Rating: 
Summary: A Delicately Woven Work of Genius
Review: This is great literature. You might think it moves a little slow at first, but it draws you in, and you come to a quiet yet emotionally breathtaking climax. Along the way, you explore what it means to be human. How dependent are we on gender in defining who we are? Can a person who feels no permanent gender affiliation be truly human? Or is that person the integral, self-contained, individual human being that gendered humanity can only imitate? What does it mean to truly love someone? Is there love without gender? LeGuin discusses all of this and more, and her insights are genuinely meaningful because she understands human social structure, since she is the daughter of anthropologists. A truly moving book.
Rating: 
Summary: Makes you think...
Review: I read this book as i was a HUGE fan of LeGuin's Earthsea Trillogy, i took a chance with this book as ordinarily i detest science fiction with its tedious laser battles and endless journeys through space. This book is very different. It features several themes brought up in the Earthsea trillogy but also features issues of sexuality, a topic that it deals with very well. It is brilliant theme, especially when one of the characters realises how awful it is to be judged merely by your character without relying on any of the quirks that come with your gender. Not so much sci-fi as an extremely well written, very touching and thought provoking piece of literature.
Rating: 
Summary: Boring, bad writing, how is this a Hugo?
Review: It was boring beyond words. WHERE WAS THE STORY? Thats the problem with most sf writers - they forget that the point of a novel is to tell a story and do it well enough to captivate the audience. True, LeGuin had an interesting concept: a planet full of shemales/hermaphs. Thats what piqued my interest in the first place, but she forgot to move beyond the inspiration and onto drama.I feel sorry for the students whose professors know nothing about real sci-fi and force this lethargic drivel upon them.
Rating:
Summary: Ice-bound sci fi gender bending
Review: Imagine a world in which sexual and gender identities are not fixed. Imagine a world where people are sexless for 90% of the time, and for the rest of the time may be either male or female, depending on the dynamics of the particular sexual relationship they are in at that time. And imagine all of this taking place in a world of perpetual snow and ice. This is the starting point for this intriguing piece of speculative fiction. The book obviously invites reflection on issues of sexual politics, but doesn't preach or push a message. It also explores themes of loyalty and betrayal, and the difficulty of telling friend from enemy. It's the sort of science fiction that uses imaginary worlds to illuminate the real world by contrast. It's a book that stays with you once you've finished it. The different ways in which the two central characters sacrifice themselves for one another are genuinely moving. 4 stars, because it's not as good as the same author's "The Dispossessed". Otherwise I think it's the best of this author's "Ekumen" series.
Rating:
Summary: A Stunning Masterpiece
Review: Ursula K. LeGuin has been on the top of my list of best science fiction novelists. This novel is one of those extraordinary ones that pushes the limits of one's own understanding of what life and love and companionship is all about. She is a masterful storyteller, drawing the reader into the characters and into her worlds. I also recommend "The Dispossessed" and "Rocannon's World." All are fine examples of her awesome talent.
Rating:
Summary: Someone wake me up, the book put me to sleep!
Review: Yawn. And I don't care what her father did, it doesn't make this book any better or interesting. Fair warning, this book is as good as a warm cup of milk. It can cure insomnia. There is no story whatsoever.
Rating:
Summary: Intelligent and breathtaking
Review: Left Hand of Darkness was fun to read over 20 years ago and to re-read just this week. For the fan of good and intelligent SF, this is a must. It is well written, it can be read quick, it is philosphical, it makes you think about your own life and that of mankind. I enjoyed it very much. When it would be written and published just recently instead of a stunning 30 years ago, I am sure it would receive Hugo and Nebula Awards again (I would certainly like to vote in favor). It is a nice touch that LeGuin writes from the perspective of a proud black man, trying to understand creatures that don't care which gender they are. It makes you think about the intelligence of all those macho man in our society, who over and over have to prove their masculinity. So, male people, please read this book and start thinking! :-) I am sure she investigated the snow stories of the eskimos, who have lots of words about snow, water and wind. This book is also a small lesson in diplomacy, courage, sacrifice and honesty. It is not just an SF story about space ships, space battles, fierce fights, high-tech gizmo's or grand theories. It is psychological, philosophical, political, ethical, emotional, and it is all SF, weird as SF can be. I am re-reading City of Illusions now, also by LeGuin. I like it! After that, I will read (for the first time) Rocannon's World and Planet of Exile. I am sure I will like them too.
Rating: 
Summary: The Left Hand of Boredom
Review: I actually had to read through this whole book for an english class. Otherwise, I never would have been able to slog through this unbearably boring novel. The book was universally despised by the whole class. Some have declared it profound and thought provoking, but in actuality the book is filled with superficial new-age philosophy and pop quasi-spirituallity. Mix "Siddharta" and the screenplay for "Plan Nine From Outer Space" and you get a good idea what this book is about.
Rating:
Summary: Classic
Review: Brilliant and moving - a science fiction classic. The relationship between the two protaganists is fascinating, and personally, I thought the cold, snowy atmosphere was wonderfully conjured.
Rating: 
Summary: Frigid Gender-Bending Tale With Minor Political Intrigue
Review: I get cold just thinking about this book. Much of it is a description of trying to survive an incredibly long and harsh journey through endless miles of snow. The interesting ideas about politics and gender seemed brushed aside in favor of lengthy poetic descriptions of snow that even eskimos would find tiring. Better to read "The Dispossessed" or "Four Ways to Forgiveness" by LeGuin.
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