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dieinafirenazi t1_j3wyb2a wrote

My favorite le Guin is Always Coming Home, a very hopefully look at a post-climate catastrophe Earth which features one of the most realistic takes on what self aware AI would do. It's also a very interestingly written book, more of a collection of related works than one coherent novel.

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starspangledxunzi t1_j47vchx wrote

One of my favorite books. My twin brother and I were strongly influenced by this book, it led to us both being environmental activists for many years. I always felt, however, that Le Guin sort of "copped out" regarding the conflict between the Kesh and the Condor People: personally, I thought the Condors would conquer the Kesh, as they had other peoples in that far-future setting. I never really accepted Le Guin's pat assurance -- via Pandora -- that, eventually, the Condors would implode, due to their own toxic culture. Thirteen-year-old me always wanted to add, "... But only after they've destroyed the Kesh!" I think it was because I felt like a Kesh in a world dominated by a culture like the Condor People, and I desperately wanted to know how the Kesh managed to survive.

Nice to see discussion of Le Guin with (at this point) 80 or so comments.

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