The Left Hand of Darkness Audiobook By Ursula K. Le Guin cover art

The Left Hand of Darkness

Preview

Try for $0.00
Access a growing selection of included Audible Originals, audiobooks, and podcasts.
You will get an email reminder before your trial ends.
Audible Plus auto-renews for $7.95/mo after 30 days. Upgrade or cancel anytime.

The Left Hand of Darkness

By: Ursula K. Le Guin
Narrated by: George Guidall
Try for $0.00

$7.95 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $17.19

Buy for $17.19

Confirm purchase
Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.
Cancel

About this listen

Winner of the Hugo and Nebula Awards.

A groundbreaking work of science fiction, The Left Hand of Darkness tells the story of a lone human emissary to Winter, an alien world whose inhabitants can change their gender. His goal is to facilitate Winter's inclusion in a growing intergalactic civilization. But to do so he must bridge the gulf between his own views and those of the completely dissimilar culture that he encounters. Embracing the aspects of psychology, society, and human emotion on an alien world, The Left Hand of Darkness stands as a landmark achievement in the annals of intellectual science fiction.

©1969 Ursula K. Le Guin (P)2016 Recorded Books
Classics Epic Fantasy Fiction First Contact Science Fiction Epic Fantasy Suspenseful Thought-Provoking
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

Featured Article: The Most Stellar Sci-Fi Authors of All Time


Science fiction is a genre as diverse as you can imagine. There are stories that take place in deep space, often depicting teams exploring or running away from something; stories that focus on life at the most cellular level, such as a pandemic tale; and stories that take place in times that feel similar to our own. Depicting themes of existentialism, philosophy, hubris, and personal and historical trauma, sci-fi has a cadre of topics and moods.

What listeners say about The Left Hand of Darkness

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    2,528
  • 4 Stars
    1,574
  • 3 Stars
    911
  • 2 Stars
    313
  • 1 Stars
    178
Performance
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    2,399
  • 4 Stars
    1,401
  • 3 Stars
    639
  • 2 Stars
    245
  • 1 Stars
    150
Story
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    2,320
  • 4 Stars
    1,285
  • 3 Stars
    772
  • 2 Stars
    285
  • 1 Stars
    172

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

One of the greats

This is a fantastic work of speculative fiction, offering insights and explorations that only a woman would even think to discuss. How our environment, our upbringing, and our gender system affect our social and political progress is a really interesting topic which she explores here deftly and interestingly. highly recommend.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

19 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

fantasy full of real feeling people and situation.

Engrossing to me and interesting changes she imagined on our nature and ways. There is escape and survival struggle, but Central is the story of a deeply caring and noble relationship.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Too many words not enough plot

I was a little concerned when I was getting bored with the author's introduction. Unfortunately that was how the whole book ended up for me.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Not very good

Big Guidall fan, and legiuin has good reviews, but the story was dull xxx
High

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

I am a better and wiser person after this tale.

If you are new, be patient with the early chapters. She will explain everything in due course.
Its Ursula, just listen.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Knit one pearl two!

A complex concept delivered with clarity and perfect narration. The voice conveyed emotions and clarity in differentiation of the many characters and their many traditions.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

seemed old fashioned

I didn't check to see when this was written. I'm surprised to have this reaction as I would have thought I would like classic sci fi. good story, ready to see through to the social commentary. liked it ok

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

that was an interesting story.

Never have I been so moved by a book written so devoid of emotion and dictated on audible with the voice of someone with equivocal stoicism.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Well-developed and thought-provoking

If you're familiar with LeGuin's other work, it's no surprise this novel is packed with thought-provoking conversations and casually dropped aphorisms that may keep you thinking hours after you turn it off. It's brilliant. It's a meditation on what mankind is capable of mentally, socially, politically, and even physically. The world-building is exceptional and characters are compelling and realistic. I also love the way LeGuin brings journal and other life writing into the book, which comes across well in the performance. Highly recommend.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Failed to live up to its reputation

Alas, I only got through half of this book, and it's the second time I started and didn't finish it. About forty years ago the book was highly recommended to me, and I gave it a brief try. I thought that with the maturity of older age I might find this "classic" more interesting, and this time I read substantially more. But I just didn't find the story plot and characters sufficiently gripping to hold my attention.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!