Ursula K. Le Guin's world building

[Elderdog]

I thought I could open a thread to discuss Ursula Le Guin since I'm in the middle of reading The Word for World is Forest and I thought it would be interesting to talk about how she engages in world building. Because, even Le Guin's short stories feel like they take place in well developed worlds that contribute significantly to the story while maintaining a degree of "realism" that doesn't take her reader away from the narrative. If we use the book I mentioned previously in this post it can be seen in her description of the native population and their relationship with their environment and the effects of colonialism on their culture.
Or we could just talk about Ursula Le Guin considering how influential she was to both Science Fiction and Fantasy literature.

[Rocketboy1313]

I have only ever tried to read one of her books, "The Left Hand of Darkness" which was ALL WORLD BUILDING. I had no idea what the plot was, the viewpoint character is super flat. I gave up on it after making it 40-50% thru.

I feel like it was an interesting Planet of Hats (World without Gender) but there wasn't any narrative tension in the story so I got bored.

[TGLS]

If I recall, after the MC escaped the pseudo-gulag, the story picked up a bit; besides that it was the only part of the story that the class focused on.

[clearspira]

I have only ever tried to read one of her books, "The Left Hand of Darkness" which was ALL WORLD BUILDING. I had no idea what the plot was, the viewpoint character is super flat. I gave up on it after making it 40-50% thru.

I feel like it was an interesting Planet of Hats (World without Gender) but there wasn't any narrative tension in the story so I got bored.

Couldn't put it better myself.

[Mecha82]

I have only ever tried to read one of her books, "The Left Hand of Darkness" which was ALL WORLD BUILDING. I had no idea what the plot was, the viewpoint character is super flat.

That reminds me about this one 40k novel that I read titled Seventh Retribution from author Ben Counter that was also all about world and setting while characters felt flat. Mind you my only experience involving Le Guin's work is that terrible anime adaption of Tales from Earthsea so her work beyond ones that you have read might actually be good.

[Elderdog]

I have only ever tried to read one of her books, "The Left Hand of Darkness" which was ALL WORLD BUILDING. I had no idea what the plot was, the viewpoint character is super flat. I gave up on it after making it 40-50% thru.

I feel like it was an interesting Planet of Hats (World without Gender) but there wasn't any narrative tension in the story so I got bored.

If it helps the book I'm reading from her right now is about 189 pages and it begins by introducing the conflict which can basically be summarized as a parable about colonialism and ecology. What makes it interesting is that the book begins with the natives rising up against the colonists (who are from Earth) and massacring the entire settlement and the natives essentially learning how to become violent; think Avatar without Jake Sully.