Arbieroo reviewed Powers by Ursula K. Le Guin
Review of 'Powers' on 'Goodreads'
3 stars
A third book in the Annals of the Western Shore and a third first person narrator in a third location.
Gavir was taken as a slave as a baby, too young to remember his native Marshes. He is brought up and educated in a city - one of the City States that are forever warring with each other. Initially content with his life, even happy, Gavir is loyal to the House that keeps him, until his trust is tragically betrayed by an event that drives him both mad and away. Thus begins a tour of different societies where Gavir searches for freedom and purpose.
This novel appears plotted largely to allow LeGuin to discuss the merits and demerits of various forms of government, rather than to provide a really gripping story - indeed there is little sense of peril despite Gavir's various adventures. This theme of discussing forms of government …
A third book in the Annals of the Western Shore and a third first person narrator in a third location.
Gavir was taken as a slave as a baby, too young to remember his native Marshes. He is brought up and educated in a city - one of the City States that are forever warring with each other. Initially content with his life, even happy, Gavir is loyal to the House that keeps him, until his trust is tragically betrayed by an event that drives him both mad and away. Thus begins a tour of different societies where Gavir searches for freedom and purpose.
This novel appears plotted largely to allow LeGuin to discuss the merits and demerits of various forms of government, rather than to provide a really gripping story - indeed there is little sense of peril despite Gavir's various adventures. This theme of discussing forms of government is prevalent in many of LeGuin's books, most famously The Dispossessed, and is a major pre-occupation of science-fiction as a genre. Here we see it in the Fantasy genre and primarily in the context of defining the nature of "liberty".
Liberty is the over-arching theme of the Annals of the Western Shore: In Gifts individual liberty in the context of the family. In Voices the liberty of a people and how to regain it when it has been forcibly removed. In Powers the liberty, apparent and real, allowed a people by its government.
Interestingly, books and education play a significant role in all three and it might be that LeGuin's thesis is that true liberty cannot be obtained without uncensored education.
Not one of LeGuin's absolute best and suffering in my view from the dearth of direct involvement of Gry Barre and Orrec Caspro, this is nevertheless more worthwhile than many an "adult" "literary" novel by contemporary writers.
