Ged was the greatest sorcerer in all Earthsea, but once he was called Sparrowhawk, a reckless youth, hungry for power and knowledge, who tampered with long-held secrets and loosed a terrible shadow upon the world. This is the tale of his testing, how he mastered the mighty words of power, tamed an ancient dragon, and crossed death's threshold to restore the balance. From the Paperback edition.
Often compared to Tolkien's Middle-earth or Lewis's Narnia, Ursula K. Le Guin's Earthsea is a stunning fantasy world that grabs quickly at our hearts, pulling us deeply into its imaginary realms. Four books (A Wizard of Earthsea, The Tombs of Atuan, The Farthest Shore, and Tehanu) tell the whole Earthsea cycle--a tale about a reckless, awkward boy named Sparrowhawk who becomes a wizard's apprentice after the wizard reveals Sparrowhawk's true name. The boy comes to realize that his fate may be far more important than he ever dreamed possible. Le Guin challenges her readers to think about the power of language, how in the act of naming the world around us we actually create that world. Teens, especially, will be inspired by the way Le Guin allows her characters to evolve and grow into their own powers.
In this first book, A Wizard of Earthsea readers will witness Sparrowhawk's moving rite of passage--when he discovers his true name and becomes a young man. Great challenges await Sparrowhawk, including an almost deadly battle with a sinister creature, a monster that may be his own shadow.
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0
The world is clearly the star:
Le Guin has written one of my favorite short stories, "The Ones who Walked Away from Omelas", and I picked up this book hoping her experimental narratives and beautiful world creation would translate well into novel form. Long story short, they did - but other more novelistic elements came somewhat more sketchy. The book's main character, Ged, sometimes seems as faceless as the horrors he confronts - he simply doesn't have much personality, even though the third-person narrator seems to be lodged near... more info
The original teenage wizard story:
A wonderfully written tale that is enjoyable at many levels. It is highly readable, flows well and has some profound lessons about human nature, death, good, evil, etc. LeGuin's choice of names leaves something to be desired (i.e., Ged, Vetch and Jasper) and the characters are not developed as fully as one might expect. Overall, a satisfying read. This book predates Harry Potter by some 30 years and the parallels that Rowling borrowed are striking and a tribute to the notoriety of this book. Recommended.
A Tough Read:
Many reviewers have been irked by comparisons between this book and the Lord of the Rings. Having read both I can see that there are some similarities. Like Middle Earth, the world of Earthsea is intricate and detailed and feels authentic. There is a sense of mythology behind the mythology and history behind the history that is rare in modern works of fantasy. I would go so far as to say in many ways Earthsea is more realistic than Middle Earth. Unlike the latter it is gritty and dirty and gets under your... more info
Earthsea 1:
This is a classic book and with good reason. It takes the standard concepts good vs evil, becoming a better person or become the person you are meant to be; and Le Guin makes is it feel fresh and inviting you want to know more. The reason for only 3 stars is due to my personal bias of finding the writing style a bit cumberson. This will however not stop me from reading the rest of the series because I want to know Ged's journey.
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