Part of The Hainish Cycle
First published 2014
Shevek stands at the spaceport on Anarres, preparing to become the first person in generations to travel between worlds. The brilliant physicist has spent his life on this barren moon, home to anarchists who fled the planet Urras centuries ago seeking freedom from oppression. Now he faces an impossible choice. His revolutionary theory could change everything, but sharing it means crossing the void to Urras, the lush world his people have despised since their exodus. The two civilizations have nursed their hatred for generations. On Anarres, the descendants of utopian rebels have built a society without government or private property. On Urras, the old hierarchies endure. Shevek believes science belongs to all humanity, not just one world. But his journey will force him to question everything he knows about freedom, sacrifice, and the price of bringing enemies together. One man must decide whether unity is worth risking the revolution his ancestors died to create.
Genres: science-fiction, literary-fiction, social-science, political-science
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, fish-out-of-water
Setting: Anarres, Urras
Period: Generations
400 pages · Paperback · Harper Perennial