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The Eldar have been retconned quite a bit since their inception and this book does a good job of introducing the reader to their way of life, their paths and the craftworld. Gav does a good job of getting across the intensity of Eldar emotion, even if they seem less mystical and alien than they did back in the day.

I thought this was going to be a three star book for a long time. It takes an age to get going and the plot is unusually convoluted for Woodman, but it pulls it all back with an excellent third act. Drinkwater has obviously been in scrapes and desperate situations before, but this time it feels different - the visceral horror of naval warfare in this era is more keenly felt than in prior books and its effect on captain and crew are explored in greater detail and depth. How much longer can Nat bear to live this life?

After an unassuming and somewhat slow start, Le Guin's story and prose builds to a crescendo that includes what must be among the most beautiful portrayals of platonic love in literature.

Thought-provoking and unpredictable from start to finish, The Left Hand of Darkness seems as fresh and relevant today as it did when it was published. The only aspect that seems dated at all is Le Guin's periodic descriptions of masculine and feminine behaviours, pigeonholing that would've gone unremarked in the 70s but which jars today.

After an unassuming and somewhat slow start, Le Guin's story and prose builds to a crescendo that includes what must be among the most beautiful portrayals of platonic love in literature.

Thought-provoking and unpredictable from start to finish, The Left Hand of Darkness seems as fresh and relevant today as it did when it was published. The only aspect that seems dated at all is Le Guin's periodic descriptions of masculine and feminine behaviours, pigeonholing that would've gone unremarked in the 70s but which jars today.