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MNat — The Left Hand of Darkness...
Published: 2007-09-08 19:29:43 +0000 UTC; Views: 4280; Favourites: 18; Downloads: 0
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Description
...is light.Based off the book of the same title by Ursula K. LeGuin, which made me cry like a small child. There's a colored version of this, but I didnt like it so you will not be seeing it! What can I say? I love books about hermaphrodites. I love hermaphrodites in general. They rock. And desolate snow-covered worlds are pretty awesome too.
("The Left Hand of Darkness", Genry and Estraven are owned and operated by Ursula K. LeGuin: the picture is mine.)
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Comments: 37
Yeah, I just started getting into Ursula K. Le Guin's work now. I read A Wizard of Earthsea, and now I moved on to The Left Hand of Darkness. Its a really great and imaginative story that shows how humanity can evolve and still exist in this bleak, alien world. You're artwork does it justice, keep up the good work
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I just finished this book. And I'll admit to crying like a small child myself. Wonderful depiction of them crossing the Ice.
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It's one of my all-time favorite books. @,@ I'm about due to reread it for the fourth time @,@
I'm very glad you like this drawing 
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Thank you!
I'm glady ou think so. It's one of my favorite books as well
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An absolute favorite? I well, I do like Estraven and Genry very much, and their whole dynamic...
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I don't think so....Estraven's my favorite
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Saw it first like what, a year and a half ago? Still my favourite, 'nuff said. The face is just perfect.
There's so_not_enough fanart based on LHoD!
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Thank you so much! It was one drawing a loved doing that not many people seemed to get excited about, so I'm glad you like it.
I'd love to do some more fan-art for it too. 
In fact, I was gripped with the desire to re-read LHoD this very morning. It would be my...4th or 5th time reading it,I think? I just love that book.
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Lol, same thing here: started to re-read it just this morning, my 5th time 
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I bargle-fargled at the climax. :[
Hee, I love this drawing ~~ I wish I can draw out Genly like I imagined, though. I don't know if he's black (earth-brown, he said) but either way, it's hard to draw non-whites and non-Asian if all I can draw is manga-style...
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The ending is very sad (I had a good cry) but its an amazing book and it really changed my perspective about the Sci-fi genre! Up until I read LHoD, I thought it was all lame cheesey Star-trek stuff...x.x
I imagined that Genry was indeed black since he describes himself as being dark of skin. I've seen other manga artists draw people of varying ethnicities before, so it can be done!Don't give up!
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Heee, I know! The only other sci-fi novels I've read are Ender's Game and Ender's Shadow. Both are good, but they don't quite ... I don't know, sci-fis aren't my thing. XD;; I loved Le Guin's Earthsea novels (the original three mind you - something about the fourth and fifth book bugged me, though it could be because book 4 was written 18 years after book 3, and book 5 was written another ten years later o_O thus, sudden change in writing style)
I actually picked up this book because 1) the concept of the story intrigued me and 2) I knew Le Guin's story would be different from what I usually see sci-fi novels as :'D
(lol "Genry." it makes me giggle ~~)
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I agree. I like the first three Earthsea novels too, (I've only read up to Tehanu) but I didnt like the fourth one. It just wasnt nessicary to do more than three! The story nicely concludes at the 3rd book and in my personal opinion does not require further elaboration. Also, the writting style changes due to the time difference you mentioned...and when you compare Farthest Shore to Tehanu, Tehanu in no way can stand up against the preceeding book. The climax of Farthest Shore has them in the LAND OF THE DEAD. It doesnt get much more epic than that!
I think Tombs of Atuan was my favorite Earthsea novel of the original three, though.
Yes, I like to call him Genry. It makes me feel special
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I kind of wonder if Therem truly loved Genry (i'll go along with you xD) though. Hearing his brother's (
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That's why it was all so heartbreaking. x.x Genry is all "OMG yer dying, I loved you!" and Estraven answers with "I loved my brother more, sry (die)." That's harsh, man. That's way harsh.
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Aww, now the ending's even more depressing. The way I thought of it (or tried to think of it) is that the only way someone could make him think of his brother is someone who could equal that love for his brother ... if that makes any sense. I guess I'm trying to be optimistic *w*;;
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Aw man, I should've just let you keep the optimistic illusion! Its so much nicer than what I came up with! x.x
I do agee that Estraven certainly felt -something- for Genry but in the end I think Estraven did love Arek more...or, while in the confusing throes of death he simply became confused by Genry's mindspeaking and thought his brother was coming to collect his soul. x.x
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Hee, that makes sense. I don't think anyone could think clearly when they're dying. ;-;
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If I ever made bets, I'd be pretty willing to bet that book makes everyone cry. I, for one, was at it a half-hour straight this morning.
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Yup, I'm the lady who also drew a picture based on Left Hand of Darkness. Fabulous book! I really like yours much better than mine. You've captured the characters and setting perfectly. And you're style is so easy and natural and full of movement. Nice work!
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Thank you very much for your compliments! I've seen your picture based on the Left Hand of Darkness too! I have such a fondness for pencil-shaded drawings, and yours has such a soft quality to it, like I could wallpaper my computer with it. Anyways, before I get off topic >.<... thanks again!
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Aw, thanks. I'm a fan of good pencil work too. I teach drawing at local community centres. There are so many artists here. I wouldn't have known about your gallery if we both hadn't been faved for a drawing with the same title.
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*GASP* You got their height difference!! It's the little details that re important.
This is my absolute favourite book. The full face actually reminds me of Faxe. Or Gaum. I don't imagine most Gethenians being quite that finely featured, but those two might be.
Have you read the two short stories also set on Gethen?
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I like Faxe very much as well. >.< He was such a mellow guy.
Its mentioned that the Gethenians have narrow noses for breathing in the cold so I translated it as thus. >.< As far as my mental image of Estraven was, I thought of him like this, with his otter eyes and his hair that looked like fur...I was ever fond of Estraven. I've only ever seen one other fan-art from The Left Hand of Darkness, so I have nothing else to compare to. But I'm glad my attention to height difference tickled your fancy!
I havent read the other short stories set on Gethen, and I was a little wary of reading any of the other Hainish Series books, because I heard The Dispossessed was a Disapointment. x.x
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Faxe reminds me so much of Faramir, if you've read Lord of the Rings. Not the film one, the book one. They are both just so... zen. Like they don't QUITE belong to the world they're in.
The description does translate well into your drawing. It's just not the same as how my brain did it. Which, with books, is typical. ^_^ I actually did find, not long ago, someone doing stock photos who fits almost perfectly how I imagine Gethenians. Here: [link] Not Estraven, that model's too young, but very much Sorve, the child he had with Arek.
The short stories are fascinating, particularly "Coming of Age in Karhide." It's just sort of... dabbling with the world in ways that couldn't be done in LHoD because of the nature of the narrators, and also set a bit in the future. I actually haven't read the other Hainish books, though I mean to.
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Alas! I havent read the Lotr books. @.@
It alright--I know what you mean when it comes to translating characters differently, the most prime example being the hair color of the main character of The Darkangel Trilogy by Meredith Ann Pierce. I couldve sworn she was a redhead--she was NOT. Not even a little. I can only image I got this idea from the cover of the second book,which shows her with a red tint to her hair; oh my impressionable mind...
How does one get ahold of these short stories? I find that as short stories are concerned, unless they're compiled into a volume, I never know they exist until, well, someone tells me (Much like right now). >.< I would read them, if only I knew where they were!
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"Winter's King" is in a story compilation called "The Wind's Twelve Quarters." I see it pretty frequently in the bookstores around here -- even in ones that don't carry a vast selection of Sci-fi/fantasy. "Coming of Age in Karhide" is in a much more recent collection called "The Birthday of the World" which I actually have never seen in a bookstore, so you might have better luck with Amazon.com or something. "Winter's King" was written before LHoD, whereas "Coming of Age in Karhide" was written a few decades after, and is the more interesting, in my opinion.
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Thank you very much--I'll have to looks those up asap!And Amazon.com is one of my dearest friends.
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I loved that book. It was so sad what happened to Estraven! Ah well, regardless it's still one of my favorite books.
Awsome picture. The clothes are great. The part where they were traveling through the snow was one of the best parts.
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Ahh, this book! *is now putting it on her books to read list*
I love the details on their clothing! and the wind effect. ^^ You always do such awesome clothes.
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Yeah, I highly suggest reading this book. If you like a good cry (and everyone knows I do), this book is for you! >.<
And thank you! Your comments always make me feel warm and squishy in my heart-facsimile.
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