thegooddoctor
2/28/2021
A novella set in the far future.
Spoiler Alert
In this story, the ansible is invented. It is a device for instantaneous communication across vast interstellar distances. Human colonizers enslave the native humanoids (who call themselves Athseans but are referred to as "creechies" by the humans). This is the first story of the Hainish - the universe in which Le Guin sets most of her SF.
Her villain is utterly villainous here. The story is clearly related to the Vietnam war. In her subsequent fiction, the bad guys are much more well-rounded.
My rating system: I begin with one star being equivalent to a rating of "C -". Progressing upwards, I add ½ star for each step, up to the maximum 5 stars, which is equivalent to a rating of "A"+. I reserve ½ star for BOMBS, there being no option of zero or negative stars.