The Left Hand of Darkness (Magill’s Guide to Science Fiction and Fantasy Literature)
At a glance:
- Author: Ursula K. Le Guin
- First Published: 1969
- Type of Work: Novel
- Type of Plot: Science fiction—alien civilization
- Time of Work: The distant future
- Setting: Karhide and Orgoreyn, competing countries on the planet Gethen, also known as Winter because of its ice age
- Genres: Long fiction, Psychological fiction, Science fiction, Fantasy
- Subjects: Politics, Love or romance, Sex or sexuality, Gender roles, Exile or expatriates, Extrasensory perception or powers, Future, Other worlds, Friendship, Kings, queens, or royalty, Politicians, Life and death, Sacrifice, Androgyny, Diplomacy or diplomats, Ice Age
- Locales: Space, Gethen (fictive), Winter (fictive)
The Plot
The Left Hand of Darkness is a report from representative Genly Ai to the Ekumen of Known Worlds, an organization of about eighty planets clearly analogous to the United Nations. Ai has been sent to enlist the two hostile countries of the planet Gethen, Karhide and Orgoreyn, to join the Ekumen. He needs a formal guarantee of welcome for his orbiting spaceship and the Ekumen representatives therein. This requirement is complicated for the ill-at-ease Ai by the dislike between Karhide and Orgoreyn, by their unsettled internal political states, and especially by...
[The entire page is 1652 words long]
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