Powers (Annals of the Western Shore)
by Ursula K. LeGuin
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Reviewed by Natalie Tsang for TeensReadToo.com
I kept glancing back at the cover when I started reading Ursula K. Le Guin's POWERS. It sounded so different from the EARTHSEA series that it didn't even seem like the same author. It was much longer and more personal than anything I had ever read from her before. But, as I read on, a lot of what I loved from older books, like the descriptions and the colorful characters, gradually surfaced here.
Set in a world much like Ancient Rome or Greec...more
I kept glancing back at the cover when I started reading Ursula K. Le Guin's POWERS. It sounded so different from the EARTHSEA series that it didn't even seem like the same author. It was much longer and more personal than anything I had ever read from her before. But, as I read on, a lot of what I loved from older books, like the descriptions and the colorful characters, gradually surfaced here.
Set in a world much like Ancient Rome or Greec...more
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Read in December, 2007
recommends it for:
Readers of Earthsea, Tolkien, history lovers and people looking to find a way into the fantasy genre
Having absolutely loved 'Gifts' and 'Voices', I was delighted to find a copy of Powers in my local bookshop. Ignoring the poor state of my bank account, I bought 'Powers' and am extremely glad I did.
After the beauty and power of 'Voices' and the sparse simplicity of 'Gifts', I read 'Powers' in a day and again became completely lost in the world and stories of the Western Shores.
'Powers' is slower and in some ways rougher (not in writing, but in characters and happenings) than Voices. A...more
After the beauty and power of 'Voices' and the sparse simplicity of 'Gifts', I read 'Powers' in a day and again became completely lost in the world and stories of the Western Shores.
'Powers' is slower and in some ways rougher (not in writing, but in characters and happenings) than Voices. A...more
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The third in the Annals of the Western Shore series following Gifts and Voices. These are ostensibly young adult novels, though Le Guin's work seems to get this label whenever the protagonist is a child or adolescent, regardless of the themes or sophistication of the narrative.
I recently had the opportunity to hear Le Guin read from Powers at Powell's Books at Cedar Hills Crossing. Before reading the first seven pages, she compared the book to "a jointless chicken" or "baby b...more
I recently had the opportunity to hear Le Guin read from Powers at Powell's Books at Cedar Hills Crossing. Before reading the first seven pages, she compared the book to "a jointless chicken" or "baby b...more
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Read in April, 2008
Annals of the Western Shores--whether it's a now-complete trilogy or the beginning of a longer series--covers weighty issues in each volume, but never becomes preachy or message-driven. The focus of Gifts was primarily on the morality of ones' talents and how they should be used; Voices set up the religious elements of the world. Now, in Powers, we're visiting a third geographic region of the Western Shores and exploring themes of identity, compassion, and what it m...more
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Read in December, 2007
The one where Gav escapes from what seemed on the surface to be a very gentle sort of slavery, and travels the world searching for a home.
I enjoyed this a great deal. As a meditation on various kinds of slavery, it was beautifully done. Sometimes I wanted to thwap Gav for how dense he was about what the women were experiencing, but I'm pretty sure that was intentional; it was easy to see how their greater enslavement was all but invisible to the men.
The book also showcases another thing...more
I enjoyed this a great deal. As a meditation on various kinds of slavery, it was beautifully done. Sometimes I wanted to thwap Gav for how dense he was about what the women were experiencing, but I'm pretty sure that was intentional; it was easy to see how their greater enslavement was all but invisible to the men.
The book also showcases another thing...more
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Read in September, 2007
The third in LeGuin's Annals of the Western Shore trilogy (or is it a series? will there be more? I have no idea), I found it the least compelling. Technically, I am still reading this book, but around page 180, I realized what direction it was heading, and I started skimming ahead, and I ended up reading the last chapter, so I'm not sure I will go back and actually read it now.
This story is also concerned with the influence of books (and the influence of Orrec Caspro's work in parti...more
This story is also concerned with the influence of books (and the influence of Orrec Caspro's work in parti...more
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I enjoyed Powers, the third book in Le Guin's trilogy "Annals of the Western Shore." It explores some themes like freedom, power and trust.
However, I did not find this book as gripping as the first two, "Gifts" and "Voices". The plot rather reminds me of David Copperfield: young man goes from place to place and learns from different people and different trials, etc., finally finding the place where he belongs. (You know, even some themes are similar in t...more
However, I did not find this book as gripping as the first two, "Gifts" and "Voices". The plot rather reminds me of David Copperfield: young man goes from place to place and learns from different people and different trials, etc., finally finding the place where he belongs. (You know, even some themes are similar in t...more
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Read in September, 2007
The third book in The Annals of the Western Shore is amazingly good. Le Guin is on top of her game, exploring slavery and its reverberations. It's excellent in every way. And it includes this transcendent piece, which caused me to catch my breath and blink away tears:
"To look back on that summer and the summers after it is like looking across the sea to an island, remote and golden over the water, hardly believing that one lived there once. Yet it's still here within me, sweet and intense...more
"To look back on that summer and the summers after it is like looking across the sea to an island, remote and golden over the water, hardly believing that one lived there once. Yet it's still here within me, sweet and intense...more
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Read in January, 2008
In spite of the overly excited marketing accident on the cover, this book is actually one of Le Guin's best stories for character development and exploring the nature of power people claim over each other, through violence and fear. It is well paced for any languid armchair adventurers out there. I liked it almost as much as I liked Voices, the second in her latest Trilogy, Gifts, Voices, Powers. You will find this in the young adult section of the bookstore, and it is simple enough to suit, ...more
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Read in July, 2008
I was thinking about it, and I decided that what makes me like an author is when they are interested in the same things I'm interested in, and they spend a lot of time on those parts of the story.
So I really liked all the anthropologisty parts of this book. (Did you know Ursula LeGuin's parents were famous anthropologists?)
I think maybe I liked Voices slightly better, but I still really enjoyed this. It made me want to go back and read the first...more
So I really liked all the anthropologisty parts of this book. (Did you know Ursula LeGuin's parents were famous anthropologists?)
I think maybe I liked Voices slightly better, but I still really enjoyed this. It made me want to go back and read the first...more
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Read in July, 2008
This book reminded me why I love LeGuin. Fascinating story, great characters, and some deep thinking about power, slavery, and forgiveness. The most amazing part is that the deep thinking never dominates or becomes didactic. As always, the writing is terrific. A strong ending to the trilogy. The previous two books are Gifts and Voices. If you haven't tried them, go and get them right now. Really. Get off the computer and get moving.
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Read in May, 2008
Gav starts off as a slave, and learns various types of freedom after running away. An interesting look at slavery and freedom; not as compelling plot or character as I would expect of LeGuin. Parts reminded me of Always Coming Home; parts reminded me of how Tehanu and how she had redacted parts of her previous books to focus more on feminism; the taoism has always been there.
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Read in November, 2007
I liked Gav's slowly growing notions about slavery and liberty, but the book didn't end up working for me. The slavery plotline and the plotline about Gav's powers never connected, and as such, the ending wasn't very satisfactory, and I never felt I went anywhere.
Full review: http://oyceter.livejournal.com...
Full review: http://oyceter.livejournal.com...
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Has a copy to sell/swap
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Read in August, 2007
recommends it for:
older teens and fantasy-lovers
LeGuin's style is beautiful, as always, her characters vivid and ever on the brink of devastation. This slowed down a lot as it got toward the end, and almost seemed to peter out. I still liked it, but I know at least one good reader who just couldn't finish it, even though she loved the style and basic plot.
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Read in February, 2008
LeGuin is so good she makes it look effortless. A story about a young man traveling from slavery to freedom and searching for a place to fit in, that seems simple and straightforward and yet raises profound questions without being doctrinaire or judgemental. How she does it I don't know.
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Read in December, 2007
I love most of Ursula Le Guin's books. My first was left Hand of Darkness. Still a favorite. This one is part of a brand new series of three. They are Young Adult - very easy reads, I read through all three very quickly. But as a fan... I'll read anything.
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Icky's right, this is the best of the Trilogy, but I did like Gifts and Voices, too. And, even though you don't have to read them all, I think it helps to have the back story on characters when they show up later.
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Anyone who like the EarthSea books will embrace these books - A 'new' series for young adults filled with relevant and challenging themes and two recurring characters through the series.
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Read in January, 2007
Beautifully written, beautifully told, but also wise, sly, and thoughtful. The story held me in its hand, as her stories always do, and comforted me even in its bleakest moments.
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Read in October, 2007
Book 3 of "Annals of the Western Shore," following 1. Gifts and 2. Voices. A young slave boy runs away, beginning a long journey of discovery. Gripping, thoughtful.
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