The Left Hand of Darkness - (Ace Science Fiction) by Ursula K Le Guin (Paperback)

About the Book

Winner of the Hugo and Nebula Awards for "Best Science Fiction Novel of the Year", this famous novel tells the story of a lone human emissary to Winter, an alien world whose inhabitants can change their gender. "An instant classic".--"Minneapolis Star-Tribune".

Book Synopsis

50TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION--WITH A NEW INTRODUCTION BY DAVID MITCHELL AND A NEW AFTERWORD BY CHARLIE JANE ANDERS

Ursula K. Le Guin's groundbreaking work of science fiction--winner of the Hugo and Nebula Awards.

A lone human ambassador is sent to the icebound planet of Winter, a world without sexual prejudice, where the inhabitants' gender is fluid. His goal is to facilitate Winter's inclusion in a growing intergalactic civilization. But to do so he must bridge the gulf between his own views and those of the strange, intriguing culture he encounters...

Embracing the aspects of psychology, society, and human emotion on an alien world, The Left Hand of Darkness stands as a landmark achievement in the annals of intellectual science fiction.

From the Back Cover

Praised as a groundbreaking work of science fiction, The Left Hand of Darkness tells the story of a lone human emissary's mission to Winter, an unknown alien world whose inhabitants can choose -- and change -- their gender. His goal is to facilitate Winter's inclusion in a growing intergalactic civilization. But to do so he must bridge the gulf between his own views and those of the completely dissimilar culture that he encounters. Completely embracing the aspects of psychology, society, and human emotion on an alien world, The Left Hand of Darkness stands as a landmark achievement in the annals of intellectual science fiction.

Review Quotes

Praise for The Left Hand of Darkness

"[A] science fiction masterpiece."--Newsweek

"A jewel of a story."--Frank Herbert

"As profuse and original in invention as The Lord of the Rings."--Michael Moorcock

"An instant classic."--Minneapolis Star-Tribune

"Like all great writers of fiction, Ursula K. Le Guin creates imaginary worlds that restore us, hearts eased, to our own."--The Boston Globe

"A towering figure in science fiction and fantasy."--NPR

About the Author

Ursula Kroeber Le Guin was born in Berkeley, California, in 1929. She was the bestselling author of the Earthsea books and the Hainish books, including The Left Hand of Darkness, which was awarded both the Nebula and the Hugo Awards. With the awarding of the 1975 Hugo and Nebula Awards to The Dispossessed, she became the first author to win both awards twice for novels. She passed away in 2018.