I've finished: The Lathe of Heaven by Ursula K. Le Guin
Le Guin is one of those rare authors that stand the test of time. Unlike Heinlein, Asimov, Niven and others her social science background allowed her to envision future societies that reflect progressive ideals that are still relevant today.
The Lathe of Heaven was published in 1971 and unlike many of her other novels is set on Earth. There are many references to years that are long in our past, and to technologies that are out of sync with the developments we've witnessed in the 1980s and 90s, the fact that this is a multiverse novel helps makes this less anachronistic.
The constant threat of global warming, present throughout the novel helps ground it in current apocalyptic threat concerns and mitigate other predictions that seem antiquated today.
Sadly, predictions of war in the Middle East, never seem to go stale
The Lathe of Heaven is an interesting take on the Djinn or Monkey's Paw trope, of wishes going wrong. Bringing it into the realm of science fiction by placing the power to change the world in the chaotic realm of dreams. Making the science of psychology and the struggle to control these dreams the focus of the novel.
Very much worth reading even more then 50 years later.
@toxy@zkrisher@bookstodon I always think of earthsea. Personally, I think I first read Dispossessed after staring at the Left Hand of Darkness on nearly every bookcase I was around as a kid. I'm a little obstinate.
@zkrisher@bookstodon the Lathe of Heaven was a great read. I read it while living in the French West Indies, using a copy from what was then known as Recording for the Blind.
Add comment