Wow. So relevant to today. An insightful foretelling, hopeful and yet depressing future for mankind.

Better than Orwell’s 1984. I wish this was a standard text studied in all high schools.
A very detailed and insightful observation of man’s inhumanity to man, even if most have an inner wish to do the right thing by all.
I have no answers to the problems of humanity, I think Annares have solved a lot of problems in society.
However it is apparent that whichever societal structure one lives in the individuals desire to control or rise above their fellow human may creep back in... so although it fills me with hope it’s left me with with some despair.
I can only wish all good men and women step up to be counted - and not presume the right thing will be done if we don’t keep our ‘democratic’ governments on the straight and narrow.
Highly recommended sci-fi that comments on society today.

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Insightful and Modern beyond its time.

Conceptually as pertinent today as in the 70s. Le Guin astutely delves into possible societies, at once improbable and yet completely belivable. My criticism is only that the plot does not have the adventurous dynamic of Left Hand of Darkness, and Shevaks interpersonal relationships are not as revealing as Genly Ai's. At times sections feel like scifi text book of the planets socio systems, and Shevaks personal story is just a little less compelling.
Still, passages are so pertinent that it must embarrass a 21st century reader that we, our governments and our systems have adhered so thoroughly to the worst of Le Guin's societies and aspired so little to the best of them.
The reading performance is solid, not detracting from the book, though I would suggest regional british accents do not lend well to Le Guins goals to extract readers from our world and our stereotypes. Perhaps not as thoroughly engrossing as The Left Hand of Darkness.