Worlds of Exile and Illusion: Three Complete Novels of the Hainish Series in One Volume--Rocannon's World; Planet of Exile; City of Illusions

by Ursula K. Le Guin and Ursula K. LeGuin

Book Overview

Worlds of Exile and Illusion contains three novels in the Hainish Series from Ursula K. Le Guin, one of the greatest science fiction writers and many times the winner of the Hugo and Nebula Awards.

Her career as a novelist was launched by the three novels contained here. These books, Rocannon's World, Planet of Exile, and City of Illusions, are set in the same universe as Le Guin's groundbreaking classic,...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0312862113
• ISBN13: 9780312862114
• Release Date: October 1996
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press
• Length: 384 Pages
• Weight: 0.86 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 5.6" x 8.2"

Customer Reviews

Just magnificent.

I've been a LeGuin fan for many years, so I've long been skeptical about reading this, a collection of her first three novels. (They form a loosely-connected trilogy and should be read in order for best effect.) I was worried that they might not live up to the standard of her later works, that they might somehow spoil my appreciation of what I've come to regard as one of the greatest bodies of work of any author. My hesitation was misplaced. These stories bring LeGuin's anthropologist's eye; deft hand for character; and talent to create unknown, fully detailed worlds together as well as any of her other novels. The opener, Rocannon's World, shows what happens when an anthropological expedition to a new planet gets tangled in bureaucracy before going suddenly wrong. Planet in Exile, set 600 years later, follows a tale of two cultures - one alien, one human - forced to meld into one. Finally, World of Illusion closes the circle, showing us the final confrontation between humankind and the mysterious race variously known as the Shing, the Lords of Es Toch, the Enemy, and the Liars of Earth. Like all LeGuin's work, the thrill-ride is subtle; some of the themes hit you late, sort of like the heat from a chipotle pepper that's been simmering in soup for a couple hours. The reward of reading LeGuin is a pleasure not to be missed and I'd recommend this book for any SF fan.

City of Illusions

I read this book over a year ago, and usually after that amount of time I can barely remember the plot of a book let alone the details. Yet I was amazed with the City of Illusions story in this book. This is by far my favorite story by Ursula K. Le Guin, even over the Left Hand of Darkness or any of the Earthsea series.

Marvelous planetary romances, not to be missed.

-----------------------------------------------------------35 years on, Planet of Exile hasn't aged a bit. As I just rediscovered -- my copy (with an evocative Josh Kirby cover) dates from the early 70's, and I don't recall rereading it since then. I was prompted to do so by a recent reread of her stunning "Semley's Necklace" (1964), another story in Le Guin's Hainish universe, which she recycled as the prologue to Rocannon's World.While PoE doesn't have the depth or complexity of her best work, this is a grand, mythic story of love and death; fear of the stranger, and the sad consequences; a bitter battle to save one's home; the joys and ashes of victory. And the grey, grinding cold of Great Winter: 5,000-some days of darkness, cold and ice (UKL does winters really well). Strong stuff. My God, this was her apprentice work!The rest of RW, after "Semley's Necklace", isn't up to PoE, but is quite readable. I haven't reread City of Illusions recently.Happy reading!Pete Tillman

In the Beginning....

There were these 3 books, Ursula Leguin's first science fiction novels. They are all set at different times in the same far distant future as her best known work, "The Left Hand of Darkness". Leguin's skill as a writer is evident in these books, and while they may lack some of the weight of the "Left Hand", they also are more concise and exciting. Leguin is a rarity in the sci-fi field, she is such a good writer that you are drawn into the worlds she creates. It is easy to forget that you are reading works of fiction when reading these books; the narratives and characterizations have the force of non-fiction. Another highly recommended, hard to find book by Leguin, again set in the distant future, is "The Word for World is Forest".

At Last! Back in Print!

Having battled for months just to find LeGuin's City of Illusions, this three-in one edition was a real find! LeGuin is a rare breed in sf, the poetry in her narrative and her powers of description add a compelling truth and depth to her stories. They also make her an accessible author for mainstream readers; particularly as the issues she explores in this book are very human and relevant today, but set in beautifully crafted worlds of splendour or depravity which magnify the topics she explores. I read City of Illusions as a kid and was entranced- this book gives the next generation a chance to enjoy her earlier works, and has pride of place in my collection.