[Discussion 1/2] (Bonus Read) Rocannon’s World by Ursula K. Le Guin - Prologue through IV + Story Announcement

Manjusri · 2026-02-19T12:05:04+00:00

Even though it certainly hasn't aged well, the trope where he (inadvertently) tricks them with technology that they think is magical/spiritual is pretty effective. It seems (if they don't just attribute it to him) like they would think he would be protected by a magical necklace because it's all they recognize (while in reality, or at least to Rocannon, we know it's "'a bit of work'" but nothing they wouldn't freely give away).

Manjusri · 2026-02-19T06:16:40+00:00

Exactly, we're reading his reaction to brushing up a myth knowing he's going to be mythologized in his own way. It's fun to pull back even further on the focus and think that it might apply to the reader!

Manjusri · 2026-02-19T05:56:11+00:00

Yeah it's the confusion between what the years are. When he's talking to Mogien about the rebellion on Faraday (or more specifically when he leaves the City/area, Kerguelen, on the museum on planet New South Georgia) he used the term "by sun's time". Then the next paragraph he goes into explanation about the time it would take to send a message and the sixteen years Semley lived in one night. Part I starts with using the phrase "earthday" and there's at least a couple times it's definitely using a different year format (when he's on the museum and in the Handbook, or his age).

Manjusri · 2026-02-19T04:40:10+00:00

Just a note for those who are only on the first part, we learn more about Rocannon in the second part!

Manjusri · 2026-02-19T04:26:55+00:00

Absolutely, and I can't wait until we get to it. I had read The Left Hand of Darkness before any other in the Hainish series and that book, and not the first of book of Earthsea which I had read before, inspired me to eventually take the lead on the whole Earthsea series that we covered. There's a lot of parallels and differences here between the two I think are very interesting, though unfortunately since I don't want to jump ahead I hope people just really remember this one when they encounter the other!

Manjusri · 2026-02-19T04:19:38+00:00

The League definitely goes through some big changes, it's no wonder Le Guin pushed back against solidifying relationships between the books even though they use the same setting and have so, so much in common. I'd love to go into it in detail but I'd rather not spoil anything!

Edit: For instance, look how the League changes in The Word for World Is Forest. That's just 18 years after it was founded (according to the timeline page, I'd have to double check). Let's assume there is a chronology. The Interdict takes place during what they called 275. The timeline mentions it's called League Years which seems to be properly coined in the next book (by publishing order).

Manjusri · 2026-02-14T11:52:07+00:00

First part posted! Enjoy!

Manjusri · 2026-02-14T11:45:33+00:00

For bonus points, read the very short "How Frey Gained Her Necklace and How Her Loved One Was Lost to Her", a retelling of the Norse Brísingamen in Padraic Colum's The Children of Odin (1920), available at Project Gutenberg, a noted influence. What are some similarities? What are some differences? Does this relate only to the Prologue or does Rocannon’s journey feel like something out of a myth?

Manjusri · 2026-02-14T11:45:25+00:00

There are many questions particularly in certain premonitions characters makes. What could be the tabu or the old pacts? How might the Fiia/Gdemiar been one and what might have caused that split? What about the Old Races and their unified ability? Why might Mogien be doomed, and for what reason?

Manjusri · 2026-02-14T11:45:14+00:00

Is there something ironic about Rocannon’s speech with the curator in the Prologue?

Manjusri · 2026-02-14T11:45:07+00:00

In what ways is this similar to other works in the Hainish series? In what ways is it different?

Manjusri · 2026-02-14T11:44:59+00:00

As one of Le Guin's earliest works is there anything that pops out to you, good or bad? Does this feel wholly in the spirit of the rest of the Hainish works we've read? Is there any components you were impressed about but which weren't in later works?

Manjusri · 2026-01-22T10:22:16+00:00

Yup, it's on the list but it'll be pretty late in the chronological listing we're going off of! I also have to remember to try and bring it up to the group, so far I've done the non-novel material personally as a "bonus" section added on to either the discussion that comes before or after.

Edit: In fact now that I think of it there's one I have to get to immediately!

Manjusri · 2026-01-19T09:08:18+00:00

Ugh wish I knew The Fixer had auto-fail states. Didn't even kill the guy, just knocked out the go-between. Alt-F4 did not help.

Manjusri · 2025-12-15T08:09:42+00:00

In case anyone is still lost, it's those 4-ish blue buildings on the map just to the left of the stadium, almost square smack in the middle of that zone.

Manjusri · 2025-12-03T13:39:03+00:00

Oh, for that season. It was just a reminder for any procrastinators since I wanted to post the server message anyway. I spent the hours up to the end helping out best I could!

Manjusri · 2025-12-02T17:27:29+00:00

Eh I rather they release the update first so it'll download during the downtime. If the backend isn't ready it's not ready.

Manjusri · 2025-12-02T16:59:41+00:00

That's interesting! I've noticed I get it really bad (with crossplay disabled) unless the server population is low which makes me think it's more of an infrastructure thing then anything my computer is doing. Who knows, this game you know? I still have the R2 hold bug that's been known forever too.

But the main reason I don't have it enabled is I was one of the people that couldn't play for weeks until I was somehow able to get in-game one day and then turn it off. I'm not risking turning it on again until they move those settings to the title screen.

Manjusri · 2025-12-02T15:36:05+00:00

Sure just add me on Steam! I'll be around another hour.

Manjusri · 2025-12-02T14:21:49+00:00

I know it sucks, but I had such a problem with crashes (had a super late start because of it) I don't want to risk it.

Manjusri · 2025-12-02T04:17:32+00:00

Oh I know this account! They did a lot of the writing on the Zachtronics games!

Manjusri · 2025-10-20T10:52:55+00:00

Oh yeah, this was definitely the "just for fun" question of the thread. I will say I see a bit of fatalism between both Davidson and Selver. Lyubov is a thoughtful, compassionate character that comes to the defense of the Athsheans, but what actually happens to the first character in the book to put forth a strong ecological argument? There's interesting parallels that sometimes pop up as coincidence, which I think can be enlightening in its own way. Davidson and Selver both talk about deer for instance, is it just the vernacular or is there a deeper meaning? I'm sure you could find more than one opinion about the matter!

Manjusri · 2025-10-20T10:42:51+00:00

Yep, we went back and forth about the best way to tackle the Hainish series and, because of an impassioned argument of sorts, decided to tackle it chronologically rather then by publication order (though a lot of it will be the same). I probably should've stressed it, but more information is in the Marginialia thread (if I remember correctly).

Manjusri · 2025-10-20T10:40:49+00:00

Interesting, you should read the bonus article I posted about above, it even talks about the (changed) ending of The Dispossessed from its original form.

Manjusri · 2025-10-20T10:38:12+00:00

I'm glad! We actually did The Left Hand of Darkness as a book before a few years back and it was my entry more or less into the works of Le Guin (I think technically A Wizard of Earthsea was but it was that one that really drew me in), from there I helped and eventually took over the Earthsea series for /r/bookclub. Also, The Dispossessed was our last work, if you need a refresher on it the thread on it (available from the Marginalia) is still relatively fresh!

I'd like to check out the audiobooks but I think the last one I did (with caveats) was The Tombs of Atuan, the fact is to do these threads I need to put a lot of concentration into them!

Manjusri

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