Worlds of Exile and Illusion: Rocannon's World, Planet of Exile, City of Illusions (S.F. Masterworks)

These are the first three books in the Hainish Cycle. Ursula LeGuin is learning to write SF. She would then write The Left Hand of Darkness and The Dispossessed. The book was well packaged. SF Masterworks have a relatively large typeface and are darkly printed. I appreciate this as I am 70.

I had read Le Guin's excellent Earthsea series, but only recently got around to these earlier works.A master storyteller and imaginative SF world creator. Worth reading more of her!

Worlds of Exile and Illusion by Ursula K. LeGuin (SF - novel collection - 2021-09-26) This title " Worlds of Exile and Illusion "- a Trade paperback - collects three Hainish novels by Ursula K. LeGuin(1929-2018), which in fact were her first three published novels: "Rocannon's World" (1966), "Planet of Exile" (1966) and "City Of Illusions" (1967). It should be clearly noted that Ms. Le Guin did not intend that her "Hainish" novels fit in to a specific sequence or series of novels. The books can be read in any order but share certain common elements. The setting is a galaxy in which intelligent humanoid life is common due to the colonizing efforts of a species from a planet known as Hain; Earth itself is a Lost Colony of the Hainish. Early novels feature an instance of The Federation called the League of All Worlds, which is overthrown by alien invaders. This clarification was rephrase from an internet data source. This reviewer had previously read these 3 novels several years ago and I have included my posted comments below. Reading these novels for a second time was a guilty pleasure I'm glad I indulged it. It may be heretical to the shared wisdom of High Art but I believe the "Hainish" novels will be Le Guin's lasting legacy. Highly recommended!"Rocannon's World" (1966) This is the first novel by the talented writer Ursula K. LeGuin. It is as compelling a science-fiction planetary adventure story that I have ever had the pleasure of reading. The author's concept of interplanetary exploration and the interaction with intelligent aliens is nuanced and credible. The human explorers of inhabited worlds carefully and systematical catalog the societal and technological levels of the intelligent species encountered. The level and types of interactions is strictly controlled so as to not to introduce technology that would cause cultural upheavals. On Fomalhaut II G. Rocannon leads an Ethnographic Survey. On the Northern continent are three related species that have taking a decidedly different evolutionary path. A rogue group from one of the known inhabited planets destroys Rocannon's survey starship and all team members. [For a fuller, more nuanced description of the motivations and methods of the Shing - see Planet of Illusion.] Their goal is to use Fomalhaut II as a covert base to establish a dominant role among the inhabitant worlds. Rocannon determines that he must travel to the Southern continent and surreptitiously alert his superiors of the rebellion. In order to make the journey he must enlist the aid of one[two] of the [planet's] intelligent species. The story is dominated by the descriptions of the dangerous journey, challenges encountered and interactions with natives some with mind reading abilities. As my summary hopefully conveys this is a complex, many layered story with many interwoven parts. The fact that the author can maintain story credibility and successfully mesh the many plot elements is a tribute to the author's remarkable story telling skills."Planet of Exile"(1966) One of the foremost "what if" scenario's of traditional science fiction stories concerns human outposts on other planets and how they relate with native inhabitants who are technologically undeveloped. Le Guin walks us at a deliberately measured pace as we become acquainted with a human settlement abruptly left behind as a result of a galaxy wide conflict and with the native inhabitants who regard the space travelers with a mixture of awe and fear. The author eschews employing the toys of an advanced civilization to resolve conflicts but focuses the story on rituals and relationships. If you are acquainted with Ms Le Guin's illustrious career you can certainly see themes carried forward in many of her subsequent stories. This is as intelligently written and as logically thought out a science fiction novel as you may ever encounter. While the paramount dramatic incidents that motivate "Planet of Exile" were resolved there remained numerous issues raised which this curious reader desired the author had perused in additional chapters of this or in another volume. Two issues particularly peeked my interest; the enemy was barely held off as Winter commenced and would return in the Spring, 15 or so years hence, with massive forces and patience for a prolonged siege. How would they be repulsed with the depleted population? Also, did the human male and the native girl have children and how about ESP issues? If the story were not so interesting, in a science-fictional vein or so plausible I would no be yearning after all these years for more. I suppose at this point Ms Le Guin has no interest revisiting a minor story she wrote a half century ago - but if I ever caught up with her I would ask her about it! The novel "Planet of Exile" (1966) was first published as an Ace paperback in October 1966 and is among her 1st published novels. Another of her novels "Rocannon's World" was also published in 1966. City Of Illusions" (1967) A dazed being wanders out of the woodlands and is given refuge by an isolated community. This puzzling individual has no awareness of who he is or where he came from. He is humanoid in every respect but has eye's that are very different from humans, he is in fact, as the story eventually reveals, an alien from another planet. The community is a self sufficient surviving remnant of humanity existing many years after an alien invasion reduce the pride of mankind to isolated tribes. This community adopts the man, introduces him to their culture and history and attempts to help him recover his memory. After several years, Falk as he is named, feels a compulsion to leave the community and undertakes a journey west to determine his origin and his legacy. The journey introduced Falk to many diverse aspects of mankind's fall from grace and convinces him that the true aliens - despoilers of earth, The Shing, are self-serving liars and deceivers. Eventually Falk recovers his identity and confronts the Shing who attempt to mislead him into revealing the true location of his home plant. This 1967 novel by Ursula K. LeGuin is a thoughtful, understated examination of a disconcerting future. The author employed many familiar science-fiction tropes - the journey of discovery over a rendered landscape - deceitful aliens - the man with no past knowledge - found relics from a high technology society - perplexing encounters with genetically altered people and animals - and a history that may be more myth than truth. The fact that theses themes are so extraordinarily well developed and appear to "fit" the need of the narrative made this a compelling reading experience for this commentator. The ending did put me off. It seemed like the story needed to continue but, alas, it did not - there never was a sequel or a volume 2. So be it. "City of Illusions" is one of the seven novels in LeGuin's Hainish Cycle. Since the novels are not sequential or ever directly related to one another readers need not feel compelled to read the other, but you may enjoy them!

Excellent copy and delivery.

Cuesta creer que esta maravilla fuera escrita hace décadas. Y lo peor es que llevo leyendo CF desde siempre y no la conocía. Ha sido como llegar a la fuente del Nilo: tantos autores posteriores han bebido de su ingenio que la mente me hacía chiribitas con las refencias. Maestra, poeta, genia! No continúo porque voy a por el siguiente.

Three short novels are included in this nicely made book. They are~1. Rocannon's World2. Planet of Exile3. City of IllusionsThese are Ursula K. Le Guin's early works. In many sense they were fantasies, with the imprint of Tolkien clear upon the literary landscape. But in the sense of evoking wonder about the impact of technology and how it would shape the definitions of 'myth' and 'reality', they continue to act as masterworks of science fiction.Even in those early days, Le Guin clearly showed the ways and means by which she would become a Grandmaster of SFF. Her prose is elegant and sharp, while her imagination is vivacious in all shades.Highly recommended.

Ursula Le Guins artistry is wonderful: science fiction stories that captivate with intriguing characters, harshly beautiful worlds and thoughtful exploration of what to is to be human

Arrived promptly and in excellent condition.