Planet of Exile
The Earth colony of Landin has been stranded on Werel for ten years, and ten of Werel's years are over 600 terrestrial years. The lonely and dwindling human settlement is beginning to feel the strain. Every winter, a season that lasts for 15 years, the Earthmen have neighbors: the humanoid hilfs, a nomadic people who only settle down for the cruel cold spell. The hilfs fear the Earthmen, whom they think of as witches and call the farborns. But hilfs and farborns have common enemies: the hordes of ravaging barbarians called gaals and eerie preying snow ghouls. Will they join forces or be annihilated?
Originally published in 1966 by Ace, Planet of Exile is not currently in print as a stand-alone novel. It is available as an audiobook and in the collections Worlds of Exile and Illusion and Hainish Novels and Stories, Volume One.
Though often considered the second book of the Hainish Cycle, Ursula maintained that there is no particular cycle or order for the Ekumen novels.
Praise
“A perfect illustration of Le Guin's concern with the influences that shape a culture or ethos. … Graceful, thoughtful, unassuming.”
“A stark simple story, beautifully told.”
— Jo Walton, Tor.com
Reviews and Articles
“Le Guin’s Planet of Exile: Anthropological Speculations on Cultural Difference and Loss” by Sean Guynes, Tor.com (17 June 2020)
“Planet of Exile: Enjoyable, but not the best place to start with Le Guin” by Kat Hooper & Tadiana Jones, Fantasy Literature (27 October 2017)