Books

First editions, first printings, signed by the author on each title page (inscribed "To David" in Planet of Exile), and additionally signed in The Left Hand of Darkness by the cover artists Diane & Leo Dillon. These represent Le Guin's first four published books, each part of Le Guin's celebrated "Hainish Cycle", taking place in a shared universe introduced in Rocannon's World, developed in the subsequent instalments, and vividly realized in her immensely popular Left Hand of Darkness. Le Guin continued to add to the cycle throughout her career, and published its eighth and final instalment, The Telling, in 2000. Four works, small octavo. Original illustrated wrappers, edges orange. Some minor rubbing to wrapper edges, all sound and clean within, City of Illusions wrapper somewhat creased and marked: very good condition.

The Left Hand of Darkness is a science fiction novel by U.S. writer Ursula K. Le Guin, published in 1969. The novel became immensely popular and established Le Guin's status as a major author of science fiction. The book is a part of the Hainish Cycle, a series of novels by Le Guin, all set in the same universe, where the people of different planets are attempting to co-operate with one another. The novel follows the story of Genly Ai, a human native of Terra, who is sent to the planet Gethen as an envoy of the Ekumen, a loose group of planets. Ai's mission is to persuade the nations of Gethen to join the Ekumen, but he is hindered by lack of understanding of Gethenian culture. Individuals on Gethen are ambisexual, with no fixed sex, which is a central theme in the novel.