A Wizard of Earthsea
Ratings737
Average rating3.9
such a nice quick read. I loved the story line even thought it was a bit confusing at first and the magic system is very cool
Wanna read the next oned now!
4,5 stars
I beautiful story about a very interesting and multilayered character.
Ursula K. Le Gwin manages to create a complex world and a touching story. Overall, a great beginning to this series.
4.5 stars
i honestly did put this down for a while... not because i didnt like it, but because i have the huge illustrated edition and the sheer size of it was just kind of intimidating. it was just hard to bring around with me and i got lazy for a little bit.
a wizard of earthsea is relatively short though, and i really enjoyed it all the way through. the prose has a sort of nostalgic feeling to it (TO ME) and i really loved it. this is definitely one of the fantasy books of all time
Refreshing. Compared to a lot of modern fantasy, this book was much more ethereal and almost poetic. Incredible prose centered around internal conflict. Optimistic, adventurous, and doesn't rely on any kind of war or dystopia to set the stage. Recommended for anyone looking for an influential fantasy classic.
I'm not into wizards and dragons at all. Life is too short to read bad books, and I've had some terrible experiences with fantasy fiction, so I'm unlikely to be found in that particular section of the bookshop. However Ursula K. Le Guin is an awesome, towering presence, so A Wizard of Earthsea has been on my list of books to read before I die. I'm glad I made the effort. This is quality stuff. Yeah, there are dragons and wizards, and the Bildungsroman first half drags a bit. But the pace gathers, and soon a work of great imagination is revealed, rising far above the soup of common pulp fantasy in which this world is awash. If anything says anything about A Wizard of Earthsea, it is my new desire to read the rest of the series.
“The hunger of a dragon is slow to wake, but hard to sate.”
What a wonderful journey! Mages, spells, dragons and much more. Coincidentally, this book was published the same year as Panshin's “Rite of Passage”, my previous read.
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Being a reckless, powerful mage can lead to unexpected consequences: he will upset the balance of the world. But he will learn from his mistakes, he'll grow into a more cautious, wary wizard, one that will refuse even a promise of greater power and will face his own shadows for the sake of Equilibrium. There's a school of wizards where apprentices learn the Arts (e.g., summoning, healing, naming, patterning, binding, etc.), I wonder what potterheads think of this book...⠀
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This was originally conceived as a bildungsroman for “older kids” but let's take labels out of the equation because the result is a timeless story just for everyone. Reading the Grand Mistress' fantasy was a gratifying experience. Her stories age very well and she had this amazing talent for worldbuildings, I think she specially excels at culture-building. I'm sure she has influenced a lot of writers over the years but I couldn't stop thinking about Rothfuss' The King Killer Chronicles, the “true name” of things and the power it gives you over them. I wish I knew the true name of my elder son because, guess what, he never listens to me! ⠀
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M̶a̶s̶t̶e̶r̶f̶u̶l̶ Mistressful
4.5 stars. The biggest questions that came to mind after reading this were: how is this not already a major movie franchise? Why isn't this a bigger thing in mainstream pop culture?
The Wizard of Earthsea feels like part-Tolkien and part-Enid Blyton. It tells about a precocious boy, known to most people as Sparrowhawk, who begins his tutelage under a mage after learning that he has a capacity for magical prowess that has rarely been seen. Pride, however, is Sparrowhawk's downfall and it unleashes a shadow that begins to hunt him down.
This is my first time reading Le Guin and, boy, people weren't kidding when they said her writing was beautiful. There's just something so whimsical and entrancing about the way she writes. It's reminiscent of Tolkien, except less dense and easier to follow - this is a book expressly written for teenagers after all.
This is surely a precedessor to modern icons like Name of the Wind and even Harry Potter. The magic system in this one places heavy emphasis on the concept of naming as a way to wield magic power over something or someone. To tell someone your true name is to show ultimate trust in them, for it gives them power over you. In Sparrowhawk's sojourn at the School for Wizards, we see an unexpected glimpse of the magic boarding-school element popularised by Rowling, complete with Masters (or teachers) and its principal, the Archmage, being one of the most powerful wizards in the world.
It's a simplified version of the common quest trope, but it is by no means watered down. While our hero is, as usual, powerful, precocious, and talented, he is not flawless. In fact, the entire driving force of the book is how the hero suffers a downfall, not from external circumstances like being thrown into the dumps by the villains, but because of his own internal flaws. He is brought down by his own youthful pride, the sense that he is invincible because he is both young and strong - something that I think a lot of teenagers can resonate with. The downfall triggers a domino effect, and Sparrowhawk is brought on a physical and mental journey that is so refreshing in its tenets and its eventual resolution.
Unlike so many popular books with a similar storyline, Le Guin's world doesn't harp on power, strength, and control. In fact, the most powerful wizards in this book preach about balance, empathy, and a lively appreciation for one's surroundings. Sparrowhawk's first and original teacher, Ogion, is almost monastic in the way he sits for hours in silence in the rain. One of Sparrowhawk's teachers in school advocates kindness to all living things, and not committing the usual human folly of thinking ourselves superior and apart from everything else in nature. It almost feels like we're learning about yin and yang, and zen.
From that time forth he believed that the wise man is one who never sets himself apart from other living things, whether they have speech or not, and in later year he strove long to learn what can be learned, in silence, from eyes of animals, the flights of birds, the great slow gestures of trees.
Perhaps the biggest flaw of this book (and why this isn't a straight up 5 star review) is in its representation of female characters, something that I've read that Le Guin regretted in later life. Female characters in this book are absent, unimportant, incompetent, or malicious. Furthermore, it seems like the major systems of magic can only be practised by men. The magic-wielding females in this book are all witches, and it was implied multiple times throughout the story that witches' magic is inferior and frivolous compared to those practised by mages, wizards, and sorcerors - who are all men. Normally, this is something that might make or break a book for me, but after finding out about Le Guin's reflection about her writing, and also being bowled over by the rest of the book, this is probably something I could close one eye about, especially since Le Guin has since contributed a ton of feminist literature.
It's getting late so I'll just summarise this whole review in a short and simple line: If you love fantasy at all, this is absolutely a must-read.
I had to think about this one. I loved that the magic system is influenced by folklore and that the consequences of Ged's actions follow him throughout the whole story. And boy are there consequences. There's no easy moral victory, and he has his fair share of growing pains throughout. I found the pre-Harry Potter “How do old, grey-haired, long-bearded wizards become who they are?” quite interesting. The classic style takes a bit of focus if you're just coming off a fast-paced thriller or YA fantasy, but it's worth the effort.
I'm not someone who grew up on western SFF canon and didn't even know that LoTR books existed before the movies released. So, it's no surprise that I only got to know about the legendary Ursula K. Le Guin and the Earthsea cycle last year during a discussion about famous female SFF authors. I've heard a lot about this series being the HP before Harry Potter existed, so I tried a lot not to view it through that lens but I quickly realized it wasn't gonna be that difficult. And this felt like such a new experience for me.
The writing style felt odd and took a while for me to get used to, but it's quite beautiful and poetic, and probably how the old style fantasy books were written. The magic system is not really detailed, with vague descriptions, just making us feel the power behind it all. The book has the usual tropes - a prophecied powerful wizard, a hero's journey, and a magical academy - but what was missing was what made this a unique story. There is not necessarily a big bad here, the hero has to learn about his powers not to fight some evil villain but to find more about himself and be a better person, and this journey really takes him through all kinds of emotions. I found it to be so interesting with such personal stakes, but still never feeling any less epic.
To conclude, this was a nice beginning to a young wizard's tale and has piqued my interest enough that I may continue. And I think it's wonderful that I'm finally getting to know one of the genre's most prominent legends. I was also glad (and a bit sad too) to read the author's note where she mentions how she had to incorporate a majority POC cast in a way that it was able to pass the traditional publishing gatekeeping. Do give this a try if you are also unfamiliar with SFF history just like I am, but are open to exploring the roots.
Fantasy is not my favourite genre, but that was really nice. It's slower than what I expected, yet dense. There's a certain feeling I get reading LeGuin's books, some kind of nostalgia to something I never knew, and a light sadness. I guess the worlds she creates are not the kind you want to live in, yet you are sad you left them.
This is another series that I plan to read this year. It's actually been on my bookshelf for years. I guess new books always sound good, so I put the classic fantasy on the bottom of my reading list. Big mistake! I loved this book. I loved reading about them at school. I loved the world. I was fascinated by all the islands with their wizard to help them. Ged and Vetch are now among my favorites.
I love books that seem to be a slow burn. Some don't like it, but I love books like this. I love to take my time and get every detail out of it. Highly recommend this one.
Pretty incredible ending, adding so much meaning and wisdom to the whole story. Loved it
A truly magnanimous tale of a wizard's humble beginnings and exploration of the world. Le Guin makes it clear that she knows how to craft the story of a hero's journey, and develop a massive fantastical world that has just enough explanation to tantalise the reader with it's history, lore and characters. Having only read Left Hand of Darkness before, I can see Le Guin's themes of balance, light and darkness, friendship and the natural world emerging - arguably done better here than in LHOD. All of this combined with her rich prose, fluid descriptions and imaginative takes on fantasy tropes make this a must-read novel for those interested in the genre and its beginnings.
This was definitely not my cup of tea. I looked forward to reading it considering how much it has been talked about. This has nothing to do with her prose, per se; because I really enjoyed a lot of the colourful descriptions, and I got a clear sense of the fantasy-world and what things are like. However, Ged as a main character was an absolute trifle and difficult to read about. And that latter point is exactly what I felt like I was doing: instead of becoming involved in the story, what Ged was feeling or what he was thinking, or the action taking place, I instead felt like I was reading a scribe's account. The prose was ‘telling prose,' and I quite literally felt like things were just being told to me. Even the dialogue was stiff, inserted like they do in the older Greek tales. And I'm not a fan of feeling outside the narrative. Considering the story and the magic worked, it could have only been improved and more enjoyable with 1. more time spent on some things and 2. more deep-diving into what was going on. It felt surface-level, and it was difficult getting through the last chapter. Despite this, I will be attempting to read the rest of the series, and will see how it progresses into later books.
Meiner Meinung nach ein Meisterwerk. Kein Wort zuviel oder zuwenig. Schön mal was neues Altes gelesen zu haben.
A beautiful coming of age story.
Ged is a fascinating character and I think his story is developed very well. From curious child to gifted student to arrogant teen to humble adult, Ged feels relatable in a way that few characters I've read ever achieve.
Le Guin's writing is incredible, and I'm excited to read future entries in this series.
This feels like a myth. You feel like you join the story after the beginning and leave before the end. That’s not to say there isn’t a coherent, and reasonably satisfying, beginning, middle and end, however it does leave a lot unsaid (or hinted at). This isn’t Tolkien, which is not necessarily a bad thing. If anything, this feels like an Ur-myth for the bildungsroman trope.
On a re-read, this still doesn't make it above 3 stars. More like 2.5 stars.
It was a nice story, no question, but I never felt like I was truly in it, like I knew Ged or the other characters. I will continue with the Earthsea books after this, but the first one didn't wow me.
There's something singularly beautiful about the way Le Guin writes. She eschews complex narratives. Her pacing is terrible. Her characters are flat and boring. Despite all that, her books are true art and high literature.
She shares a strange kinship with Lovecraft in that her nontraditional style is enchanting and enthralling (I'd argue both of them had undiagnosed Asperger's. Fight me.). Le Guin (like HPL) is a worldbuilder. A supremely skilled worldbuilder with a uniquely anthropological slant. She says so much with so little. I wish she'd have taken a bit more time out and hit me over the head with her points a bit more though.
A Wizard of Earthsea tells a very straightforward coming of age tale in an amazingly actualized universe. Once I was able to quiet the voice in my head screaming “She's not showing! She's telling! That illeeeeeegal!”, I was able to not just come to terms with her unique prose, but see the magic and skill involved that's led to Le Guin's lasting appeal.
The more I step back and fight my biases over what a novel can and can't be, the more I'm enjoying her work.
I can't wait to dive into the sequels.
Also I have a new headcanon for dolphins now, so that's fun.
3.5 rounded up. I can tell that this book is a great work, but it to me feels dates. I wish there was more in depth exposition and world building. This is obviously a biased look after reading more modern fantasy that at times can have too much world building.