u/realistic_ju

Just finished The Telling and one thing bothered me very much: Since the Ekumen is active, I assume we are in the timeline after "The left hand of darkness" and consequently after "The City of Illusions".

In the city of Illusions, we see Earth after at least 12 centuries of Shing rule and there is no memory of old Terra.

However in The Telling, it seems Earth is at a state of maybe a couple of hundred years after present time as there are infinite references to different cultures and literature and cities (Vancouver?!!).

What do you think the reason for this was? Le Guin just didn't care about continuity and wanted to place this novel in this timeline?