'The Other Wind' is the final book in the Earthsea series by Ursula K. Le Guin. The story follows Alder, a mender, who starts having dreams about the dead seeking to be free from the dry lands, ultimately leading to a transformation that involves all the races of Earthsea. The novel delves into the relationship between humans and dragons, explores themes of life and death, and provides a philosophical reflection on the balance of power in the world. The book ties up loose ends from the previous novels, bringing back familiar characters and introducing new elements that challenge the beliefs established in the initial series.
The writing style of 'The Other Wind' is praised for its beauty and intricacy, with readers appreciating Le Guin's ability to weave symbolism and philosophy into the narrative seamlessly. The book is noted for its character development, strong themes about the role of women, good versus bad, freedom, and greed. Despite some mixed feelings about the pacing and predictability of the story, the conclusion of the Earthsea cycle is described as satisfying, leaving readers with a sense of finality and a new perspective on the series.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Warnings may include themes of death, grief, loss, and discussions on gender dynamics.
Has Romance?
There are romantic elements present, particularly in the relationships of characters, but they are not central to the plot.
From The Publisher:
The sorcerer Alder fears sleep. The dead are pulling him to them at night. Through him they may free themselves and invade Earthsea. Alder seeks advice from Ged, once Archmage. Ged tells him to go to Tenar, Tehanu, and the young king at Havnor. They are joined by amber-eyed Irian, a fierce dragon able to assume the shape of a woman. The threat can be confronted only in the Immanent Grove on Roke, the holiest place in the world and there the king, hero, sage, wizard, and dragon make a last stand.
In this final book of the Earthsea Cycle, Le Guin combines her magical fantasy with a profoundly human, earthly, humble touch.
Ratings (22)
Incredible (5) | |
Loved It (9) | |
Liked It (6) | |
It Was OK (2) |
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2 comment(s)
A great ending to a great series. The Other Wind by Ursula K. Le Guin.
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Alder is a simple builder who dreams of the land of of dead. After many nights seeing the dead and being touched, he travels to seek help. As he travels, he learns that the world may be in more danger than ever, with the dragons of Earthsea leaving.
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The thing I loved about this series is that while it's a fairly easy read, the world feels huge and there often aren't any simple black and white answers. I think that's the reason these books have endured for as long as they have.
Le Guin's prose continues to amaze me. No three-dollar words here. Just plain, beautiful language that manages to convey an incredible amount of nuance and feeling. Le Guin wraps up (maybe?) the Earthsea cycle by tying together the threads of dragons, mages, and death. I always wondered why the only criteria for dragonlords was the ability to speak with dragons, even though all mages learn their language. Seemed kinda lame in the first book, but now I see how language, for the dragons, is life. Not to get all grad school on you, but there is no difference between the word and the object/action for dragons. In less than three hundred pages, Le Guin writes a satisfying brand new romance, no wait, TWO romances, explores the nature of life and death, and probes how language shapes the world we live in. You know, no big thing.
Earthsea is a wholly original fantasy world, not just medieval Europe with Orcs. Now I'm going to watch the SciFi miniseries and ruin it for myself.
What can you read after
The Other Wind?
About the Author:
URSULA K. LE GUIN was born in Berkeley, California, in 1929, and passed away in Portland, Oregon, in 2018. She published over sixty books of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, drama, children's literature, and translation. She was the recipient of a National Book Award, six Hugo and five Nebula awards, and was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters.
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