The Left Hand of Darkness

 

 

Level: Adult

Genre: SciFi

Obtained: Borrowed from a friend

Reviewed by: Nic Echo

 

Cover:

Okay, I have to admit that this cover would not draw me in; however, it goes very well with the book. Sure the lettering is a little dated, but the art chosen is perfect. The icy terrain depicts the actual landscape of the world wile the ice sculpture shows the nature of the world's inhabitants, both male and female, one and the same. Beautifully done. 

 

About the Book:

Genly Ai is an envoy from another world, hoping to become allies with the residents of Winter. It certainly proves more difficult than anticipated though. Genly has to deal with both politics and deciding whom he is able to trust, and his decisions only go from difficult to more difficult.

 

Rating: 9/10

I was originally suggested this book for the Winter residents, whom are neither male nor female and only become a sex when they enter kemmer, or their mating period. For those who are constantly one sex, they are called perverts. It seemed as if it would be an entertaining commentary on sex, gender, and society's view of it. I will admit that I was disappointed in that aspect as the story didn't really focus on that. However, that isn't to say that the story was any less interesting. I really enjoyed getting to witness Genly's struggles as he tried to figure out how to best go about his mission, but I really became invested once our protagonist is arrested. It becomes dark and desperate, and Le Guin is able to unfold a heartfelt friendship that allows Genly to view the Winter inhabitants as human instead of alien. Perhaps a little cliche, but Le Guin portrays the journey so well that it strikes at the emotions and shows the wear and tear on Genly's soul. She also brings forth elements of patriotism and trust and where does one draw the line.

 

To be honest, there was really only one thing that brought this down for me, and that was the terminology and layout. There were a lot of words that I had trouble comprehending (some I never fully understood). I also had a hard time figuring out what towns and countries were where. Not everyone will have this issue, but it constantly brought the story to a halt for me. Perhaps it would have been easier on my mind if I had read the entire series instead of just The Left Hand of Darkness. Maybe some of the other books explain the world of Winter a little better.

 

Overall though, I would say that The Left Hand of Darkness is an excellent novel that deals with several layers. It can be a little slow as Le Guin gives us needed information, but she is able to weave such treachery, fear, and friendship. I would certainly recommend this to many.

 

What I'm Reading Next:

To be decided really. I am going to be rereading The Hunger Games and Catching Fire to do some book vs. film reviews so I'll see what comes up after that. More than likely:

          

Obsidian Butterfly

 

Level: Explicit

Genre: Fantasy> Urban Fantasy > Vampire

Obtained: Purchased at Border's

Reviewed by: Nic Echo

 

Cover:

 Okay, I really like this cover. It is honestly one of my favourite covers. Just everything about it works so well: the cropping, the soft blues and silvers, and the shadows. It is a very sensual cover though I wouldn't say this is one of the sensual Anita Blake novels. Still, it really draws you in. The use of the butterfly is also very well done as that was something that could have easily looked too fake. Mostly, it is the mixture of shadows and that soft blue light though. The silver title bar and silver edge also help make it more, making the blue more silver in a way, making me think of moonlight. The biggest downfall, as I said, is that Obsidian Butterfly is not a sensual book so the cover does that no justice.

 

About the Book:

Edward is a sociopathic assassin that hunts the paranormal, and he is ready to call Anita in for a favour. Anita then finds herself in Albuquerque. New  Mexico, looking at a series of mutilations. Is it the cause of the Master of the City, Itzpapalotl, or something else entirely? Either way, Anita knows she is deeper than she has ever been.

 

Rating: 9/10

Where Laurell K. Hamilton's last three books took a downturn, Obsidian Butterfly shoots up. Obsidian Butterfly is action packed and full of the creepy and grotesque. Hamilton is able to meld her storylines together quite well (though not perfectly. See: Officer Marks), and although Anita is states away, Hamilton is able to keep Jean-Claude and Richard fresh in the reader's mind, without it being obnoxious and out of place.

 

One of the great things about Obsidian Butterfly is the tone of the books. If you found yourself loving the early Anita Blake, you are bound to love Obsidian Butterfly as well. It has the darkness and edge to it, complete with sarcasm (and a lot more explosions and gunfights). LKH also does a decent job of bringing in a New Mexico atmosphere to the book. What's more is that there is less repetition in Obsidian Butterfly than in the past books. Laurell's writing skill has certainly evolved. Of course, one of the things that also made the book great was learning more about the mysterious Edward. Not only do we get to see Edward the Assassin, but we get to see his alternate persona, Ted, and we also get to see him as family man while getting more hints of his past and how he became who he was. Hamilton also introduces a new character who has quite the potential to be an awesomely creepy person. This would be Olaf, the misogynistic serial killer. It's just a shame Ms. Hamilton did so little with him character wise. Still, he was fun in this book.

 

Like many of Hamilton's other novels, Obsidian Butterfly still manages to fall short. It seems everyone has some sort of fascination with Anita, and Edward certainly shows favouritism. Still, it is easy enough to see why he may be invested (I personally see him viewing as some sort of science project). As for the others, well, it's not so bad that you can't look past it yet bad enough to not completely forget.

 

Overall, Obsidian Butterfly was a very enjoyable read. Hamilton managed to fix many of her problems (well, made progress) so that it was a smoother read. The action and Edward also managed to keep me turning the page. The sexual moments slowed the book down some, but not enough to make it lose a star, in my opinion. I would definitely say check it out, especially if you were a fan of the early early Anita Blake. If you found yourself not liking The Killing Dance, Burnt Offerings, and/or Blue Moon, don't worry. Obsidian Butterfly knocks them away. It's just a shame the rest of the series failed (look forward to Anita Blake snark come New Year).

 

What I'm Reading Next: