An Ambiguous Utopia "The Dispossessed" Ursula LeGuin Review and Ranking.

Over the last year i have reread over 40 Hugo and/or Nebula award winning Science Fiction and Fantasy novels, and I have been ranking them on the ever growing SF Shed Ladder.
I use the following criteria to help me rank these wonderful novels.
1. Concept (how interesting/unique is the SF or F concept)
2. Execution of the concept
3. Characters (interesting character arcs, relatable, interesting)
4. Writing (how much did i enjoy the writing)
5. How memorable are these novels (the memory test)
6. Plot (interesting twists and turns)
7. Ending (does the ending satisfy)
Playlist of all the Hugo Winning Novels
• Hugo Winners
Playlist of all the Nebula Winning Novels
• Nebula Winners
The SF SHED RANKINGS to date.
Position Novel Author
1 Hyperion Dan Simmons
2 Dune Frank Herbert
3 Gateway Frederik Pohl
4 Way Station Clifford Symak
5 Doomsday Book Connie Willis
6 To Your Scattered Bodies Go Philip Jose Farmer
7 A Case of Conscience James Blish
8 Tehanu Ursula Le Guin
9 The Forever War Joe Haldeman
10. The Dispossessed Ursula LeGuin
11 The Left Hand of Darkness Ursula Le Guin
12 This Immortal Roger Zelazny
13 The Fountains of Paradise Arthur C. Clarke
14 Stranger in a Strange Land Robert Heinlein
15 The Moon is a Harsh Mistress Robert Heinlein
16 Starship Troopers Robert Heinlein
17 Ringworld Larry Niven
18 The Claw of the Conciliator Gene Wolfe
19 The Man in the High Castle Philip K. Dick
20 The Demolished Man Alfred Bester
21 Moving Mars Greg Bear
22 A Fire Upon the Deep Vernor Vinge
23 The Windup Girl Paolo Bacigalupi
24 Redshirts John Scalzi
25 Flowers for Algenon Daniel Keyes
26 Rite of Passage Alexei Panshin
27 The Uplift War David Brin
28 A Deepness in the Sky Vernor Vinge
29 Startide Rising David Brin
30 Man Plus Frederik Pohl
31 Babel-17 Samuel R Delany
32 Where Late the Sweet Bird Sang Kate Wilhelm
33 Double Star Robert Heinlein
34 A Memory Called Empire Arkady Martine
35 Ancillary Justice Ann Leckie
36 The Terminal Experiment Robert J. Sawyer
37 The Quantum Rose Catherine Asaro
38 The Einstein Intersection Samuel R Delany
39 The Falling Woman Pat Murphy
40 The Fifth Season N.K Jemisin

[@rachelpsmith3129]

Your videos are just so enjoyable! One of my top ten novels, not just sci fi novels, even above her LHoD. But I can only say that at age sixty now. The Dispossessed has grown in its inner impact on my conscious thoughts day by day as I have grown in years. It's gradually become one of the books that informs my world.

[@thesci-fished]

Thank you so much for the lovely comment, I hope you continue enjoying my videos. Isn't it interesting your these books grow with you? One of the things I've really enjoyed about rereading these great novels with sometimes a gap of 30 years, is how my younger self missed some of the things that I picked up on now in my 50s. And what appealed to me in my 20s hasn't had the same impact today. You've gotta love books for that 😁

[@unstopitable]

Great characters, great story, but what I found most interesting was the novel's structure. Also, what I found striking (and brilliant) was how she was able to convey the differences between the two cultures (the pros and cons) as the characters experienced them. The world and characters felt very real, as did their biases, preferences depending where they came from. There was one scene (when they were children) I found particularly moving. It's one of those novels that's stayed with me, though I read many years ago. She's very good at writing male characters. Patricia Highsmith was good at it, too. Anyway, it does lack dramatic tension. For what it's worth, I agree with your ranking. Thanks for the video.

[@thesci-fished]

You're welcome, and thank you so much for your support.

[@gon8go]

Ive read a bunch of her stuff and I really like her writing. This will be the next book of her's I get to.

[@thesci-fished]

I'm sure you'll enjoy it

[@SFVintageCollector]

Great little review thanks for sharing - new sub today (love to see a fellow SF channel)

[@thesci-fished]

Thanks buddy

[@chrisw6164]

I remember this novel reminding me of Dostoyevsky. It’s been too long since I read either writer, so I can’t elaborate.

[@thesci-fished]

I can see why you would say that, I've not ready anything on Dostoevsky since leaving school,

[@psikeyhackr6914]

You should check out: *Voyage from Yesteryear* by James P Hogan Another economic dichotomy story but it has a resolution. I suspect Hogan knew more about economics and technology than Le Guin.

[@thesci-fished]

Thank you for the recommendation, I'll see if I can hunt it down.