Science Fiction · ThoughtfulAn envoy urges an icy planet's nations to join an alliance; its people have no fixed sex
The Left Hand of Darkness
An envoy on the planet Winter, where people have no fixed sex
Ace Books published the novel in 1969 as a paperback original, and a hardcover edition also appeared that year. It is set on the icy planet Gethen, also called Winter, in Le Guin's Hainish universe many centuries in the future. Genly Ai, an envoy of the Ekumen, tries to persuade Gethen's nations to join the alliance. The planet's inhabitants are ambisexual, with no fixed sex. Estraven, Argaven Harge XV and Obsle are among the characters. The first edition has 286 pages.
More about this book
Who
Genly Ai, Estraven and Argaven Harge XV.
World
The icy planet Gethen, or Winter, in the Hainish universe.
What makes it different
It won the Hugo and the Nebula for Best Novel. The title comes from a traditional lay of Gethen. BBC Radio 4 broadcast a two-part drama of it in 2015.
Feel
Cold and thoughtful.
Page count and cover shown for: Selected edition
Further reading
- The Left Hand of DarknessWikipedia