From the Bookshelf of Sci-fi and Heroic Fantasy…

The Lathe of Heaven

Ursula K. Le Guin

Start date: April 1, 2013

Finish date: April 30, 2013

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Discussion leader: Vera M.

Why we're reading this: Group Classic Novel discussion for April 2013
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What Members Thought

Apr 06, 2013 Jim rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 1audio, apocalyptic, 2fiction, 3classics, favorites, scifi

My edition is by Blackstone, but was downloaded from the local library. The reader was excellent, but I really would have liked it if they could have put the actual Beatles' tune in.

This review contains overall spoilers, I've only hidden specific ones. It's a 40+ year old book & has had 2 movies based on it, so unless you've been living under a rock [as far as the SF genre goes], you'll probably know most of it.

This is a tough review to write because there are just so many threads running throug ...more

22 likes · Like · see review

Jan 27, 2024 Netanella rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 2024-wbtm-s-roll-for-it-challenge, science-fiction, sffbc, 2024-january-reading-challenges

First published in 1971 and lauded with multiple nominations and awards, "The Lathe of Heaven" still held this reader spellbound despite its half-century age. It's a science fiction classic with heavy philosophic overtones, set in 2002 Portland, Oregon, in a future where overpopulation, climate change, and warfare have left the world a wreck, with many classes of peoples relegated to nutrium bars or some such alternative nutrition source. It's a clear dystopian vision as Ursula saw it (I feel li ...more

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May 04, 2009 Jim rated it really liked it

Shelves: scifi, apocalyptic, favorites, 3classics, 2fiction, 1paper

I loved both the book & the movie. The idea of a man that could change the world was unique the way she presented it. The few characters were perfect to drive her point home. Tremendous power that was so powerless. Unforeseen consequences mixed into a chaotic theory that defied harnessing.

The understated humor that ran through out the book was just perfect! It wasn't a funny book, but had it's moments, enough to lighten the overall depressing world & main character.

It was an eclectic blend of e ...more

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Feb 11, 2018 Robin rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2018

Living in Portland, Oregon in a future 2002, George Orr has been caught using drugs and is sentenced to “voluntary” therapy. George has “effective” dreams that change the reality and been taking drugs to prevent them. In one of George’s first dreams, his aunt had been visiting his family and causing problems for him. After a particularly stressful event, George dreamed that his aunt had died in a car accident near her home weeks before. Upon waking, he learns his aunt has never visited and has, Living in Portland, Oregon in a future 2002, George Orr has been caught using drugs and is sentenced to “voluntary” therapy. George has “effective” dreams that change the reality and been taking drugs to prevent them. In one of George’s first dreams, his aunt had been visiting his family and causing problems for him. After a particularly stressful event, George dreamed that his aunt had died in a car accident near her home weeks before. Upon waking, he learns his aunt has never visited and has, in fact, died in a car crash. In the new reality, as in the dream, the visit had never taken place, and George is the only one to remember the former reality. Once George is able to convince his assigned therapist, William Haber, that his effective dreaming does change reality, Haber attempts to control George’s dreaming initially to make the world a better place. However, with each change that Haber tries to bring about, there is an unintended adverse consequence. As the world becomes more chaotic, Haber becomes more power-mad. George and his friend and lawyer, Heather, know they must stop Haber before he destroys the world.

The Lathe of Heaven was published in 1971, so the future 2002 in the book was still 30 years away. The dates are possibly the one thing that makes the book feel slightly outdated. I like the idea of this book, it is unique, and yet it is reminiscent of the many stories where one has three wishes, and with each wish, there is an unintended adverse consequence. I also like the messages that I think Le Guin is trying to send, that even the best intentions can go awry if one does not understand all of the consequences of their actions; and that one person may think they know what is best for others, but the others may not always agree. I felt that Le Guin did a great job of portraying George as an “every-man” that we want to succeed even though he essentially has a “super-power.” The reader may feel pity for him because he seems to be in a situation that is beyond his control.

I listened to The Lathe of Heaven as an audiobook and thought the narration was good, but not outstanding. Although the book is well-written and tells a good story, the many changes in the book’s reality sometimes made it challenging to keep up, especially when one is listening instead of reading. ...more

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Dec 26, 2020 mina rated it really liked it · review of another edition

What will you do if you have the power to keep changing the world into a better place just by (hypnotizing -without any consent- a certain people) dreaming it into reality? Is it ethical? What is the definition of a better world? What are the consequences of the change? If you have the power to do it, what it makes you: a hero, a dictator, a God?
I love the premise of this story.

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