Undoubtedly one of the greatest writers alive today is Ursula K. Le Guin. I began to read her stories a couple of years ago, and still get the same warm shiver down my spine that I did when I read her Earthsea Saga: what is considered by many her magnum opus.
The Telling was an awesome read. By no means was it the greatest of Le Guin's pieces, but it is very difficult to flaw someone who writes a prose that even at its weakest point is more potent than almost any other piece of modern literature.
The Telling is set in a dystopic society similar to those of Bradbury and Orwell in Farenheit 451 and 1984 respectively. The difference is that while those societies were purely communist, Le Guin's is purely capitalist. The society is centered around maximum output and productivity with no concern for tradition and no time for leisure. Planet Aka revolves around a systematic religion of science with no regard for any superstitions or non-evidence based beliefs.
The story is told from the third person perspective of linguist Sutty, the Earthling who was left home to study linguistics. The problem is that books are burned by law and the old tongue has been de-legalized. There isn't much constructive that the linguist can do.
Sutty is sent to Ozkat-Ozkat, a town still illegally practicing ancient ways. An almost buddhist culture and a far more romantic way of life than the capitalist lifestyle of the urban part of Aka, Sutty finds herself drawn towards the lifestyle of Ozkat-Ozkat. In a style reminiscent of The Last Samaurai, Sutty finds her mind involuntarily betraying her own people for the lifestyle of Ozkat-Ozkat.
As always, the distant web that Le Guin weaves elicits emotional response rare in literature.
There are few flaws with the book, but what was for me the most obvious was that Le Guin almost seems to be preaching. Her protagonist's feelings and thoughts towards certain issues seem to be geared towards convincing her audience of her beliefs. Though she tries to be subtle about it, I find that she somewhat fails.
Also, the unilateral culture of Aka is a little to fictitious. I cannot quite bring myself to believe in the planet's viability.
Finally, her story has just been done too many times before. Her classiness as a writer still distinguishes it, but it's not as impressive as some of her other more original and developed work.
The books a worthwhile investment. I'd advise buying it only after having read her more impressive books. For her Science fiction, try The Dispossessed, for her Fantasy, try Earthsea. For historical fiction try Lavinia. For young adults fiction try Voices and the other novels in its saga.
Enjoy!
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