A Fisherman of the Inland Sea: Science Fiction Stories

The final story in this book, "Another Story," is almost certainly my favorite short story ever, and I've read a lot of them. Her writing is wonderful, and a lot of the best elements of both her writing and usual themes come together wonderfully in the final story. The other ones are worth reading, too, but the final story stands on its own and is alone worth finding this book now that it is, sadly, out of print. (I found two copies in a bookstore's bargain stack 6 year ago, luckily for me!)Find the book, and at least read the last story. It's truly wonderful.

I picked this up at a bargain table at my college bookstore when I was just getting into Ms. Le Guin's work. What a talent! What skill! The stories range from "slap-you-upside-your-head" funny to hauntingly thought-provoking that you feel so deeply and disturbed. And the last gem: I have read and enjoyed many short stories but never one that was so sumptuous I could sink my teeth into it like a blueberry pie. Le Guin should become synonymous with "lyrical". She must compose her own music, or goes into a meditative state to create a prose that ebbs and flows like the sea, wraps you snug in warm familiarity, then pulls back a curtain to let in the light, thus waking you out of your complacency. I don't care what people (who think they know speculative fiction) say. Sure the genre has its space operas, slapstick, and other subcategories, but if you wish to go "deep", you MUST pick up "A Fisherman of the Inland Sea". Look, even the title shimmers as so many pearls!

Le Guin's talent is diverse, but Science Fiction stories seem to be her best. And oh she is agile. This collection has everything. There's a small humorous story, a workshop story, an idea story, but finally there are the most important: the churten stories. Le Guin's Hainish universe has appeared in most of her other scifi novels, but these stories are probably the best. "The Shobies Story," "Dancing to Ganam" and "Another Story" (I think that's all) are all separate, but they all deal with 'churten,' Le Guin's brand of instantaneous travel. As usual, though, she doesn't focus on technology. She's a people writer, and the science is only there to bring out all of the psychological, emotional and spiritual questions with the characters. The title story, or "Another Story" is about a man who is caught in two places at once as a result of the churten. A delight to read. Each word is perfectly placed. Exquisite.

Ursula has a true gift with the English language. Her prose and her style of writing all give such life to her stories! All the stories in this collection are gems, masterpieces. Especially "Newton's Sleep" an astonishing tale of an orbiting habitat above a chaotic earth. "The Shobies' Story" starts to turn into surrealist literature toward the end; no doubt Le Guin has had some experience with surrealist literature...the way she handles the churtening experience is virtuoso. And the last story...unbelievable! The way she weaved in the Urashima Japanese myth with that story was fascinating. The whole story was just fascinating, period. If you're into speculative fiction done well, I highly suggest reading this book now.

Le Guin's previous short story collections ("The Wind's Twelve Quarters", "Orsinian Tales" and "The Compass Rose") demonstrated that she is, if anything, an even more accomplished writer of short fiction than novels. This latest collection has some memorable tales; perhaps none more so than the title story. Three stories in particular link together around the development of a new method of faster than light space travel. However, this does not mean we are in for essays on obscure areas of physics, but rather for fables illustrating that how we share meanings and experiences help shape the reality around us. The title story takes this further by adding a time travel twist in the tail, and looks at how the choices we make in life shape us and those around us. As ever there is strong anthropological streak in her work, with some uniquely pictured societies (the complex marriage arrangements in the title story are especially fascinating!). The other stories vary from very brief vignettes, to traditional sci-fi, to more tongue in cheek fantasies. Le Guin retains an impish sense of humour in all her best work, no matter how serious the intent of the story. It is perhaps this that marks her out as one of the most human of all science fiction authors. Maybe not her greatest collection, but well worth reading, especially if it leads you to discover her other works.