Powers

In this Nebula Award-winning novel, the third in the Annals of the Western Shore trilogy, Ursula K. Le Guin writes of the proud cruelty of power, of how hard it is to grow up, and of how much harder still it is to find, in the world's darkness, gifts of light.

Young Gav can remember the page of a book after seeing it once, and, inexplicably, he sometimes “remembers” things that are going to happen in the future.

As a loyal slave, he must keep these powers secret, but when a terrible tragedy occurs, Gav, blinded by grief, flees the only world he has ever known. And in what becomes a treacherous journey for freedom, Gav’s greatest test of all is facing his powers so that he can come to understand himself and finally find a true home.

“Powers is rich with action, with battles, escapes, strategy, and skulduggery, but it has a still, quiet place at its heart, a place of moral complexity.” —Sarah Ellis, The Globe and Mail

“In her facility in world-making and her interest in human nature, Le Guin stands above almost all of what's out there. Her exploration of identity and power, of social structures and the meaning of freedom, can only enrich her readers. Gav's vulnerability and his slow recognition of his real gifts make him both familiar and admirable, like any child who struggles to know one's strengths and place in the world. This is a good, long trek of a fantasy.” —Deirdre Baker, Toronto Star

“With compelling themes about the soul-crushing effects of slavery, and a journey plotline that showcases Le Guin's gift for creating a convincing array of cultures, this follow-up to Gifts and Voices may be the series' best installment." —Jennifer Mattson, Booklist

The Annals of the Western Shore Trilogy includes:
GiftsVoicesPowers