• Candelestine@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Still probably Birthday of the World, by Le Guin. Short story compilation, particularly enjoyable if you’re familiar with her other work. Finishes with one of my fav generation ship stories.

    Honorable mention for Kushiel’s Dart being my all-time favorite piece of guilty-pleasure reading.

    • everylittlefox
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      1 year ago

      I’ve read some of her Hainish Cycle and some from the Earthsea series, also LHoD and Omelas and some of her non-fiction. But didn’t know about Birthday of the World until this! More Le Guin is always good. Thank you.

      • Candelestine@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        You’re in for a treat. lol For fans, it’s imo the cherry on top of her entire career. Kinda the sweet treat that ties the whole thing together and puts a bow on it. It’s all refined riffs and dives into some of her seemingly favorite kinds of concept material.

        Four Ways To Forgiveness is also really good. Her later short story work is, in general, my favorite of her entire catalogue. She’s just kinda done with fucking around and has finally arrived at exactly the kinds of things she wants to say, and she fires them like a ping pong ball machine gun.

        • everylittlefox
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          1 year ago

          My my my. You definitely know how to rile someone up! Will look up both. Thanks again. Did/Have you read Always Coming Home? I couldn’t get through it the first time, but images from reading it still linger in my mind.

          • Candelestine@lemmy.world
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            1 year ago

            No, I haven’t actually. It’s in my collection, and I have picked it up a couple times, but have never stuck with it very long. That format is one I struggle with in general, admittedly. I have a hard time engaging with it.