The Masters: A Story

The Wind's Twelve Quarters #short

by Ursula K. Le Guin

“Ursula Le Guin is more than just a writer of adult fantasy and science fiction . . . she is a philosopher; an explorer in the landscapes of the mind.” – Cincinnati Enquirer The recipient of numerous literary prizes, including the National Book Award, the Kafka Award, and the Pushcart Prize, Ursula K. Le Guin is renowned for her spare, elegant prose, rich characterization, and diverse worlds. "The Masters" is a short story originally published in the collection The Wind's Twelve Quarters .

Genres: Science Fiction, Short Stories, Fantasy

33 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 1, 1963

About the author

Ursula K. Le Guin published twenty-two novels, eleven volumes of short stories, four collections of essays, twelve books for children, six volumes of poetry and four of translation, and has received many awards: Hugo, Nebula, National Book Award, PEN-Malamud, etc. Her recent publications include the novel Lavinia, an essay collection, Cheek by Jowl, and The Wild Girls. She lived in Portland, Oregon.

She was known for her treatment of gender (The Left Hand of Darkness, The Matter of Seggri), political systems (The Telling, The Dispossessed) and difference/otherness in any other form. Her interest in non-Western philosophies was reflected in works such as "Solitude" and The Telling but even more interesting are her imagined societies, often mixing traits extracted from her profound knowledge of anthropology acquired from growing up with her father, the famous anthropologist, Alfred Kroeber. The Hainish Cycle reflects the anthropologist's experience of immersing themselves in new strange cultures since most of their main characters and narrators (Le Guin favoured the first-person narration) are envoys from a humanitarian organization, the Ekumen, sent to investigate or ally themselves with the people of a different world and learn their ways.

Reviews

[Tessa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Underwhelming.

[Lacivard Mammadova · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bu janrı sevə bilmirəm. Qaranlıq və ümidsizdir.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

A dystopian society in which the rediscovery of math and physics is considered heresy. Not the most climactic, but it has plenty of intrigue.

[RJ - Slayer of Trolls · Rating 2 out of 5]

II + II = 4

[Storm · Rating 3 out of 5]

He was trying to measure the distance between the earth and God.

Collected in The Wind's Twelve Quarters: A Story. Ganil is a mechanic who is possessed of the gift of curiosity. Unfortunately he lives in a religious society, one similar to the Spanish Inquisition, where science and knowledge are punishable by death. A very touching and sad story.

[Rahel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Listen, I'm a sucker for stories with math in them. I love the idea of the inhabitants of this city being barred from calculation (as it brings them too close to God) and having to adapt their ways accordingly. Also secret mathematician underground? Very cool.

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.0 - 14 generations after nuclear war (I think, as it was a single line that referenced this and the mention of the Sun only coming out rarely) people are called heretics and executed if they practice math or science.
A young guy watches his friend executed before going into exile.

[Tiarnán · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. A truly beautiful, plaintive, and poignant piece of short speculative fiction. The first short story in this collection that has truly moved me in the same manner that LeGuin's best mature work tends to.

[Nẹdu · Rating 4 out of 5]

“He had been trying to measure the distance between the earth and God.”

“Love that wants only to get, to possess, is a monstrous thing, Ganil thought. ”

This short story has me longing for a full length novel with this world expanded

[Charmaine vd Merwe · Rating 4 out of 5]

An upside down, front to back concept. Interesting. Makes you think about what we might have upside down, yet we cling to it.

[kazerniel · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF, complete nonsense.

Who are these people? What is the setting? What is happening? Couldn't make any sense of it.

[Océane Reads · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not alot of meat. Read like a delicious soup that cooled off and got taken away from you before you were satisfied.

[Irene · Rating 4 out of 5]

First, on the actual story.

I quite liked the concept. Math and science as a form of heresy is not just interesting, but because it’s also actually happened in the past. Not as codified, of course, but advancements in understanding the universe like that of Isaac Newton were considered heretic.

I also like the Learners. A cult of scientists just seems fun haha. I wish we could have seen them collaborate more, which is the spirit of science imo.

I’m not quite sure that the romantic subplot achieves honestly. Minus Lina, idt the story is that affected.

Okay, now onto short stories.

Short stories do not have the luxury of time. As a result, there is very little space for exposition and deep characterization. In all of Le Guin’s writing, she employs show not tell SO WELL. Like it’s like she doesn’t really care if ur a lil confused at first or have to take a pause to figure out the world-building. There is no hand holding and you as the reader ought figure it out before moving on.