moonknitter's review against another edition
4.0
Loved this book toward the last half with the questions of killing a self to revive a past self, etc. but once they revived him of his memory it was so unclear how he really was able to revive memories of both parts of his life. Just kinda seemed skipped ahead but I feel like that part could be a whole boook in itself.
blockonthenewkid's review
4.0
Solid 4/5.
You can really feel Le Guin hitting her stride here, it's not quite the highs of later works but it has a lot of the trappings, and makings of them.
The deep sense of unease, and the struggle of identity combined with the nature vs nurture commentary make for a deeply compelling read. The Shing are a worthy foe, mysterious and distinctly unreal in their portrayal in this work. I am perhaps a little disappointed that they seem to not pop up again in the Hainish cycle as they are a really intriguing and truly terrifying enemy in their insidious nature.
The continuity in terms from Planet of Exile really gives this book more depth, allowing further exploration through a somewhat better known quantity. Whilst I would normally groan at the overused trope of an unrecognisable post-apocalyptic Earth, I think it is used here to great effect, to allow us to feel as out of place as Falk as he progresses on his journey of discovery.
You can really feel Le Guin hitting her stride here, it's not quite the highs of later works but it has a lot of the trappings, and makings of them.
The deep sense of unease, and the struggle of identity combined with the nature vs nurture commentary make for a deeply compelling read. The Shing are a worthy foe, mysterious and distinctly unreal in their portrayal in this work. I am perhaps a little disappointed that they seem to not pop up again in the Hainish cycle as they are a really intriguing and truly terrifying enemy in their insidious nature.
The continuity in terms from Planet of Exile really gives this book more depth, allowing further exploration through a somewhat better known quantity. Whilst I would normally groan at the overused trope of an unrecognisable post-apocalyptic Earth, I think it is used here to great effect, to allow us to feel as out of place as Falk as he progresses on his journey of discovery.
beelzebubbie's review
4.0
Overall a fun and epic adventure spanning centuries and lightyears and human lifetimes in the way that Ursula does best. Out of the three books in this compilation (rocannon’s world, planet of exile, city or illusions) this is definitely the best, most realized. I loved how the protagonist(s) grappled with the question of self — what it meant to be a body with its consciousness wiped, what it meant to be an adult without a childhood. How to integrate two sets of memories from experiences disparate in every way — lives lived on distant planets, without overlap — into one body. A critical matter of perspective distilled into such a fantastic, visceral analogy!
I also loved grappling with the question of the “rule” of the Shing — is peace worth it at any cost? To keep a planet peaceful, are its inhabitants willing to accepting a falsehood, willing to subjugated beneath a benevolent untruth? In reality, the benevolence of t he Lie itself is a lie, and no false peace is worth 1200 years of delusion and despair.
I also loved ursula’s thinking around language, truth and lies, integrity, in this book. So different (and much simpler maybe?) that in wizard of earthsea. The lie that created and sustained the world...instead of the word being Creation, creation being a Lie...
I also loved grappling with the question of the “rule” of the Shing — is peace worth it at any cost? To keep a planet peaceful, are its inhabitants willing to accepting a falsehood, willing to subjugated beneath a benevolent untruth? In reality, the benevolence of t he Lie itself is a lie, and no false peace is worth 1200 years of delusion and despair.
I also loved ursula’s thinking around language, truth and lies, integrity, in this book. So different (and much simpler maybe?) that in wizard of earthsea. The lie that created and sustained the world...instead of the word being Creation, creation being a Lie...
pmcderm27's review
adventurous
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
david611's review against another edition
3.0
A decent book. Great imagination of imagery, surroundings and ideas; loved this part the most. Liked the first half more than the other. Bleak dystopian landscape. Various factions of Terrans displaying different expert abilities, was nice. Interesting ideas, like Mindspeech, Talking animals (a slightly disturbing idea), lying and mind-lies, etc. Overall story was okay/good. The journey of the Quest was interesting. Perhaps not amongst one of Le Guin's finest books.
A one-time-read certainly recommended. :)
A one-time-read certainly recommended. :)
nrhilmer's review
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Colonisation
rrussom's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
wellworn_soles's review against another edition
3.0
Out of the set of 3 novels that makes up the beginning of the Hainish Novels, City of Illusions is far and away the most complete feeling of the bunch. While similar themes existed in the other two stories - that of worlds alien to their protagonist being slowly revealed, deconstructed, and finally progressing to a hopeful future - City of Illusions certainly feels like the point Le Guin found her footing.
The first part of the book was an interesting examination of human nature. In it, characters like Zove, the solitary man in the woods, or the Prince each exhume a type of perspective, that all in one way or another directly relate to this graciously oppressed post-apocalyptic Earth. Each one has a type of wisdom to assist in our titular character's journey of self-discovery, and flesh out the world nicely.
The second part of the story, where the truth is revealed both about Falk and about the Shing was quite interesting to me. I very much could not guess where they were going or what was planned, because Le Guin had established the uncertainty of the Shing's very existence so well throughout the book. And the culmination of self-discovery for Falk seemed rewarding to me; a kind of synthesis of old and new, neither being preferential, both being a great strength. I do wish perhaps there had been a little time devoted to fully unraveling what it meant for our main hero to truly understand that the journey itself was his defining persona, not what he lost.
The first part of the book was an interesting examination of human nature. In it, characters like Zove, the solitary man in the woods, or the Prince each exhume a type of perspective, that all in one way or another directly relate to this graciously oppressed post-apocalyptic Earth. Each one has a type of wisdom to assist in our titular character's journey of self-discovery, and flesh out the world nicely.
The second part of the story, where the truth is revealed both about Falk and about the Shing was quite interesting to me. I very much could not guess where they were going or what was planned, because Le Guin had established the uncertainty of the Shing's very existence so well throughout the book. And the culmination of self-discovery for Falk seemed rewarding to me; a kind of synthesis of old and new, neither being preferential, both being a great strength. I do wish perhaps there had been a little time devoted to fully unraveling what it meant for our main hero to truly understand that the journey itself was his defining persona, not what he lost.
gaiusgallus's review against another edition
5.0
Might be one of my fave Le Guin stories yet!!!! The heavy Taoist influence, questions on identity, perspective, the trap of memory, collision of societies and alien races, ahhhh!!!!! Absolutely stellar read, devoured it in a day, did not want to put it down.