"Left Hand of Darkness" by Ursula K. Le Guin - A Tepid Review

I picked up this novel because Ursula K Le Guin is often cited as an underappreciated sci-fi master and I've not read anything of hers. I started with Left Hand of Darkness because it was one of the top recommended, e.g. on the printSF Reddit.

I skipped over the two(!) additional introductions by contemporary authors, for fear of major spoilers I’ve had in the past. In her intro, she states: "Science fiction is not predictive; it is descriptive." Which is always somewhat true; dressing up contemporary issues in strange clothes to better understand them. 

Just as much a fantasy writer, apparently, this perspective makes sense. But not entirely so, to me. No prediction at all, would fly in the face of what I like most about my go-to fiction genre: exploring possible effects of future technological change.

She also seemed to say there was an unreliable narrator, telling some of this story..? But, even primed, I spotted no contradictory versions of events. [Edit: I don't know where I got this idea from, after re-reading her (1976) foreword. Kindle UK version.]

For a book published in 1969, it has largely dodged feeling entirely dated, courtesy of mostly avoiding high technology. The plot is grounded entirely on a somewhat backwards world (or at least, one that’s in no hurry to fully modernise). So the setting is very vaguely reminiscent, for me, of say "Inversions" by Iain M Banks.

Non-plot spoilers - In the rare appearance of a spaceship, it does sound like a stereotypically antiquated shiny silver rocket. While their FTL communications are basically a pager. Which, I guess, is still ahead of her time…? They have universally electric vehicles too. (I guess that transition is long overdue, for us.)

There’s mention of “One’s magnetic and directional subsenses” - did we used to think humans might sense magnetic fields as pigeons do? Also, significant time on “mindspeech”, “telepathic potentiality”, and occult-ish rituals, etc, that strays more towards the fantasy side.

Gender deconstruction - is very clearly the core concept pursued. The male protagonist, emissary from the stars (so to speak), is perpetually confounded by this local offshoot of humanity. They are, in his words "hermaphroditic neuters", only physically gendered (potentially) for a few days per month, when in heat.

While I imagine this was quite a boundary pushing progressive exploration, at the time, a lot of the specific language used around the topic feels very dated now. Minor example, they use "bisexual" to describe the (more typical) heterosexual society of two perpetually distinct genders. Which obviously has a very different meaning now. 

While they all use "he“, “him" male pronouns to refer to the native individuals. "They/them" would, I think, be more likely today. But I guess these are merely superficialities, like the inclusion of many other words that have fallen out of use, these days.

More substantial, is the way gender attitudes and differences are characterised by our male protagonist. These again, feel dated. But probably that is a testament to the successes of progressive cultural movement, which we now take for granted. Something that this novel may have been a contributor to? And there’s obviously a distinction to be made between the author’s personal views and what a character portrays. Especially when that character is on an arc of discovery (self and other).

To be honest, I struggled trying to get into this book. Le Guin seems quite descriptive in her writing. Which is largely lost on me, having aphantasia (almost). My ADHD-PI brain likes plot developments. But much of the story arc was fairly sedate journeying. There's some action here and there, to be fair, though brief and on foot.

There's political intrigue, too. Although more to give a solid insight into the contrasting, opposed proto-nation states of this snowball world (that the non-natives call "Winter"). 

We start in: "Karhide", a monarchy in partial transition to Prime Ministerial rule. Described as "not a nation but a family quarrel". Where the Le Guin muses: “Total diffusion of rapid communication devices, which is supposed to bring about nationalism almost inevitably, had not done so.” Which is talking of radio, mostly. But might speak equally to a contemporary reader in our age of social media radicalisation.

Then there’s "Orgoreyn": a rival territory that’s slightly more technologically and economically progressive, though even more militarily passive. It seems to more clearly embody aspects of Soviet Russia. Like secretive party/security elites and severe repression, sending many of  the population to bleak work camps, to slowly fade away. With hormonal suppression, etc.

Supposedly neither side has known war, properly (so far). Looking through the book’s mirror, it supposes that war, and its precipitating social behaviour, must stem from half the population being perpetually in-heat males. A biological state seen as perverse and degenerate, here. Which, I guess, is a somewhat valid perspective..?

But (lack of) technological rollout stemming from this disparity, too? This quote wasn't specifically on this topic, but similar seemed previously implied: "There was in this attitude something feminine, a refusal of the abstract, the ideal, a submissiveness to the given, which rather displeased me."

Our male protagonist, "Genly Ai"… I thought beforehand he would be a robot, as in ‘A.I.’, but no… He spends a lot of internal thought processes pondering his misunderstanding of the other main character. Particularly regarding the fictional concept of “shifgrethor” - an elusive not-really honour, kind of thing.

His counterpart is the enigmatic and aloof but highly capable "Lord Estraven". Whom is the primary subject of our study on non-gendered characteristics. And who's meticulous diary entries account for many chapters of alternative perspective.

Within those there is even more philosophical contemplation. Within an impressively nuanced fictional religious and cultural landscape. There was clearly much influence on the author from Eastern religions. That will presumably have been more novel for readers at the time.

Some quotes that that jumped out at me as possible influences in other fiction I'm familiar with:

• "No rape" - Iain M Banks Culture universe, with biological gender fluidity, too.

• "A fire in the deep" - very nearly a Vernor Vinge novel title.

• "Fire and ice" - George RR Martin's Game of Thrones novel(s). The winter theme too.

• “all things are in the Center of Time” - A kind of cyclical model of the universe, like Wheel of Time? (Watched, not read.) From discussion of a fictional religion, with foretelling potential.

In summary - I'm glad I read this book, for historical literary context, at least. But, given my struggles with the writing style, the blurring in of fantasy concepts and lack of technologically or socially cutting edge ideas, I doubt I will pick up another book by Le Guin, any time soon.

Addendum 2022-05-13: I posted this review here on the printSF Reddit, where it received a lot of thoughtful replies! Also, a net karma of 0 - i.e. controversial, lol. I do feel that I failed to touch enough on the strengths and interesting insights of the work. Like, having a pregnant king, and that the favoured line of succession would logically be via child carried above those merely sired. Hah!

Largely it's always too easy to put one's finger precisely upon on concrete minor detail, that fells a little off, compared with elucidating the merits of an amorphously complex creative nuance. Despite embodying many of my dearly held values, more social and emotional depth may be lost on my non-neurotypical brain than I appreciate.

Also, having been prompted to look up the cultural context (including on Wikipedia), I more appreciate the love for the book: a bastion of 2nd wave feminism, it was published just before the Stonewall 'riots' (a huge turning point for gay rights in the US), the book was very significant in the LGBT+ community, and had great influence on the whole (sci-fi) literature landscape (spawning speculative fiction, etc).