tb-or-not-tb’s Reviews > The Lathe of Heaven > Status Update
tb-or-not-tb
is 45% done
There's an emphasis on balancing good with evil in a lot of Le Guin's other works. Forex, the Dispossessed talks about "twin" planets who have developed rival ideologies, which indicates connection and similarity on a deeper level.
In this book, we see what one paper calls "the opposition between the Tao-like passivity of Orr and the obsession of Haber with apparently reforming and ameliorative projects"
— May 11, 2026 03:37PM
In this book, we see what one paper calls "the opposition between the Tao-like passivity of Orr and the obsession of Haber with apparently reforming and ameliorative projects"
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tb-or-not-tb’s Previous Updates
tb-or-not-tb
is 29% done
An old critique of the book mentioned how something changed in Le Guin from exploring "paranormal" events in writing from the 60s, to completely giving that up in later work. This book, in that sense, is like a bridge between the Hainish and Earthsea cycles.
Considering the spine he starts to grow, should we then say Orr is a gifted "hero" trying to change their world for the better? Or is he still being used?
— May 10, 2026 02:32PM
Considering the spine he starts to grow, should we then say Orr is a gifted "hero" trying to change their world for the better? Or is he still being used?
tb-or-not-tb
is 15% done
Second reading of the book and, honestly... she has the best way of describing her characters. That Orr is gullible and that Haber can easily take advantage of him is established so cleanly, everything that follows is like a perfect fit to picture.
This is also, incidentally, the only example I know of two characters experiencing "time travel" together.
(years ago, I wrote a fic based on the woodcutter premise)
— May 09, 2026 03:46PM
This is also, incidentally, the only example I know of two characters experiencing "time travel" together.
(years ago, I wrote a fic based on the woodcutter premise)
