Yeah... I've read all of her so-called "Hainish Cycle" (it's mostly short stories, and they aren't all intentionally connected btw) and consider myself a big fan - I agree TWFWIF is kind of awful. (Although I still felt it had some interesting ideas, like the Creechies' concept of gods as new ways of thinking.) It is an extremely unfortunate first choice of Le Guin to read.