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Cover artist Jerome Podwil Language English Publisher Ace Books Originally published 1966 Preceded by Rocannon's World Page count 113 | 3.7/5 Goodreads Country United States Series Hainish Cycle Publication date 1966 Followed by City of Illusions Genre Science Fiction | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Similar Ursula K Le Guin books, Hainish Cycle books, Science Fiction books | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Planet of Exile is a 1966 science fiction novel by Ursula K. Le Guin in her Hainish Cycle. It was first published as an Ace Double following the tête-bêche format, bundled with Mankind Under the Leash by Thomas M. Disch. In 2017, the rights for a movie have been acquired by Los Angeles Media Fund.
Contents
Plot summary
The story is set on Werel, the third planet of the Gamma Draconis system. The planet has an orbital period of 60 Earth years, and is approaching its correspondingly long winter. The main characters belong to one of two major groups: Wold and his daughter Rolery are members of the Tevarans, a tribe of humanoid extraterrestrial indigenous to the planet. Jakob Agat is a young man from a dwindling colony of Earth humans that have been effectively marooned on the planet. Although both populations share a common genetic heritage in the Hainish people, the difference is significant enough to prevent interbreeding (at least, so it is believed at the beginning of the story).
The relationship between the two groups has long been tense and characterized by limited interaction. However, with the approaching dangers of winter and marauders, the visit of curious young Rolery to the colony becomes a sign of coming changes.
Key characters
Alla Pasfal: A member in the Council of the colonist city of Landin. She is a frail elder but wise and sharp-witted.
The Gaal: Nomadic native tribes who migrate south during the harsh Winter. They share a common language with the Tevarans.
Jakob Agat Alterra: The de facto leader of the Council in Landin. He is a middle-aged,wise man, who, like all colonists, has bluish-black skin.
Rolery: The protagonist of the story and a native of the planet. She has a precocious and independent spirit, and remains single, largely as a consequence of being born out of season. Like the natives of Tevar, she is light-skinned with golden eyes. She has the rare ability of Mindspeech.
Seiko Esmit: The last member of a great family line who lives in Landin. She is a middle-aged, delicate and nervous woman.
Ukwet: One of Wold's grandsons who happens to be older than Umaksuman. He ambushes Jakob Agat but is later killed in a duel with Umaksuman.
Umaksuman: One of Wold's spring-born sons who enjoys war and battle.
Wattock: An Alteran bone-setter who works alongside Rolery to tend to those injured in battle.
Wold: Rolery's father. He is a wise, willful, and misogynistic tribal elder in the city of Tevar.
Native fauna
Haan: Sheep-like animals that are domesticated to provide food and clothing for the Tevarans and the citizens of Landin.
Snowghoul: Tall, thin, white-furred creatures with long necks that sway from side-to-side. They possess short but powerful clawed forearms and large snapping mouths lined with sharp teeth. They are quick, deadly, and hunt in packs.
Stormbringer: Taloned, pure white birds with silver eyes and a wingspan larger than a man's height. Their appearance in a southward migration signals the coming of Winter.
Role in the Hainish Cycle
The peoples of the various worlds in Le Guin's space fiction are descendants of an ancient settlement from Hain. The Gethenians of The Left Hand of Darkness are believed to have been genetically engineered, as are several other peoples, but the Alterrans are not mentioned in this context.
Descendants of the earth human/Tevarian mix would eventually rescue a conquered Earth from alien conquerors who could mind lie - which they used to conquer the telepathic League of All Worlds. This is the 'backstory' to City of Illusions. The reunification is mentioned in The Left Hand of Darkness, though no story has yet given us any details.
The planet called Werel in Four Ways to Forgiveness is a completely different world from the planet of the Alterrans.
Literary significance and criticism
One science fiction scholar points out that Planet of Exile, along with Rocannon's World and City of Illusions exhibits Le Guin's struggle as an emerging writer to arrive at a plausible, uniquely memorable and straightforward locale for her stories.
Publication history
Planet of Exile was initially published with no introduction, but Le Guin wrote an introduction for Harper & Row's 1978 hardcover edition. Planet of Exile was also reissued in 1978 along with Rocannon's World and City of Illusions in a volume called Three Hainish Novels and in 1996 with the same novels in a volume called Worlds of Exile and Illusion.