42. The Word for World is Forest

by Ursula K. Le Guin (169 pgs)

Social science fiction is a branch of science fiction that doesn't often seem to be recognized. In social-science fiction, the patterns of people and their behavior is what makes the fiction interesting rather than dreamed up gizmos and imaginings. Le Guin is a master of social science fiction.

While unpolished, I found The Word for World is Forest to be a fascinating statement about human nature when confronted by a non-aggressive and, seemingly, weaker group of beings. I felt there were tinges of British colonialism backlash in the work and was fascinated by the plot even though the events were inevitable from the beginning.