "a life-changing book". Just before writing what you are reading now, I noticed that this very same opinion is shared by other Amazon reviewers as well, and it is certainly not a coincidence.
I recently came across an article by Cory Doctorow (Sci Fi writer and co-author of BoingBoing) under the title "Radical Presentism", arguing that "Science fiction writers don't predict the future (except accidentally), but if they're very good, they may manage to predict the present." Some examples he mentioned were "Frankenstein", "1984" etc. Well, it would by no means be a sacrilege to add that "the Dispossessed" fits perfectly in the same category, especially given that this book was written at the peak of the Cold War's first period.
Le Guin masterly describes her characters and their worlds -a capitalistic and an anarchist planet- with exceptionally deep insight. Hidden behind the glorious capitalistic cities, there are huge slum areas and underneath the anarchist freedom hide authoritarian practices and a leveling treatment of people's uniqueness/individuality. However, probably Le Guin reveals some preference on the idealistic view of the anarchist planet by originating her hero from it.
ArisX
There are so many good things one could write about this book. Firstly it made me happy. Being a part of this world, travelling with these characters, if abait only briefly was such a pleasure. I read it in three nights and days. A hurried read as I was envigorated by it. Secondly, there are ideas in here to cherish and share. Most particularly, for me, it allowed me to think about my assumptions about causation (not a major theme at all). A dusty lens dusted off. And this was and is important for me in my own thinking. You might find something as positively startling as I did. Possibly you might delight in the level of emotional equality and reciprocal, non-altruistic, ego-rubbing that attains between some of the characters. And what it must feel like to be stable, assured, certain of your uncertainties, and aware in one's self.
Its a great read. Some of what I've written might seem like garble. Most importanlty for this review is its a great thought stimulating book. It doesn't really matter, its just my take on it. A final comment: I've read great books before, others would include Slaughterhouse 5 and some Italo Calvino, but no others have invited a renewed appreciation of how one determines what is valuable as this.
Left hand of Darkness next!
Best, R.
great indifferent thoughtlessness of the gods
Given the rave Amazon reviews I wondered if I was reading the same book? This was recommended to me as a top 100 Sci-Fi work. Unusually, I was disappointed - making a considerable effort to force my way through to the end in search of any substantive plot or event (there was none to be found). The book is essentially a political treatise with space-faring backdrop. If a comparative study of societal archetypes is your thing then this will be of interest. If you are after a fun Sci-Fi story with a semblence of a plot then there is little in this for you.
Bath Reader
This book is let down by only what can be described as a journalistic writing style, when you read about the trials and tribulations of the characters you arent really compelled or experience much of a connection at all. However it does deal with a lot of interesting and cool themes and topics, I really struggle to think of any other political sci fi or genre fiction which comes close.
The story follows the life of its central character, someone rapidly loses their illusions without becoming disillusioned, having fled his homeworld because he feels under appreciated and intellectually stunted he finds the neighbouring planet from which his people originally fled just as alienating and chooses to return home accompanied by an off worlder from an altogether different culture altogether.
The political climates of each world are compared and contrasted, it isnt night and day as some reviews have suggested between the anarchist utopia and decadent class society, instead each society is portrayed pretty honestly as restricting and imperfect in their own ways. In one you are not free to choose your own child's name but you will consequently never be identified as a number, in another there is great opulence but its not something everyone shares in. There are also some interesting musings about how environment influences culture and politics, one planet is barren, harsh and survival compells a communal/mutually supportive existence, the other is not and finally with the introduction of the off worlder there is a planet where resources have been exhausted to such an extent that the threat of extinction has brought about an order characterised by very limited freedom or choice at all.
However the journalistic writing style is such a let down, the main character's loves, losses, family dilemmas and political struggles on each planet are portrayed in a way that its difficult to be really moved by. I still would recommend this book, especially to any politically interested readers, but its not as much fun as some of the books in this range.
Lark
On the cover of my old seventies paperback copy is a brief quote from a Science Fiction Monthly review which says `destined to become a classic,' which it undoubtedly did.
Set against the backdrop of LeGuin's Hainish universe (in which Earth is just one of an unknown number of planets which the Hainish seeded with Humanity over a million years ago) we follow the life of scientist Shevek, a citizen of the anarchist moon Anarres, which orbits the parent world of Urras. Anarres has survived as a communist/anarchist state - based on the teachings of Odo - for a hundred and seventy years, and has had little contact with the parent world. Now, Shevek, on the verge of discovering a Universal Temporal Theorem (which will, among other things, allow instantaneous communication throughout the universe) finds his work hampered by jealous colleagues and the very nature of Odonian politics.
In fact, lack of communication is a recurring theme throughout the novel. Some of the young scientists face stiff opposition from the other anarchists when they begin to engage in radio dialogue with scientists on Urras.
Shevek, realising that the scientific community on Anarres will never allow his work to be published, arranges to travel to Urras in the trade freighter that occasionally lands on the moon, at the risk of being labelled a traitor and never allowed to return.
Thus, we then see Urras through the eyes of Shevek, a man unaccustomed to the concept of money or class systems. Ultimately Shevek's presence gives impetus to the downtrodden masses of Urras who have already staged uprisings against the military government in another part of the world.
There are deep flaws in both of LeGuin's societies. Shevek's world, ostensibly an anarchist/communist state without laws, has evolved its own innate laws of rigidity. Avante garde composers are witheld teaching or composing posts, for instance, because their work doesn't fit an acceptable Odonian aesthetic. Shevek himself finds it impossible to work at pure scientific research without political considerations and his colleagues' rather selfish motives getting in the way. One feels that the Odonian dream has only survived on Anarres because resources are so scarce that no one could get rich even if they wanted to.
The story alternates between Shevek's experiences on Urras and flashbacks of how life brought him to the point of leaving Anarres. The contrast works very well and LeGuin skilfully paints a dual portrait of the younger and older Shevek.
The societies are exquisitely realised and rendered in such believable detail one is drawn immediately into the dust and sweat of Anarres and the decadent pomp of Urras.
It's a wonderful book, and one that will stay with you.
Rod Williams
