I like this a lot as an addition to the series. However, I do feel it has some "middle book" problems. The center section lagged, especially with all the sailing, and the theology got very tell not showy. I felt like the last 50 or so pages could have been a bigger part of the whole. However, this is still Leguin and she is very very good at words. It often felt like being told a story around a campfire, and it relaxed me enough that I sometimes had trouble concentrating. I look forward to reading the next one.