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Amazon.co.uk Review
The uncomfortably gifted George Orr is desperately drugging himself to avoid sleep, because he knows his dreams can change the world. Psychiatrist Dr Haber begins with good intentions of curing Orr, but when he finds he can shape Orr's "effective dreams" and force his own wishes into reality, the lure of power is too much. Though Haber believes he wants only to do good, he's also quick to upgrade himself from obscurity in a windowless office to Director of the prestigious Oregon Oneirological Institute.
During his flawed attempts to create an earthly paradise, we see that each sweeping change makes matters worse. Let's fix over-population: suddenly there's a new past in which humanity was almost destroyed by plague, billions of people are written out of existence, and Haber drinks a toast--"to a better world". Let's fix war: the hapless Orr's dreaming mind can only imagine and create a new threat that unites Earth against outside foes. Let's fix racism: the result is even more painful. As Orr broods:
The end justifies the means. But what if there never is an end? All we have is means.
In this mad round of poisoned wishes, it becomes necessary to stop. But power-crazed Haber refuses to stop....
Beautifully written, jolting in its moral force, The Lathe of Heaven is one of Le Guin's finest SF excursions. --David Langford
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great book. Entertaining, engaging, and provoking,
By lee@artelos.com (Northern Ireland) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Lathe Of Heaven (S.F. Masterworks) (Paperback)
This book is just amazing. It illustrates abstract concepts vividly, and paints wildly changing pictures of a world with remarkable ease and fluidity. The Lathe of Heaven deals with eastern philosophical concepts of acceptance and self-knowledge. In fact, the title is taken from the Tao Te Ching, and short excerpts from this ancient and provoking work serve to introduce us to the concepts of each chapter. The Lathe of Heaven takes you on a journey with George Orr as he struggles to come to terms with his potential.Initially, George is simply getting by in the world, struggling to live day by day, despite tremendously powerful dreams which occassionally cause his world to change in uncontrollable ways. Afraid he may cause more harm with these dreams, he seeks out the help of a psychiatrist. Dr. Haber has other ideas, however -- meaning well, although misguided, he attempts to control this power in order to shape reality to his own liking. Things progressively begin to worsen, until the world begins to collapse around them. All the while, George remains the same -- he, who appears weak and controllable at the outset through his accepting personality, is the only one who can cope as reality begins to crumble. What seemed to others a weakness is precisely what gives him strength. All in all, a beautiful work of science fiction.
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fascinating and relentlessly brilliant,
By Martin Turner "Martin Turner" (Marlcliff, Warwickshire, England) - See all my reviews (VINE VOICE) (TOP 50 REVIEWER) (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)
This review is from: The Lathe Of Heaven (S.F. Masterworks) (Paperback)
This is a fascinating and relentlessly brilliant SF novel which is completely different from Ursula K. LeGuin's other works. Set in the near future on earth, it's the story of a man whose dreams change reality.The 'if' world scenarios are a favourite of Science Fiction writiers. Some other classics are Philip K. Dick's 'The Man in the High Castle' and 'the Zap Gun', the Asimov and Arthur C Clarke short stories of people going back to the past and changing the future, and more recently Philip Pullman's 'His Dark Materials' trilogy. In film there's 'Twelve Monkeys' and for TV there's the much underrated early Dr Who classic 'Inferno'. The Lathe of Heaven, however, is a completely different take and a very original and compelling solution. In this story, the man's dreams are bizarrely transmitted into new realities. This is just a disturbing personal experience, until he falls into the hands of an unscrupulous psychotherapist. The ensuing catalogue of disastrous choices — similar to genie-wish stories — opens the door for LeGuin to explore philosophical themes with much greater depth and precision than her Ekumen scenarios do. For example, a dream aspiring to end race hatred results in everyone having the same grey skin colour. I enjoyed this book immensely. Even if you aren't a fan of LeGuin, the Lathe of Heaven should be a cracking good read.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Great by someone else, but not I think Le Guin's finest,
By
This review is from: The Lathe Of Heaven (S.F. Masterworks) (Paperback)
Another reviewer suggested this one to me from an enthusiastic mention about Le Guin's writing in one of the Vine Fora (thankyou Diziet)
However...............it may be because as an abstract genre, I'm not particularly drawn to SF - though there are certainly very fine writers working in the genre whose work I do enjoy - Le Guin is one. When alien life forms enter the arena (as they do in The Lathe of Heaven) I find myself losing interest - though the idea of differently evolved societies intrigues me enormously, I struggle with the inevitable descriptions of how another intelligent life form might look, and find it hard to suspend my disbelief. Which is precisely why two of her other major novels The Dispossessed and The Left Hand of Darkness works, for me, quite brilliantly in a way this one doesn't quite. The Dispossessed posits two adjacent planets (both peopled by homo sapiens), one of whom has been used to 'house' rebellious thinkers - anarchist syndicalists. Here, on a barren planet has grown up a collectivist society. The neighbouring planet has evolved like consumer capitalism gone wild. The individual desire is all. What happens when such oppositions in society and ethics meet - Le Guin is much more interesting in exploring what each type of society has gained, and lost, through its ethical stances, than in just looking at conflict and aggression. The Left Hand of Darkness is even more intriguing. How would we have evolved if we were a species who 'came into season' for brief periods, but for the rest of the time were androgynes - its a brilliant way to look at gender, sexual politics, and how being a highly, almost permanently sexual ape has shaped our culture. ooh............and if you are wanting some sort of idea about The Lathe Of Heaven - it explores personal ethics, the seduction of arrogant power, and what happens if it is possible to create the reality of dreams which arise from the unconscious (sleeping) mind
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