Many readers praise 'A Wizard of Earthsea' for its captivating story of Ged's journey from a reckless youth to a powerful sorcerer, facing his own darkness and embarking on a quest to restore balance in Earthsea. The book is described as a bildungsroman encased in a fantasy world, focusing on Ged's coming of age, his growth as a character, and the themes of power, pride, and redemption. Ursula K. Le Guin's writing style is commended for its richness, world-building, and ability to bring characters and places to life with poetic rhythm and philosophical wisdom.
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From The Publisher:
Originally published in 1968, Ursula K. Le Guin's A Wizard of Earthsea marks the first of the six now beloved Earthsea titles. Ged was the greatest sorcerer in Earthsea, but in his youth he was the reckless Sparrowhawk. In his hunger for power and knowledge, he tampered with long-held secrets and loosed a terrible shadow upon the world. This is the tumultuous 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.
Ratings (362)
Incredible (72) | |
Loved It (109) | |
Liked It (98) | |
It Was OK (57) | |
Did Not Like (22) | |
Hated It (4) |
Reader Stats (790):
Read It (374) | |
Currently Reading (6) | |
Want To Read (284) | |
Did Not Finish (18) | |
Not Interested (108) |
12 comment(s)
When I first read this book decades ago, I loved it, so I went in expecting to love it... and didn't. About 1/3 of the way in, the part I didn't like got better. While there is amazing imagery and really deep worldbuilding, I found the way that some of the plots threads were tied up to be disappointing. The ending seemed a bit rushed/didn't have the impact that I was hoping for. So, still good, but not as great as I remember.
Another book I read years ago and remember little about except the general vibes. Tried the audiobook this time because I was busy and needed something to listen to, but I think I prefer reading these, given the sheer number of place names and random people, which are harder to keep track of when simply listening.
I know Ursula K. le Guin is a well beloved author but out of three books I've read by her, none of them has been above 3 stars. Not sure if she just isn't an author for me or I've been picking up the wrong books.
I remember reading this book years and years ago and disliking it for whatever reason, even though Evan loved it and read the whole series. I wanted to give it another chance now because I was pretty sure I didn't give it a fair shake at the time, and I've been in the mood for period fantasy lately. Luckily, this was an excellent read, and I look forward to the next book in the series. Now I just need to re-read The Great Gatsby to undo the work of junior English class...
More spare (sparer?) than Tolkien, less proselytizing than Lewis, a fantasy epic for those who want the bare bones.
3 stars
Not impressed
RTC
Happy Reading!!
Just wasn't too my taste— not particularly character driven, and it was very slow paced.
El lenguaje es tolkieano en el mejor de los sentidos.
La historia tiene todo lo necesario para ser un clásico imperecedero.
A Wizard of Earthsea is one of the few novels that I believe deserve a five-star rating. It's honestly a quintessential fantasy read.
The worldbuilding—Earthsea and the magic system—is so beautiful. The first night after I started rereading this book, my thoughts were filled with blue skies and lush fields as I fell asleep.
The plot is great, as well. There is so much to contemplate in this novel. And it's riveting. Everytime something happened I was thinking, "I don't think this book can be any more interesting/exciting than
this," and then it
was. Even though I've read this book before, it still felt new and exciting.
Anyway,
A Wizard of Earthsea is everything you should expect from a fantasy novel. I love all of it.
more than good vs. evil
What can you read after
A Wizard of Earthsea?
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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