The Word for World is Forest is a science fiction novel set in a world where humanity has colonized planets orbiting other stars. The story revolves around the encounter between humans and a peaceful forest species, the Athsheans, on a far-off planet. As humans start to massacre the native species, the Athsheans are forced to fight back, leading to a clash of cultures and values. The book explores themes of colonialism, environmentalism, violence, madness, and racism in a science fiction setting, shedding light on the consequences of human exploitation of natural resources and the impact on indigenous populations.
The narrative delves into the perspectives of both the human colonists and the Athsheans, providing a nuanced portrayal of the conflict between the two groups. Through detailed world-building and character development, Ursula K. Le Guin creates a thought-provoking and emotionally compelling story that challenges readers to reflect on the consequences of human actions and the complexities of intercultural interactions in a futuristic setting.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Content warnings include themes of violence, sexual violence, slavery, and environmental destruction.
From The Publisher:
The award-winning masterpiece by one of today's most honored writers, Ursula K. Le Guin!
The Word for World is Forest
When the inhabitants of a peaceful world are conquered by the bloodthirsty yumens, their existence is irrevocably altered. Forced into servitude, the Athsheans find themselves at the mercy of their brutal masters.
Desperation causes the Athsheans, led by Selver, to retaliate against their captors, abandoning their strictures against violence. But in defending their lives, they have endangered the very foundations of their society. For every blow against the invaders is a blow to the humanity of the Athsheans. And once the killing starts, there is no turning back.
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2 comment(s)
One of the best political sci-fi books I’ve read. Short, but dense.
Le Guin's books are typically short but powerful punches to the gut. This one is no exception. She takes a topic so many people have devoted so many pages to, colonialization, and demolishes it in less than 200 pages. As part of the Hainish cycle, this is a book about the League of Worlds discovering new planets with HILFs (high-intelligence life forms) and attempting to interact with them peacefully, with the hope of leaving a colony of Terrans behind. However, the Terrans who initially colonize the planet are not interested in civilization: they enslave and rape the natives, with the justification that they are not hilfs, and begin brutally logging the forest planet because Earth needs wood. Delegates from the League of Worlds try to stop the violence, but the peaceful natives must rebel to protect themselves.
The natives, or Athsheans, are peaceful by nature. They have no concept of violence in their culture, except for very few psychotic individuals who are banished to an island. However, after Selven's wife is raped to death by Terran army captain Don Davidson, he loses control and tries to kill him. Selven goes on to "dream" the concept of murder, and leads his people in revolt against the Terrans. Davidson is a caricature of a colonialist, a violent, narcissistic nightmare of a human being who is all too realistic in his motivations and justifications. The tragedy is that once Selven realizes the need for violence, violence has entered the Athshean culture for good. Although the League of Worlds promises not to return, we are left with the knowledge that the Athsheans have been tainted by the necessity of defending themselves.
Although I can see Le Guin moving further into her progressive and feminist ideology, it stands out to me that Selven's wife (whose name is only mentioned once or twice) is raped to death in order to give him motivation. She is nothing but a catalyst for the story.
What can you read after
The Word for World is Forest?
About the Author:
Ursula K. Le Guin (1929-2018) was the author of more than three dozen books for children and adults, including her groundbreaking novels The Left Hand of Darkness and The Dispossessed, both honored with Nebula and Hugo awards for best novel. She was also awarded a Newbury Honor for the second volume of the Earthsea Cycle, The Tombs of Atuan, and among her many other distinctions are the Margaret A. Edwards Award, a National Book Award, and additional Nebula and Hugo awards. Her other books include The Eye of the Heron, The Word for World is Forest, and the Hainish series. In 2014, Le Guin was named the Medalist for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters by the National Book Foundation.
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