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Voices

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Voices

By: Ursula K. Le Guin
Narrated by: Aysha Kala
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Set against a backdrop of magic, violence and intolerance, VOICES is a superb, mesmerising coming of age story from one of the greatest writers of modern times.

'A tour de force' EVENING STANDARD

Ansul was once a peaceful town filled with libraries, schools and temples. But that was long ago, before the Alds came. The Alds believe demons hide in words and so they ban reading and writing, acts now punishable by death. What few books survive remain hidden by the Waylord, and his beloved adopted daughter Memer, a child born of violence.

But times are changing when two strangers arrive. Orrec is a story-teller, the most famous of all: he has the gift of making. His wife Gry's gift is that of calling; she walks with a halflion who both frightens and fascinates the Alds.

This is the story of Memer, of a conquered people craving freedom, and of the power of words.

'Le Guin is effortlessly at the top of her game. Voices... is a marvellously thoughtful and intelligent piece of fiction' Independent©2020 MBA Literary Agents Ltd (P)2020 Orion Publishing Group Limited Coming of Age Epic Epic Fantasy Fantasy Literary Fiction Metaphysical & Visionary Heartfelt
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Critic reviews

Le Guin's crystalline prose and her ability to dramatise political and spiritual issues of our time are unequalled (Amanda Craig)
As always, Le Guin's language is as airy and sensuous as her concerns are weighty and abstract, every sentence as precise as a spade cut
Le Guin is a writer of phenomenal power
No question about her literary quality: her graceful prose, carefully thought-through premises, psychological insight and intelligent perception (Margaret Atwood)
Barbarians-versus-brainiacs may be well-trod turf, but Le Guin sure-footedly makes it new. She creates a protagonist with obvious appeal to her intended audience: a geeky girl with bad hair but a quick intelligence, who nurses a seething contempt for the illiterate thugs who run everything
Effortlessly at the top of her game. Voices... is a marvellously thoughtful and intelligent piece of fiction. ... Le Guin's writing is spare and humane, her imagination forceful and dramatic, and her book is transparently the pick... of the summer
All stars
Most relevant
Ursula Le Guin is at the top of my list, but Voices does not flow. All the elements are there: the One God invaders, the storyteller, the keeper of the Oracle, the gentle, conquered victims… .But, with four hours to go, I have lost interest. I’m not sure what is missing. Maybe “atmosphere”? Certainly pace.
Sadly, it is the VOICE of the reader which is also lacking. The heroine is a teenage girl. So, I guess, is the reader, who is competent, bar a few mispronunciations, but whose voice lacks the depth and variety of maturity and experience. Sorry, but I do find the reading monotonous.
So I’m packing my traps and moving back to one of the more substantial novels.

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