The Left Hand of Darkness Audiobook By Ursula K. Le Guin cover art

The Left Hand of Darkness

 Preview
Try for $0.00
Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Unlimited access to our all-you-can listen catalog of 150K+ audiobooks and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

The Left Hand of Darkness

By: Ursula K. Le Guin
Narrated by: George Guidall
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $21.09

Buy for $21.09

Winner of the Hugo and Nebula Awards.

A groundbreaking work of science fiction, The Left Hand of Darkness tells the story of a lone human emissary to Winter, an alien world whose inhabitants can change their gender. His goal is to facilitate Winter's inclusion in a growing intergalactic civilization. But to do so he must bridge the gulf between his own views and those of the completely dissimilar culture that he encounters. Embracing the aspects of psychology, society, and human emotion on an alien world, The Left Hand of Darkness stands as a landmark achievement in the annals of intellectual science fiction.

©1969 Ursula K. Le Guin (P)2016 Recorded Books Hugo Award Nebula Award Science Fiction Thought-Provoking First Contact Suspenseful Classics Scary Fantasy Epic

Featured Article: The Most Stellar Sci-Fi Authors of All Time


Science fiction is a genre as diverse as you can imagine. There are stories that take place in deep space, often depicting teams exploring or running away from something; stories that focus on life at the most cellular level, such as a pandemic tale; and stories that take place in times that feel similar to our own. Depicting themes of existentialism, philosophy, hubris, and personal and historical trauma, sci-fi has a cadre of topics and moods.

Featured Article The Most Stellar Sci Fi Authors of All Time
Thought-provoking Concepts • Complex World-building • Expressive Voice • Well-developed Characters • Philosophical Depth

Highly rated for:

All stars
Most relevant
This is a fantastic work of speculative fiction, offering insights and explorations that only a woman would even think to discuss. How our environment, our upbringing, and our gender system affect our social and political progress is a really interesting topic which she explores here deftly and interestingly. highly recommend.

One of the greats

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I was a little concerned when I was getting bored with the author's introduction. Unfortunately that was how the whole book ended up for me.

Too many words not enough plot

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Big Guidall fan, and legiuin has good reviews, but the story was dull xxx
High

Not very good

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Engrossing to me and interesting changes she imagined on our nature and ways. There is escape and survival struggle, but Central is the story of a deeply caring and noble relationship.

fantasy full of real feeling people and situation.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Alas, I only got through half of this book, and it's the second time I started and didn't finish it. About forty years ago the book was highly recommended to me, and I gave it a brief try. I thought that with the maturity of older age I might find this "classic" more interesting, and this time I read substantially more. But I just didn't find the story plot and characters sufficiently gripping to hold my attention.

Failed to live up to its reputation

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
See more reviews