The Birthday Of The World - Ursula K. LeGuin Book Review

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Review Summary

Ursula K. Le Guin
HarperCollins, Mar 2002, 24,95, 384 pp.
ISBN: 0066212537

Fans of deep science fiction that stars aliens in order to dig into the human condition will want to read Ursula K. Le Guin's powerful anthology. The eight stories are all excellent as each one looks into a “excursion” of sorts with some actuality occurring and others happening inside the minds of the key cast members. Each tale is different with unique perspectives. The characters in each tale are so complete the audience will think they are reading a short novel especially since the action is not neglected as the plots are filled with energy. Six of the stories occur on Ekumen, but still share in common with the other two tales problems with relationships complicated by emotion. THE BIRTHDAY OF THE WORLD shows why the award winning Ms. Le Guin remains at the top not just for her highly regarded Earthsea novels, but also for some of the best short stories and novellas of the last couple of decades.

Harriet Klausner

Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar

Detailed literary breakdown of The Birthday Of The World

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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot

Composition of Book
Descript. of chases or violence - 10%
planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 50%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 30%
Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places - 10%

Tone of book - sensitive (sigh....)
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION? - science fiction story
Inner Struggle Yes
Plotlet: - search for identity/new understanding
Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book

Main Character
Identity: - Male Alien
Profession/status: - scholar
How sensitive is this character? - middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - average physique

Main Adversary
Identity: - none

Setting
A substantial portion of this book takes place on a non-Earth planetary body: - inhabited by friendly aliens
Planet outside solar system? Yes

Style
Person? - mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death? - no torture/death
scientific jargon? (SF only) - a moderate amount of scientific explanation
How much dialogue? - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog

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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s).

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