Book 1, A Wizard of Earthsea: The Earthsea Cycle

It's interesting that Le Guin is now returning to Earthsea, first with her new collection of stories, apparently to be followed with another novel. It is telling that she has created a marvelous invention -- despite all promises, even she can't help returning to the scene.
It starts off well. A WIZARD OF EARTHSEA is an intense starting point. It describes a harsh realm, where, even with the aid of everpresent magic, life is tough, and survival is eked out. From here, Le Guin launches her fable of Ged, the Sparrowhawk, an intensely talented but brash young man. The consequences of his pride are unleashed in dramatic fashion, and ultimately he must confront the dark forces of life.
There is nothing glib, and dark surprises abound. Le Guin moves the story along at a reasonable pace, with a disappointingly (but probably necessarily) compact conclusion. Highly recommended.

Published in 1968, 1971 and 1972, Ursula Le Guin's "Earthsea Trilogy" is widely regarded as a fantasy classic on a level not far from epics like Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings" and C.S. Lewis' "Narnia Chronicles". The story begins with a young man named Ged, commonly called Sparrowhawk, who receives training to become a wizard. His training in wizardry at the wizard school on the island of Roke begins with the power of illusion. Most magic merely involves the apparent change from one thing to another. But Ged is a brilliant student, and soon progresses to the true magic of changing. "Magic consists in this, the true naming of a thing" - when one knows the true name of an object, one can begin changing things. "Illusion fools the beholder's senses; it makes him see and hear and feel that the thing is changed. But it does not change the thing. To change this rock into a jewel, you must change its true name. And to do that, my son, even to so small a scrap of the world is to change the world." This also applies in the world of men: "Who knows a man's name, holds that man's life in his keeping." But true magic is perilous: it affects the broader world, and can upset the balance of the world "Rain on Roke may be drouth in Osskil." Tempted by pride, hate and revenge over against Jasper, another student wizard, Ged tries calling forth a spirit of the dead and succeeds only in bringing a shadow of evil into the world. LeGuin does not justify Ged's actions, but clearly portays his actions as the result of pride and hate, and resulting in ruin. Like ourselves, Ged is a hero with flaws and must now live with their consequences. In a manner not unlike a dark horror novel, this evil shadow now hunts Ged, and his quest is to hunt it in order to remove it from his world.

It's a gripping story, almost too dark at times, at least for young children. But unlike some other popular fantasy novels, the magic here bears a close connection to the occult. In Le Guin's world, a wizard is a respected adviser who plays a role similar to a religious leader in our world today. His spiritual role includes aspects that are being popularized under the name of Wicca and similar pagan religions. It's obvious that Le Guin's magic is pure fantasy, but the way it is worked out seems to closely resemble contemporary paganism, and this made me somewhat uncomfortable and question the suitability of this series for young children. Unlike the Harry Potter series, this fantasy is much more serious (like Robert Jordan's World of Time there are also influences of Taoism) and never trite. Like the Taoist yin-yang, Ged is driven by both evil and good desires; even the concept of the shadow has overtones of Jungian philosophy - modern readers have seen the book as model of Jungian psychology. But this aside, there's no question about how gripping Le Guin's plot is, and how vivid her world. It's no wonder this book won the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award in 1969, and Le Guin has proven herself by winning several Hugo and Nebula awards with other titles. I look forward to reading the rest of the series! -GODLY GADFLY

I love the idea of fantasy books a lot more than I like reality of them. It seems that so many books are so easily placed as either high or low fantasy. This book does fall prey to many of the weaknesses of other fantasy novels I've tried.

It is an absolutely beautiful book. By leaps and bounds it is my all time favorite fantasy novel. There is something very zen about it. Seasons of life kinda thing. I had the same feeling the first time I read it as I did the first time I watched the movie "Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter, Spring".

Before I start, I have to admit that my review of this book is sort of biased because I usually would not read literature that deals with fantasy and as you probably guessed, I did not like the book. I will, nonetheless, attempt at giving a fair review.
The book is about a young man named Ged, who is known as Sparrowhawk to the rest of the world, and his journey to become a grand wizard as well as a learned man who knows how to conquer his fear. The journey is a worthwhile read for the message that it gives but, at the same time, the plot is long and drawn-out. My last thoughts were, "I'm sure the author could have found another way of getting the message of conquering fear across to her readers." Once again, though, I must say that my statement may be biased. Looking back at the events that took place in the book, I don't believe that any one was insignificant. Every event in some way brought the protagonist closer to the story's final message. The plot may have seemed long and drawn-out to me because I am not accustomed to reading this genre of literature and, of course, every event in a fantastic story is going to seem far-fetched which is a quality that I do not look for in the novels that I choose.
So, I will conclude by saying that I would only recommend this book to lovers of fantasy literature. Otherwise, readers are in for a long, tiresome ride.

Along with Tolkien's Lord of the Rings and Peter Beagle's The Last Unicorn, this is one of my favorite fantasies. The first volume in Leguin's Earthsea Trilogy, A Wizard of Earthsea recounts the journey of Ged from village goat-herd on the island of Gont through apprenticeship to the wise Ogion and on to the school for Wizards on Roke Island (long before Rowling's Harry Potter and Hogwart's School).
Much of the charm of the story is the beautiful and elemental world which Leguin's evocative prose creates, a world of heights and depths, darkness and light, beauty and terror, dragons and magic -- a world that has its own spiritual integrity which Ged must learn to respect. This is "high fantasy" at its peak, graceful and spare and profound in its ability to move the reader.
The second and third volumes, The Tombs of Atuan and The Farthest Shore, though they may be read independently, continue to reveal this unique world and further develop Ged's character. Leguin has in fact written two additional volumes which take up where The Farthest Shore leaves off. Read these books if you love literate, original fantasy.

This is certainly a different read now that I am in my thirties, but I hadn't read it in a while and, even though it did read like a young adult fantasy, I picked up on all kinds of things that I didn't pick up on when I was 14 reading this book. This, to me, is the beginning to one of those tried and true fantasy classics.

If you are into classic fantasy adventures that are character driven and have a believable, exciting plot, check out this new fantasy adventure A Chance Beginning: Book One of the Shadow's Fire Trilogy

Ursula K. Le Guin's 'A Wizard Of Earthsea' (1968) is one of the finest coming-of-age novels written during the 20th Century.

Grim and unsparing in its depiction of the harshness of existence, the book is nonetheless incredibly wise and beautiful, and should be read by audiences of all ages and backgrounds.

With the exception of Tolkien's magnum opus, some critics have called Le Guin's initial three Earthsea books the greatest fantasy novels ever written; but the simple truth is that Le Guin's trilogy surpasses Tolkien's achievement, since, without damaging the integrity of her fantasy world, Le Guin infuses her work with ample deep truths that are applicable to all individuals, all times, and all cultures.

'A Wizard Of Earthsea' is the story of Ged, called Sparrowhawk, a young Healthcliffian loner who unwittingly discovers that he has an innate potential for extraordinary magical power.

Leaving Gont, the gray, windswept island of his birth to seek training on Roke, the island of wizards, the rough-hewn, sensitive boy foolishly accepts a dare from an envious senior comrade, and thus brings an irrevocable disaster down upon his head.

The balance of 'A Wizard Of Earthsea' concerns Ged's comfortless flight from the horror he has raised, as his careless action is one so terrible that its resolution is beyond the power of the even the greatest of Roke's wizards.

Earthsea's far-dwelling dragons, of unsurpassable age, erudition, and power, can likewise do nothing to buttress or assist him.

Physically and psychically scarred and exiled from mankind by the singularity of his predicament, Ged courageously and responsibly accepts his fate.

Accompanied only by a small shrew-like animal that nests in his hood, Ged takes to Earthsea's endless oceans and becomes both the hunted and the hunter of the black, faceless, and unknowable parasite he has unleashed.

The fantasy also astutely reflects the psychological truth that archetypal "monsters" are often, if not always, disenfranchised, wounded, and needy remnants of the very individuals and societies they ostensibly assault and violate.

Ged is clearly a Christ figure (Ged/God) and an everyman, and it is to Le Guin's great credit that she conveys both the existential nature of his character and his inexorable destiny in a manner in which the reader can readily identify. Few novels of any genre communicate what it is to be young, ignorant of self-knowledge, misunderstood, emotionally isolated, guilty, and bearing up resourcefully under a terrible burden as powerfully as 'A Wizard Of Earthsea.'

As presented, Le Guin's fantasy world is a starkly romantic, autumnal, pre-industrial land of innumerable small islands set in an endless gray sea.

The author's sparse, plain-spoken, and nuanced prose combines the stern, unyielding strength of Hilda Doolittle's early Imagist poetry with the psychological profundity of Jung's 'Memories, Dreams, Reflections' (1961) or 'Collected Letters' (1973).

Never less than insightful, 'A Wizard Of Earthsea' is a sad, dynamic novel imbued with the genuine power to educate and inspire its audience about the fundamental difficulties inherent in living.

The most negative thing I can say is that this book isn't for everyone. It's different. A reader expecting a Tolkien photocopy will be disappointed - but a reader looking for serious fantasy won't.

Pluses: Dynamic, structured magic. This is one of those rare books where magic actually rules, instead of brute might as is especially common in FANTASY. The plotting is what I'd call lean, but hardly rushed. The world of Earthsea is stunning and believable at the same time, mainly because of the speed(and care) with which Le Guin establishes individual islands and people. This book has characters, not clones. Another particularly good thing is that the main conflict never stretches too high, trying too hard to be epic and dramatic; rather, the story is down-to-earth. Ged is especially meaningful and the scale of the story supports him well.

Overall, everything fits together. The characters, places, events and magic are meshed as only Ursula Le Guin seems to know how. This book is a masterpiece.

Ursula LeGuin is that rarity in fiction writing: a writer who takes a genre and treats it as serious literature. More, she has done this not merely in science fiction, with novels like "The Left Hand of Darkness," but here, with the first of her Earthsea series, fantasy as well. "A Wizard of Earthsea" is a novel that puts ideas first, characterization second, and world building and plot third (plot and world building are usually the first and main focus of fantasy-- see "The Lord of the Rings"). Most remarkably, though, is the fact that LeGuin succeeds spectacularly at all levels in this novel.

Written like a myth rather than a straightforward narrative, the story of Ged is one of acquired wisdom, learning that power-- in this case through magic-- is itself dangerous to the one who wields it. LeGuin visits this again in later books of the series, but never as well as she does here, and it is a point usually missing in the heroic fantasy that focuses on battles and quests. If I had to guess, I'd say this is why LeGuin is taken seriously as literature and most other fantasy authors are not. Again, this is a novel of ideas, and it tells us clearly that the greatest enemy we will ever face is ourselves and our own failings. "A Wizard of Earthsea" may be a fantasy, but its ideas could not be more real.

I read the book A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin.
It’s about a boy named Ged who has magic powers and becomes a wizard. But though he’s a great student and one of the best in his level, he is constantly annoyed and pestered by an older student. Everything seems to be going well when unexpectedly he unleashes a dark shadow who’s utmost want is to take over Ged’s body and wreck havoc in Earthsea. Now Ged has to face it to not only save himself, but also the entire planet of Earthsea.
I liked how everything was magical and explained in great detail. It’s very well written because of all the descriptive dialogue and the characters felt real. I really felt like I was there experiencing it all. Everyone should read this book because it’s one of the best.
Thanks for reading this was my school book report and I thought I'd share it with other people as well.
Thank you!

Well, in a way. Just as Captain Ahab hunted the White Whale, so does Ged hunt the black shadow that he has loosed upon the world of Earthsea. Of course, this is all after we read about Ged's childhood on the island of Gont and how he went to Roke and became a wizard.
One thing that really surprised me with this book was how poetic it was. There are literally dozens of sentences that have alliteration in them, making this work much more beautiful. And yet, I felt a little let down by the storyline. I guess I was expecting a little more action, such as expecting Ged to became the wizard in command of some army that must turn away the foes from some other island--but it's not so. That's not to say that the book is boring, though. It really is interesting, but just not excellent enough for a harsh critic like me to give it 5 stars.

Granted, this is only my personal opinion, but here it is: this book is amazing. IF you read it with an open mind, that is. I read it not knowing what to expect, and I would recommend you do the same. "A Wizard of Earthsea" is not a thrilling, by-the-seat-of-your-pants, entertaining novel in a Harry Potter sense, so don't expect it to be. This doesn't mean it won't be a thoroughly enjoyable read, however. It's archetypal, it's philosophical, it's profound, it's timeless; it will make you think about good and evil, failure and success, and the powers we have as individuals in a vast, [mostly] empty universe.

I think the best way to describe the novel in general is "mythological," for if you observe take into account the plot, characters, setting and history found in the book, you'll notice that the story as a whole resembles many tales of heroic figures from various mythologies. Also, if you've ever studied Zen, I think you'll enjoy it :)

So, in summary, don't expect a lot of description about the characters' histories, physical appearances or the setting, for they're not central to the story. LeGuin knows we, the readers, don't need explicit details about the hero's history or appearance to understand the novel - we've met "the hero" hundreds of times, in every novel we've ever read, and I think she'd rather leave it up to our imaginations.

No, the center of the story is the philosophy, the explanation of which I'll leave to the author.

Modern fantasy writers should take a day and reread Mrs. Le Guin's novel with the hopes of gaining perspective on what makes a good fantasy novel. In about 30% of the length of most new novels, the author builds a world rich in detail and history, and still manages to keep the story driven by the characters, and not by the world itself.

The central character goes through a six-year span of his life in this book, from the age of his naming to when he's nineteen and a full-fledged wizard. During that time he studies and grows and faces his most inner demons. The author fleshes out that inner turmoil that every teenager goes through and turns it into a great adventure of self-discovery. This would have made an even more fantastic read when I was in high school.

The book is definitely a fantasy, but in the classic sense. Magic and such is not he backbone of this book. It is more of a backdrop.

I recommend this book to all adults and young adults who have 5-6 hours to immerse themselves in a world of fantasy adventure and friendship.

Before there was ever a Harry Potter, there was A Wizard of Earthsea, a coming of age story of the young, prideful wizard Ged, who is struggling to find himself and his place in the world. Within the pages of this book lies some of the most beautiful prose and finest literature I think I have ever read. The vivid, breathtaking imagery and thought-provoking deeper meanings will make this story one I will never forget. This should be a treasured piece of literature on everyone's bookshelf. Highly recommend to readers of all ages.

A Wizard of Earthses is a great book of wizardry and keeps you on the edge of your seat until the dramatic ending. This book contains excellent descriptions that give you the true feeling of what the stroy wants to get across. The stunning descriptions make the whole world of Earthsea seem real and very enchanting. The book also gives you a sense that it could be real because of all of the little restrictions that people and wizards have. You might think that a wizard could not be stopped, but this book gives lots of things that wizards must obey to keep the balance. This book also shows distinct character development of the main character. The book shows how he gradually faces his fears and overcomes it. Also, there is a late climax that keeps you interested until the very end of the book. The world of Earthsea seems real for the fact of the people in the book. The people are not all nice and willing to help the wizard. Most of them give him the cold shoulder, and yell a spiteful curse at him. At points in the book I feel sorry for the wizard because it seemed like he had no friends. As the stroy comes to a close, it makes you think about how power c an be abused. It also makes you think of the consequences of your actions. You never know when you might release an evil.

Ursula K. Le Guin's A Wizard Of Earthsea, the first book in her long standing Earthsea Trilogy, is the spiritual grandparent of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. This story, about a boy training at a school for wizards who will one day go on to become the greatest wizard of his age, seems like a more adult version of Rowling's story. Certainly the implications of magic and the responsibility of having such powers are given greater weight in Le Guin's story. Sparrowhawk becomes a wizard's apprentice after the wizard reveals Sparrowhawk's true name. Later, Sparrowhawk having been sent to a school for wizards, unleashes a terrible apparition of evil during a prideful contest with another student. His quest to destroy the apparition makes for a compelling right of passage story.

Preston McClear...

I first read Ursula K. LeGuin's "A Wizard of Earthsea" many decades ago as a young person. My remembrance of the book is a bit better than my feeling about it upon re-reading it as an adult. Oh, the writing, characters, plot, and world are all very good. But, unfortunately, the book suffers from two fairly big faults. First, the last third of the book is almost entirely what I call "Slogging Through the Wilderness." In this book, it's actually "Sailing Over the Seas." There's just too much of time spent sailing just to allow Ged time to come to terms with what he's doing. Secondly, there are some pretty big things that happen that really aren't explained. The ending is metaphorically explained, but, as far as I can see, it's not really explained in terms of the magic system. Also, why does a young girl near the beginning egg Ged on to do things he shouldn't? Why does the first student wizard he meets behave the way he does and, again, egg him on to do things he shouldn't? These are vital parts of the plot, but they don't sit well in the story. Because of that, I'm dropping my rating by one star to an OK 3 stars out of 5.

I can see why this book is such a classic. An epic tale with sweeping adventures, magic, mayhem... it's a great story. I think my view of it was slightly skewed, reading it as an adult in 2014 when it was written in a different era. The language is lovely and poetic, but, from my point of view, rushes the story with its telling. Of course, I'm accustomed to 2014's "show" mentality, so this is purely a matter of preference. I do wish the part where Ged is at the school for wizards had been described a bit more at length, though.

I thought A Wizard of Earthsea was a pretty good book. Because it isn't modern, it wasn't very humorous, but sometimes books don't have to be funny to be enjoyable. Ged (Sparrowhawk) travels through some pretty interesting adventures, and he learns about courage, wisdom, friendship, and masters the art of wizardry along the way. The mysterious and evil magic he encounters almost takes him in, but with the help of his friend Erastarriol (Vetch), he overcomes it and learns that their is nothing better in life than friendship. This book wasn't your typical Harry Potter or other type of magical book, it felt much more ancient as I was reading it, and to me that made it more mythical and enchanting. I've rated this book 4 stars out of 5, but maybe the next book in the cycle will be even better.

"A Wizard of Earthsea", by Ursula K. Le Guin, is about a boy, Ged, gifted in magic and the greatest wizard in all Earthsea, with an even greater destiny. But when still young and in training, he utters a spell that even he cannot control and releases a terrible shadow-creature into the world. He flees in fear until he realizes that he must face the terrible creature in order to be rid of it. Ursula Le Guin did an excellent job in writing this book. "A Wizard of Earthsea" is the first book of her Earthsea Cycle,consisting of four other books. I think the only way it could have been improved is if this book had a more interesting beginning, but if you stick to it you will be rewarded! I would recommend this book to people who like J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, or fantasy in general.

If I could give this series 10 or 20 stars I would. These books are dense, rich and beg to be read and re-read. I first read these books in my 20's; many years later, I still become engrossed in the wonderful imagery. Ms. LeGuin is the BEST writer I have ever encountered who can write with a 'sense of place' that makes you know that the book's world indeed does exist, and boy do you wish you could visit.
I had trouble reading the Harry Potter books. They are boring and juvenile compared to this award-winning series. I can't understand the hoopla surrounding the Potter books when this series is a magnitude better. I'll bet people in their 40's will not be re-reading the Potter books. They will re-read again and again this superb series.
My only complaint is that there aren't another dozen of books in this series.
A stunning accomplishment from a truly gifted author.

This is my first adventure into the writing of Le Guin, and it was certainly worth it. The magic is unique. Instead of your standard 'Abracadabra' with a wave of a magic wand or a twist of willpower from a special 'kind' of person, a mage has to TRULY understand the object of his wizardry.
The world is also believable. I've read books where the author made the whole world seem smaller than Chicago, and other books where the world seemed bigger than the galaxy, but very few authors I've run across that can do both at once. Earthsea is a vast place where the peoples of different lands are inextricably tied together, resulting in a believable vision of a reasonably sized world.
My only objection would be that magic comes a little too easily to Ged. He's just a bit too much of a natural, with no particular area where he excels or struggles. He is just THAT good.

Le Guin inspired me to love fantasy with this book when I was young. Each time I have read the book again I have grown in my appreciation for her talents. Ged stands as an iconic character which represents the best of the genre to me. Some readers have taken issue with the style of the writing in this book, which could be accurately described as distant, but it was a form which appealed to me. This style of narration gave a quality of wonder and awe to the recounting of Ged's journey through hard mistakes to learn the lessons which strengthened his character, and ultimately led him to become the wise archmage he was destined to become. Few books have continued to hold my awe through the years in the way that Ursula K LeGuin's first two books in the earthsea cycle have done for me.

I came across this title on a list of top 25 fantasy sci-fi. I had never read anything by the author previously. My interest was peaked from the beginning and remained consistent throughout the book. I have since read other books by this author and I am glad I stumbled across her writings. I like epic fantasy, but in those books there are a lot of characters and a lot of themes and deep plot lines. This book provided an easy read that didn't overload with too many characters. I really liked it!

This is a top notch book. I read this long ago and decided I wanted to read it to my kids. There is a lot more to it than I had remembered from being a young reader. Beautiful prose, ponderous thoughts, a bit of introspection all the while moving on the shoulders of a good story. Funny how every book I read as a young man I saw myself and my struggles coming of age and now I see my kids in all the heroes . . . This book deserves to be held as a classic in literature not just among fantasy-sci-fi fans.

I have read this book 4 times now counting my first reading. This has become one of my favorite pieces of fantasy or fiction of any genre for that matter. The story hasn't lost any of that first feeling of enchantment I got the first time. Ged is a character who really resonates with me for some reason I haven't quite completely pinned down yet (nor do I particularly want to). The narrative is taught and inviting, giving just enough world building and dialog to bring the story to life, but never feeling tedious. I am amazed with every reading at how rich of a story this is for barely being over 200 pages. Le Guin is a truly gifted writer. I have read a lot of fantasy from authors who can't inject nearly as much story, character and heart into a bloated book 3 times this length.

This book is truly life changing . It helped me see through a whole new light . I would recommend this to all my friends but sadly they can not read this because we are only 11 . That didn't stop me but they say it is too hard for them.
I picked my rating because it is truly awesome

Reading the Earthsea Trilogy was one of the highlights of my childhood. Discovering that it had become the Earthsea Quartet and now Quintet is one of the highlights of life today. Why it's still being featured as a trilogy when there are two further books to be read, I don't understand!
Le Guin is the daughter of anthropologists and through all her fiction there is a deep, ingrained understanding of societies work and how they are built and evolve (or disintegrate). It's very interesting to see how her own interests have matured and deepened over the decades of writing this series - the latest Earthsea Title - The Other Wind is a fabulous rendition of concerns about gender/sexism/prejudice and the very nature of things. BUT that's for the grown ups, what really matters is that underneath all her incisive intelligence Ursula Le Guin tells a gripping, exciting and devastating series of stories that come at one in a rush of tight telling and delicately realised plots. She is simply one of the greatest writers for older children - or anyone! So start with the Wizard himself, then read on and on....

No wonder this is a classic. This book is truly a work of genius--creating not only a new realm, but philosophic underpinnings for it in a natural-seeming way. It almost feels like an authentic myth that developed over time, not like a work of contemporary fiction. I could hardly put it down. Moreover, while many fantasy writers tell good stories, their style is often lacking. LeGuin balances plot, character, and style perfectly.

I won't go into more detail, as there are so many other reviews, but I highly recommend this book for anyone who likes fantasy and adventure.

This novel is not as fun and exciting as the vast majority of wizard novels. It's far more realistic and gives the reader a sense of what it might be like to have extraordinary powers. My complaint with the vast majority of new, and relatively new, "wizard novels" is that the wizard (s) usually come fully equipped with all sorts of amazing powers. The concept of training and developing magical powers seems to be viewed by too many authors as a nuisance to be ignored. In the use of these powers the wizards frequently violate one of the most fundamental principles of science. That is, matter can neither be created nor destroyed. If wizards can whip up a fireball with minimal effort, why not whip up an atomic bomb? Faith Hunter in her Jane Yellowrock series has her protagonist work with actual physical matter when she morphs into an animal larger than her, or one smaller. Ratings on most of the new novels tend to be popularity contest devoid of any relationship with a quality of the writing. I suspect that many readers would find this novel, and the series it is part of, boring and slow. Why read the Heart of Darkness, when so much easier to read novels abound.

I'm head over heels for LeGuin's work. She creates, with a minimum of words, an ancient, windswept world full of mystery and magic. The sea is like a character unto itself. Such rich, gorgeous imagery. Her characters, too, are allotted few words of either dialogue or description. But still I see them and know them. And I love Ged from beginning to end. He's a wonderfully flawed hero. A fantastic fantasy epic!

Nor does each volume have to be 1000 pages long! Ursula K. Le Guin is a lean writer, to be sure. These books are a lot more literary (and literate) than 5000 page encyclopedias to which we fantasy fans have become accustomed.

I'd much rather read these lovely and elegant books than plow through Volume 65 of the Wheel of Time! Or wait a century for the next Song of Ice and Fire.

These are beautifully written, "spare", elegant books. There are not a lot of extraneous subplots, overwrought descriptions or comical characters.

If you have a lively imagination, you will enjoy the world of Earthsea. This book IS actually appropriate for young adults and teens, but any discerning fantasy lover will enjoy it. Especially if you have a shorter attention span!

I started reading A Wizard of Earthsea briefly after finishing the first Twilight book. The drastic shift between writing styles had me staggering for the first two or three hours of reading. I realized that, unlike when I read young adult fiction, I had to pay attention because this book is written as darn near to a history as would still allow it to be interesting and readable.

This book is full of rich descriptions and a steady development of the meaning of power and what it is to wield it. I marvel at Leguin's writing and will definitely continue reading this series. 5 stars for a unique, engrossing tale.

I'm sure my rating and opinion on this beloved classic will be unpopular, but that's ok.

I'm glad I read this book because it is a touchstone of Fantasy and a classic. I get why it's a classic, but it didn't do a lot for me personally.

The good parts - Le Guin covers a full story arc in a tiny (by today's standard) amount of pages. I borrowed my dad's old paperback copy of this novel and the main story itself ends at page 183. Her prose is tight and concise, you can't argue that. She also has some turns of phrase that are poetic and beautiful. Stylistically, the author accomplishes the goal of making this seem like a storied tale being told from the distance of history.

The bad parts - I had the same problem with this book that I had with another classic Fantasy novel I read recently (Patricia McKillip's Riddle-Master of Hed). The protagonist spends a ridiculous amount of time roaming around the landscape for no real plot driven reason or at least a thin plot reason at best. Did they just want to show off that they're using the big map they drew and had to put at the front of the book? Especially in this book, we roam around the variously named chunks of water and land on different rocky islands over and over. There's really nothing differentiating these islands for the most part, so why do we need to go to so many of them? Some of them are steep and others are sandy. Yay?

Because the author is so spare in her prose even the exciting parts of the book, Wizard school, or battling dragons, or fleeing from pre-historic bird beast thingies are a page or two at best so there are no details developed. I would have traded some time sailing to another island for a little more fun with dragons.

I think I also just didn't connect with the author's choice of third person/omniscient narration. It's very distancing and that's exactly what it did - I felt distanced from the story and didn't engage with the characters (all 10 of them, most of whom only appeared for a page or two).

The climax of the book wasn't very climactic for me. The last 15-20 pages of the book, which should probably have been the most exciting took me literally over an hour to read because I kept falling asleep. Not a good sign for the exciting part of the book! Also, the ending, without getting into spoilers, felt incredibly trite and I don't think that's because I'm looking at it 50 years after it was written. I'm pretty sure it would have felt trite in 1968 too.

Lastly, what's the deal with Ged's little pet otak? Was this the precurser to the requirement for every child's story to kill the kid's beloved pet? Not the genre defining moment I was hoping for!

It's a classic, it established or advanced a few touchstones of the genre (true naming, wizard school), but for me it wasn't that enjoyable of a read.

When I first read this book I was blown away by the power that Ursula K. LeGuin put into it. I found the characters very appealing and real. Also I enjoyed how fast the story was. The characters did not spend a lot of time on useless talk or stupid love affairs. It was straight to the point of the matter. It is a high fantasy classic that deserves to be shared with all. Ms. LeGuin rates up there with such authors as Tolkein and Anne McCaffrey. This was brilliant book that i would recommend to anyone of any age. I think its ridiculous that great literature such as this, The Hobbit, Lord of the Rings, Alice in Wonderland, C.S. Lewis, C.M. whitlock's The Price of Immortality and so on get classified as "children's books". They are books for everyone with imagination, who enjoys good story-telling, and interesting and unusual characters. They are tales, which leave strong images for years after reading, which make you want to go back to read again and again
Recommended: The lord of the Rings and The Price of Immortality.

Le Guin's works, in my opinion, may very well top even The Lord of the Rings in their greatness (although the next 10,000 Tolkien fans who read this review will probably jump on me and rip me to shreds for saying so).
A Wizard of Earthsea is quite an incredible work of high fantasy. It's a classic tale of wizardry and magic, but with twists along the way.
A Wizard of Earthsea is the story of the Archmage and Dragonlord Ged. Long before Ged had become Archamge and Dragonlord, he was known as Sparrowhawk, an intelligent, but reckless youth, power-hungry and lacking in wisdom.
Ged begins learning simple magic from a local witch before being apprenticed to Ogion, a quiet mage from the other side of the island on which he lives. After spending several years with Ogion, he travels to Roke, to attend the school for wizards.
However, he soon becomes rivals with a fellow student. One night, intent on putting his rival to shame and establishing himself as the superior magic-user, Ged accidently lets loose a shadow on all Earthsea. For the rest of his life, it will follow him, hunting him down trying to kill him and posses his flesh so it can gain form and substance with which to wreck havoc upon all of Earthsea. In order to prevent this, Ged must confront and defeat this evil, but the quest cannot be accomplished easily, but Ged must try, at risk of his life so that he can save his soul.

As a devout Tolkien fan, I've looked long and hard for a book that can grip my imagination like any of the famous Lord of the Rings trilogy. I thought I'd found the cure to my fever when I purchased this book that was glorified as "a classic of high fantasy...compared to Tolkien's Lord of the Rings and C.S. Lewis's Narnia stories." I was well disappointed.
As I trudged through the story of Ged the boring one dimentional wizard who is always glum, I began to realize that I may never find a story that satisfies my need to replace Bilbo, Frodo or Gandalf. There is no development of other characters in Wizard of Earthsea. Only an agonizing depiction of a wizard who chases his shadow day after day. However, there is one bright light for this story (the reason I was able to give it 2 stars), it's well written. That in itself is a rarity these days.
If you are looking for an engaging story, I recommend skipping the Earthsea trilogy and trying something fresh with George R.R. Martin's trilogy starting with A Game of Thrones. Although the tiny Earthsea books are easier to carry around with you than the mammoth Game of Thrones or Clash of Kings, you'll be much more satisfied in the end!

I was manipulated into reading this book by my seventh grade English teacher (I'm in ninth grade now, so be warned, this review was written by an aliterate high-schooler).
As people here have said before, "A Wizard of Earthsea" is a lot like "Lord of the Rings". It's tedious, slow to start, sexist, incredibly archaic, impersonal, and featuring a stiff (as in, Al Gore stiff) unempathetic lead character. Also, like "Lord of the Rings", it has some awesome scenes, an original concept, depth, well-written character development, and an awesome ending. Pick it up on a rainy day... it's not a must-read, but read it anyway because some day some English teacher will probably force you to..
It's a pretty good book of Tolkien caliber, but very slow to start. Once you can get past the first three chapters, you're up and moving (unlike Tolkien... just find the blasted hobbits in Rohan already and get on with it!!!) The ending is worth it.

Perhaps back in the 60s Tolkien fans were ready to devour any new fantasy novel. To my dismay, "a high fantasy classic" this is not. It certainly is a good template for it: moral lessons, good vs. evil, wizened wizards, and a young wizard on a grand quest. But there's not much more than that. There's too much prose and not enough character insight to uphold the already threadbare plot. The most comprehensive description of Earthsea is in the maps which are nice and all, but this is a book - not an atlas.
Too short to be a real novel, it'd do better as a children's book. However, in this case size really doesn't matter. The Last Unicorn by Peter Beagle has the same template but unlike A Wizard of Earthsea, the unicorn's voyage is filled with peril through vivid lands accompanied by a colorful cast of characters in only 200 pages. Even today's current poptart, Harry Potter, has the bumbling Ron, quirky Dumbledore, and slimy Snape. LeGuin's wizards are all Arch-Changer this or Arch-Namer that - who seem ready to die at any moment. Rocks have more personality. The protaganist is Ged. Yep, Ged. Oh and he gets spiteful and thus must redeem himself. Thats all I know. Ogion tries but fails to be a Gandalf. The only moments of life shine through the dialogue and as soon as a glimpse of emotion appears... it vanishes.
In spite of these faults, it's not so terrible; There is a sense of history and timelessness to the tale. The moral lessons ring loud and true. "That which gives us power to work magic, sets the the limits of that power... it if were not so, the wickedness of the powerful or the folly of the wise would long ago have sought to change what cannot be changed, and Equilibrium would fail."
Lines like that make reading this book worth hacking through the bone dry parts. After reading LeGuin's speculative work - The Left Hand of Darkness and the Dispossessed, I found her intelligent & thought provoking but uninspired. So I was prepared for a more personal work through her fantasy in A Wizard of Earthsea. Sad to say, I was yet again let down.

This was the first time I bought a book based on recommendations (and boy was this book recommended!) and was so thoroughly disappointed.
The writing is awful, the plot even more so.
I made myself read to the end of the book, feeling something must be wrong with me, that I'm missing something - but no. It ended the same way it begun - a waste of time.

When I was about 7, my uncle gave the Earthsea Trilogy to my mother (a reading teacher) for her students to read. I remember reading a couple of chapters of one of them (Tombs of Atuan, I think) and finding it very exciting and mysterious, but also a little hard to understand (probably because I was starting in the middle of the series and because I was 7). Since then, I have often wanted to read the trilogy, but I had difficulty finding the books, which were out of print for most of the 1980s. I also was a little turned off because many people classify the trilogy as "young adult fiction," probably because they are relatively short.
I just finished a Wizard of Earthsea and I was surprised to find that it was one of the best fantasy book that I have ever read. Le Guin's narrative style in this book (which differs greatly from "Left Hand of Darkness" and its progeny--a style that I found to be a little plodding and self-indulgent) is very lean, almost minimalist. In this respect it reminds me of Michael Moorcock's Elric series. Unlike Moorcock, however, Le Guin conveys a rich emotional life for her characters. (This is not a criticism of Morcock, I think that he intentionally meant for the characters to remain somewhat distant and enigmatic--making them more like characters of myth and legend).
The back of the edition that I read claims that Le Guin has dethroned Tolkien as the ruler of epic fantasy. I wouldn't go that far. But she certainly deserves share the upper eschelon of fantasy writers with Tolkien and a very few other authors.

This is the first in a series of books. There are 4 novels in the series and two collections of short stories. It follows the life and career of Ged a young man from the Island of Gont. Le Guin has created a very unique world, a world that is mostly water and each nation is a collection of islands. This book is also one of a few that has children's teens and adult editions in print.

Ged apprentices to the local Wizard on God, and is eventually sent to the school for wizards on Havnor. There in anger during a fight with other youths he releases a dark shadow, an evil. The Masters of the school appear and banish it from the island. However this shadow and Ged are now tied together in a very unique way.

After leaving the school Ged becomes haunted by the shadow he has released. He tries to return to the protection of Havnor but cannot return to the island the magic protecting the island will not let him approach. So he decides to head south.

The shadow is getting closer and closer to him, and he must discern it's true name or else he will not be able to defeat it. Can he solve the puzzle, will he wrestle with his shadow and win or will he succumb to the evil he has let loose.

This is a book I first read back in highschool. Then a few years back had to read it for an English literature course at the University of Waterloo I was about a third of the way through it when I realized I had read it before and that is when I found our that the story continued. Since then the two collections of short stories have been published in this world.

Le Guin deals with some big questions of life in this book. Such questions as:

Who am I?

Do I have a role or purpose in life?

Can I defeat the darkness within me?

Can good conquer over evil?

Why am I here?

Can I make a difference?

This book will be a good read for anyone who has ever struggled with some of these questions. Or who wants to use a novel to help them grow to have a deeper understanding of themselves.

A beautiful tale of self discovery and coming of age, and a fine commentary on human nature.

As the wizard Ged travels the world to undo a great harm brought forth by himself, we are introduced to the civilization Earthsea; sailors and magic workers of a mythical archipelago. The beautiful prose and the mythology are a treat, as this is not an European medieval fantasy, but rather a very original take on a pre-industrial high-magic setting.

Give it a try, you will be caught in its nets.

In the book, A Wizard of Earthsea, you encounter a wild young man named Ged. His mother died when he was born, his father has no use for a baby that can do no work, and his aunt merely looked after him until he could fend for himself. Ged has no family support and no friends. He is looking for acceptance and he finally finds a way to gain some form of respect when his aunt, the local witch, recognizes his natural talent for magic. From that point on, Ged has found the path that he must take in life. That path finally brings Ged to the doors of the School of Roke and into the company of real friendship.
Magic was Ged's deliverance from his small little town, it was his means of saving his townspeople, but it also has a darker side. Ged glimpsed this dark magic once while under the tutelage of the great mage of Ogion, and while at the School for Wizards, he gets a horrifying view of it that nearly takes his life. Due to his proud, boastful nature, Ged accidentally looses a dark demon into his world and the balance is not offset and a great man dies in order to save him. Everyone can see that there is a great powerfully potential in Ged, but he, so starved for acceptance, is careless. Now that he has disrupted the balance of the world, he has to live up to his potential, temper it with wisdom, and right what he has set wrong. The demon Ged let loose will eventually seek him out to destroy him and Ged must be equal for the fight.
This book depicts Ged as an imperfect hero. He is greatness within him, but he does not know how to manage it. The events in his life have molded him into an impetuous child that answers to no one. Ged had no guidance as a child. No one paid him any attention until he saved the town with his spells. He led a life not necessarily in the shadows, but one of invisibility until someone saw him. Ged, like any other child, wanted to be noticed. He wanted to be a part of something. The only chance that he had was to become a wizard for with that title comes the respect and acceptance that he yearns for. In order to handle this responsibility, Ged also had to learn humility. He had to understand that greatness does not come solely from sheer skill. It is a delicate balance between skill and an ongoing search for and acquiring of wisdom.

The writing is of good quality and the characters and the fictional universe are interesting. Strong start to the book with a good main character. Only problem is as you read on nothing of consequence ever happens. The "bad guy" in the story is pretty mundane. I'll try book 2 and see if the series gets better.

I tried and failed to read this book a couple of times in my teens, but over a decade later I recently picked it up again and it charmed me. Your typical swords and sorcery this is not, so skip this book and its sequels if you're looking for another Tolkien clone. Le Guin is as original a sci-fi/fantasy author as you can find, and A Wizard of Earthsea is pioneering fantasy. Le Guin has a background in anthropology, and it shows here: A Wizard of Earthsea succeeds best in subtle characterization and gently sculpting the fantasy setting: an island archipelago whose mythology and mysteries are sparsely described but nonetheless captivating. The book will give you many original and refreshing delights: the practice of magic is more about learning the true names of things than memorizing incantations, death is a traversible landscape, and dragons are the true masters of the ancient language of magic, which binds ordinary mortals to truth. Read the series with an open mind and you will find ample rewards.

I don't think that many people truly understand what the term "high fantasy" means. For example, I have heard people refer to Anne McCaffrey as high fantasy, when that is not the case. High fantasy is when the author creates an entirely new world, with new languages, new societies, and new realities, which, strangely enough, allows the author to get closer to the truth about human nature and the ways of the world. I know of few authors that really live up to that definition, and one of them is Ursula LeGuin. Although she draws from ancient folklore, as well as basing some of societies in Earthsea on our ancient societies and cultures, a great portion of her work is straight out of her imagination. The book is not for those who like their fantasy light-hearted and with witty or sarcastic comments made by the characters every few minutes. Although there are moments of comic relief, most of the book (and the series) is rather austere and dark. This is because the world that she tells of is harsh and unforgiving, much like Europe in the middle ages. Back then there wasn't a lot to smile about, so you had to find you light in strange places. The good guys aren't always good-looking, and a happy ending sometimes requires that you don't end up with what you want. There is another book that was written ten years after this series, called Tehanu, and it continues where the saga left off, tying up some loose ends, and giving closure. I would definately reccommend Earthsea for those who prefer their fantasy raw and un-sugar coated. It is gritty, and not for the faint of heart, to the point where I wouldn't even really call it fantasy, because it gets about as close to the truth as I have seen any book get.

In A Wizard of Earthsea you will witness and accompany Sparrowhawk through what is to be his rite of passage. He discovers his true name while facing great challenges, such as an almost deadly battle with a terrifying and powerful creature, only to realize that the monster may only be his own shadow.
This is a truly original story that quickly captures your attention, imagination and heart. It won't be any easy one to put down, and you won't be able to get you hands on the next book in the series fast enough. It is full of action and symbolism, and represents the authors exceptional ability to create things that the rest of us never dreamed of. This novel will not dissapoint.

I first read this book in 1984 when I was 12 years old and I have returned to it many times over the years, re-reading either parts of it or the entire novel. A Wizard of Earthsea has few peers in the fantasy genre. As relevant for mature readers as young ones, this book works its spell on you by capturing your imagination. Its themes are timeless: the individual's search for meaning in the face of uncertainty, friendship, maturity, and most importantly redemption and acceptance. Although there is a good bit of action in this story, the real action of the story plays on a deeper level: self-discovery.

After reading all of the reviews and the back cover of the book my expectations were hi. The story is good, but there isn't a lot of dialogue or character interaction. It's a good story, but while reading it I felt like there was something missing. Maybe because I prefer more dialogue between characters, mood, and showing vs. telling in the stories I read.

Still, I am glad to have read this book. It was a quick read and I plan on reading book 2.

Happy Reading!

I first read A Wizard of Earthsea when I was in seventh grade. I could not put it down at the age of twelve. The way Ursula K. Le Guin writes reminds me of a fairy tale told by my grandmother on a rainy Saturday morning. The style is dreamy and reminiscent of old fashioned storytelling at its best. I was able to lose myself in the story, in the people, and in the land. I read A Wizard of Earthsea the second time at the age of 24. The book again captivated and mesmerized me. I am now 32 and I still love this story.
A Wizard of Earthsea is the story of Sparrowhawk, a goat herder from the island of Gont. Sparrowhawk develops an unusual power, which gives him the ability to call animals. When Sparrowhawk learns that he has more power than he can safely control, he leaves his old life behind and travels to the School on Roke.
What we might call magic is referred to and separated from wizardry in this book. Wizards are specially trained (and male) on the island of Roke. Magic is the realm of witches and not held in high esteem. A wizard's life is spent learning the true name of things in the old tongue. Power to a mage must be kept in balance. Every action has a reaction.
To me, this sense of balance is the real beauty of the novel. Sparrowhawk, or any wizard for that matter, cannot unthinkingly use a spell without facing consequences. I think this is wonderful way to look at our own society. We have all but eliminated our social sense of consequences. Sparrowhawk finally understands the balance at great cost to his soul and power. What will it take for us to face the consequences of our actions?

I would give this story 10 stars if I could. I read this when I was in grade 7 and it became my favorite book, now after university I still think this is one of the greatest fantasy books I've ever read. Le Guin takes you into her little wonderful world of islands with strange exotic names and builds a tapestry of characters and places with histories and cultures intertwined in a tale about a young wizard who meddles with the forces of darkness and has to deal with the consequences for the rest of his life. It is truly original in the same way that the Lord of the Rings was, and the Wizard of Oz was, and Alice in Wonderland was; a story that children can enjoy but that grows with you as you grow in life and learn to appreciate what good story telling is, and Le Guin is one of the best in the world.

I got this book based on a recommendation for those who love Harry potter. this was the worst book I ever forced myself to read to the end. kept waiting for it to get better, it didn't. there was barely a plot line. unless you like reading a constant list of names and places with no value to the story, don't get it. worst book ever. I could go on but this is just a review. don't get this book.

The Wizard of Earthsea is an interesting story of a young boy, named Ged, in search of his own identity. Ursula Le Guin uses very vivid descriptions to expand the depth of the readers understanding of the scenery and of the characters of her story. Ged starts off as a young, curious boy, interested in all that is unknown to him, and wanting to acquire the knowledge of wizardry. His quest leads him through many trials and tribulations. His learning starts with the local witch, his Aunt, to his beloved master, Ogion, who warns him of his wanting to learn too quickly, and then to the known school of wizardry. The most obvious of these trials is the birth of the shadow, which is released through his pride, arogance and ignorance of the unknown. His first fear and then quest for the "shadow" is the true test of gained knowledge of his own identity. His misuse of pride in his skill brings him a humility that is needed for him to fullfill his destiny and to become the greatness that all but him are aware he will be.
While this book is full of adventure and insight, it is, in some places, difficult to get through. The scenes are long, and in great detail, which looses the readers interest. It is the ending that is the most interesting for those interested in double imaging and the human psyche. Though the book is not very long, it makes for a long read. If you look at this story as a preface to the adventures of Ged as the "Archemage" of Earthsea, then it makes it much more interesting. I am interested in seeing how the other two stories to the trilogy are written, and wether or not this preface is worth it's attention to detail.

A Wizard of Earthsea tells the tale of a young mage named Ged who was training as an apprentice wizard. It’s the first book in a series of five novels and quite a number of short stories. The story follows a fairly traditional Hero’s Journey, complete with a quest and the fight against evil.
I loved the world of Earthsea as a kid.
You can read the entire review on my website (see my profile for the link).

As several reviewers here already mentioned, this book feels like a retelling of a retelling of a story. By the time the story has reached me, the excitement and suspense is washed out. That's what reading Wizard is like. What happen to "show don't tell?" The narrator insists on not only summarizing what happens, but also telling us what will happen in the future. So the whole story feels a bit third hand. To me, this technique made the story tedious. Also, another result is that I didn't feel like I knew Ged, up close and personal. Consequently, I didn't really care about him as I should care about a protagonist. I won't be reading the rest of the series.

A Wizard of Earthsea is a mythical tale by Ursula K. LeGuin about the adventures of a young wizard to be, the curiously named Ged. The book chronicles his induction into magic and wizardry, guiding the reader through Ged's gradual growth and maturation as a wizard. However, the protagonist foolishly and pridefully delves further into magic than he is prepared for, and must correct his mistake in this magical coming of age story.
The presentation of the story, fantastic as it is, is wonderfully executed. The author adheres to the rules of fantasy writing by presenting the reader with clear, believable boundaries and rules to her mythical world, which allows the reader a measure of confidence and relation to otherwise unfamiliar territory. Her diction is comparable to that of familiar fairy tales, which is appropriate, even welcome considering the subject matter. LeGuin's matter-of-fact, sententious word style demands belief, her narration adopting the clipped but descriptively informative tones of a newscaster relaying a factual occurrence. It becomes easy for the audience to lose themselves in such a story; indeed, absorption is almost impossible to resist. The reader quickly transforms from readers into observers as her characters transcend their literary limitations.
The magic in this story has believable jargon, clear laws, and often visible repercussions that makes rampant use unethical for any moral practitioner. Were magic to exist, these elements of restraint would probably color and police its use, and its effect on the story is an increase in the tale's ability to suspend disbelief.
A Wizard of Earthsea is a delightful read for anyone, especially lovers of fiction and fantasy.

Here is a book where I can recognize the literary excellence, the sparse but aesthetic prose, and the overall quality of the story but totally reject the worldview presented. LeGuin's world is one where magic operates in the occultic sense. Her fantasy writings are often grouped with the works of Tolkien and C. S. Lewis, and while it is true that they are all "fantasy" writings, whereas Tolkien and Lewis were writing from a Christian worldview, LeGuin is writing from a decidedly pagan one. What she means by "wizard" and what Tolkien means by "wizard," for example, are as different as night from day. The story itself, however, is top-notch. The "Wizard of Earthsea" of the title is an extremely flawed and self-conflicted character. In the end you find that the major plotline essentially boils down to a great struggle the protagonist has between the different parts of his nature. I always thought that the endless glut of fantasy novels that have been churned out over the past half-century owe their existence to the popularity and influence of Tolkien. I see now that this is partly true, but much of their existence is owed to LeGuin as well. This is unfortunate. If modern Christianity had a writer of speculative fiction who could produce works as potent and popular as those of Lewis and Tolkien, it would help to counteract the pagan influence of modern fantasy novels, most of which follow LeGuin instead of Tolkien in this regard.

I have say I was not so impressed with A Wizard of Earthsea. Reading the editors' reviews of the book on the store, they compare it glowingly to Tolkien and C.S. Lewis, but I just don't see it. Granted this is only the first book, and I will likely read the second, but it certainly was not the caliber of Tolkien. The book is rather choppy and written in a sort of third person narrative that gets annoying after time. I also felt the plot and writing were rather immature. This was one of Le Guin's early works, but it still needed a good editor. I can see, however, why The SciFi Channel has opted to make it into a mini-series, the story is simple high fantasy -- nothing too difficult, nothing too mind boggling. It will probably do well.

While the Eartsea series was written for adolescents, it is a wonderful search-for-self journey that adults of all ages can enjoy. LeGuin's love of the philosophy of Taoism is prevalent in all of her works, but this book really focuses on the concepts of Yin and Yang, how to recognize them in our daily lives, and how that recognition (and acceptance) helps make us "whole." Her use of images of light and dark wonderfully underscore Ged's journeys into the threatening unknown and then back to places of "safety." As Ged's emotional crisis intensifies, so do the images of darkness, of things considered "evil" because they are separate, alien, unknown.

While you don't need any knowledge of Taoism to enjoy this series, with a little research, the text takes on a whole new life. Every image is significant; like peeling an onion, there is layer after layer of meaning.

Although this is the first book of a trilogy, the story doesn't come full-circle until the fourth book, Tehanu. LeGuin's writing comes full-circle as well; in the many years between the books, both she and the characters have gone through many life changes. The maturity and reflection that has resulted is obvious in the voice she writes with. If you enjoyed the triology, keep reading! She just keeps getting better.

The Wizard of Earthsea was hardly the book of excitement I expected it to be. Ursula K. Le Guin follows the life of a young wizard Ged, as he learns to cope with the responsibilities of being a wizard. The story manages to simultaneously fly through the first nineteen years of his life and drag on. Many of the characters and adventures Ged encounters last no more than a few pages and hold little, if any, bearing in the story as a whole.
The beginning of the story seems to lag as we wait to
find out what exactly Ged's great adventure will be. When he finally finds it, there is still some confusion as to what "it" is. It does pick up a bit from here, and the reader can get more involved in the story. However, then Ged is off on another adventure and the one the reader was interested in is pretty much lost.
The end was unfortunately predictable, though I was not disappointed by it personally. It seemed that is was the only real way to end it. The final showdown does prove to be a satisfying read and I finally found some of the excitement and magic I had anticipated. Whether it makes up for the rest of the book, I am unsure, but it does open the possibility of a more successful second and third book.

A Wizard of Earthsea began slowly but ended with a bang. In the first five chapters, I only found one adventure that truly kept my interest. It was not until the sixth or seventh chapter that I became interested in Ged, the protagonist, and his adventures. The storyline reminds me of the typical teenage boy who wants to be free and not live by the rules that are set for him until he gets himself in too deep and eventually must find his way home again. Le Guin throws some magic in the mix and comes out on top with A Wizard of Earthsea. In this story, Ged is the young man that does not want to live by the rules. He allows his jealousy and need to impress people with his skill as a mage to get the best of him, until he unleashes an evil that wants to crush his soul. Ironically, Ged realizes that home, which for him is with Ogion his Wizard Master, will set him free. I did find some passages too tedious to even read that I would skim through those dry parts, but I held out and finished the novel. I am glad I did because by the last chapter, I could not wait to find out how Ged conquers his demon. Not only does Le Guin take the reader through an exciting come-of-age journey, but she also teaches the reader a moral lesson. Unfortunately, I have no desire to read the rest of the series

I picked up A Wizard of Earthsea, by Ursula Le Guin, in a moment of weakness in a beautiful bookstore in Montrose, called Once Upon a Time. I had promised myself that I would not buy anymore books, and instead borrow them from the library. But this particular bookstore had a whole section of "We recommend" books, with bookmarks inserted, each with a compelling description of the books' best assets. I just couldn't resist picking up a couple books to read (I mean, to add to my pile of books to read.)

A Wizard of Earthsea was described on the paper insert as a Harry Potter-esque story that takes place in another world of Arthurian magic. After reading it, the only resemblance between the two stories seems to be that the main character is a young wizard coming of age and discovering his power and importance in the world he lives in. The cadence, the adventures, even the kind of magic used in this novel is not at all similar to that of Harry Potter. I wouldn't even put them in the same category of literature. I would say that it's much closer to The Lord of the Rings type of storytelling, with much less detail and much less bloodshed.

Earthsea is a Homer-esque adventure of a wizard who has opened the door of the dead and must find a way to restore balance. All the while, he learns who he is, and teaches the reader about the lands in which the story takes places. The story does not unravel like the tightly woven story of Harry Potter, rather, in rolls out as a timeline-an adventure story where the main character has a goal, but is met with one thing after another that keeps him from reaching it.

The writing style is sprinkled generously with Old English turns of phrase and the cadence of the story is uneven, interweaving meticulous description with quick-paced action in an unexpected manner, making it a little difficult to initially find a reading rhythm. But this inconsistency contributes to the story's charm; seldom is the story boring despite the fact that many of the trials and tribulations of the main character do not strongly contribute to the overall storyline, being merely descriptions of interesting things that happen along the way.

In this way, I think it would a wonderful book for a child (perhaps 8-10 or older, depending on their reading ability) to be introduced into the genre of fantasy novels; the story can be easily read a page or two at a time without losing the storytelling rhythm, and the events in the book are interesting and even a little frightful, although not indiscriminately gory.

But perhaps the most important aspect of A Wizard of Earthsea concerns the maturation of the main character, Sparrowhawk. His path to wisdom is a universal message that many young readers (or even adult readers) would find inspirational. It conveys a message that how we respond to pain and mistakes is an important way to wisdom-a message which resonates from the beginning to the end of this account of Sparrowhawk's adventures.

Even though the story was well written and compelling, I don't think that I'll be reading the next books in the series (there are four). However, I'll keep it on the shelves for the kids when they are old enough to start to read this kind of fiction. My husband will probably also enjoy it; this is the kind of story he likes to read-lots of adventure, running around and exploring, in a world of magic and dragons.

This book is amazing. Actually the whole series is. When I was in the fith grade, I read this book. I adored it. I wouldn't read anything else but the Earthsea Cycle for maybe a year of more. It haunted me. I didn't realize, though, what the book was really about until much, much later. I recently replaced my old copy of this book and reread the series. Now, as I am older, I realize what about this story really struck me. Not only does this book have strong elements of balance and harmony in it, but I think it is poignant and meaningful when it comes to Ged and the darkness he must face. It is very hard for us to recognize the darkness that is within all of us, and even harder for us to name and then make it a part of ourselves, but the only place evil can truly be vanquished is by recognizing it and understanding it, even the evil things within ourselves. The scene where Ged faces down that formless, horrible monster is quite scary. I read several reviews, from mostly children, about how this book wasn't any good, which while they are entitled to their opinions, I do hope they try reading this book again. I see this book shoved in among books by modern fantasy authors like Robert Jordan or R.A. Salvatore of Tanya Huff (all of whom I like), but it really belongs in the literature section, which I think, is why so many are so confused. It is not the type of story they are looking for. I remember when I was little, my uncle saw me reading the Dark Elf Trilogy by R.A. Salvatore. So he gave me The Fellowship of the Ring. Right then, when I wanted more Drizzt, I hated the Lord of the Rings. He had told me it would be like the Drizzt novels, and he wasn't right. They are different kinds of stories. When you want something like the Lord of the Rings, you don't pick up Harry Potter, but Beowulf. The Wizard of Earthsea is also like that. I remember a co-worker of mine directing a young library patron to the Wizard of Earthsea after hearing she like Harry Potter. I stopped the little girl and told her that while she might like it, it isn't at all like Harry Potter and maybe she should try So You Want To Be A Wizard, the Bartimaeus Trilogy, or the Chrestomanci Chronicles. I was right, she hated Earthsea and loved the others. So, in summation, if you read this book and disliked it, give it another try, and if not go see Goro Miyazaki's adaptation of The Farthest Shore and Tehanu in July, and then try again! Remember, there are more types of wizards than the fireball flinging kind and Gandalf!

I really wanted to love this book. It was given to me by a friend with the recommendation that it was an excellent book and that I would love it since I read a lot of other fantasy novels and this was right up my ally. I wouldn't necessarily say that I was disappointed, but perhaps that the book did not live up to my expectations. The story itself was interesting, though a bit cliched, at least in this day and age: (Possible Spoilers)

A young boy exhibits unusually strong magical powers and it's contently obvious that he is going to grow up to become the greatest wizard in Earthsea, in part because the author tells you flat out that he does so. It really ruins any suspense because you know he's not going to die, or even lose a battle because he is obviously the greatest wizard ever. The ending is also anti-climactic, with the final battle taking fewer than three pages despite the fact that the wizard has been chasing and fighting this creature for the past hundred pages and that this being is supposedly this great evil that has no true name among other characteristics that make it so deadly and dangerous.

The writing is a bit sparse. Ged, the wizard, is not always characterized well. He seems a bit flat at times and while the story has very interesting moments, battles with dragons and an excellent chase across the sea, it is also written in a fairly flat tone and occasionally seems hollow, without substance or anything to really grab onto in order to attach the reader to the story. I actually enjoyed the character of Vetch a lot more than I did that of Ged, and Vetch is simply a minor character.

Perhaps my expectations were too high, but I've read quite a bit of fantasy and heard a lot of good things about this book and I hoped it would be a wonderful read. That being said, I think Le Guin is an adept writer, and will certainly be trying some of her other writing to see if this can be improved upon and if it was in fact my own bias that got in the way.

LeGuin is one of those seminal fantasy/sci-fi authors I've always been meaning to try and never got around to until now. I figured the first in her famous 6-book Earthsea "cycle" was as good a place to start as any. In retrospect, maybe I should have gone with The Left Hand of Darkness or The Lathe Of Heaven. I'm not sure if it's the burden of being the first in a series that bogs it down, or if it's just dated, or if it's just my own personal sensibilities, but I found the book to be incredibly unengaging. I also didn't know, until after finishing it, that she sat down to write it with the express intent of creating a story for children/teens. (Which is not to say that books written for younger readers can't be amazing and compelling, but if I'd known that up front, I would have picked a different book of hers.)

That story is a fairly familiar one -- a young boy discovers he has special powers and is apprenticed to a wizard, eventually goes to a wizarding school, and has some initial adventures. When named, these particular adventures sound fairly exciting: saving his town from pillaging raiders, dueling with a dragon over the fate of another village, and most importantly, hunting down the unholy spirit shadow he accidentally summoned forth in a vain attempt to overstep the limits of his knowledge and power. However, because none of the characters -- including the hero -- is developed to any degree, the whole enterprise feels kind of choppy and frail, almost like an old epic poem or something. The book kind of leaps from event to event, eliding time, and giving zero insight into any inner life as the hero masters the his magical craft. And the central conflict about the "balance" of magic and the hero's battle with the shadow (of himself) is just way too on the nose. Since this was written about fifty years ago, perhaps I am judging it unfairly against all the fantasy literature that's followed, but I really struggled to find anything in the book to really hold on to and engage with.

This book moves with a subtle grace, taking the typical coming-of-age tale and flipping it on it's head. I was drawn in, coaxed to care deeply about the hero, and led through a story that felt, even while being fantastical, like it could be my own.

And in the end, it was perfect. If you are to read only one such novel, please let it be this one.

Hallo fantasy lovers,
I am a girl from a Eastern Europe, Latvia, and in love with le Guin's books. I have read the Earthsea trilogy, that's the only of her books that has been translated in my language, but English books are unfortunately hardly available here. Yet I would like so much to read them in original... I think English is much more appropriate language for tales and fantasy... and of course, to possess them... But they are long since out of print in Latvia. Now they are publishing mostly trash that I do not read.I could, of course, have the books through Internet but there's a problem that my student's scholarship does not quite coincide with the normal Western prices. ( If somebody's interested, the scholarship for excellent marks is around 15 dollars a month - is it not ridiculous?). That's why I am writing this review hoping to find a friendly readerly heart. Is there anybody out there who has has got a spare copy of le Guin' s works that he/she could share? It can be old and suffered, of course. I only want to read them desperately. If there's a kind soul that thinks of a possibility to help me, my email address is [email protected] I would really be most thankful, indeed, for any kind of interest in my plea. Excuse for my poor English.
being bedazzled by the Earthsea world,
yours Barbala

If you like fantasy, A Wizard of Earthsea, by Ursula K Le Guin, is an enjoyable read. Le Guin creates a wonderful world of wizards, dragons, heroes and villains, where a young boy, Duny, grows into a man and a wizard. After saving his village from maurauders, Duny is given his true name, Ged, and leaves with the Mage Ogion to gain the knowledge to fulfill his destiny. When Ged's pride leads him to unleash the evil shadow, he must face himself and his fears to restore the balance he has upset.
A Wizard of Earthsea is fun for those who enjoy entering a world where anything is possible, however, the story is predictable and at times tedious. Le Guin inundates the reader with the names of the various islands, mountains and seas in which the story takes place. It becomes rather like a Geography lesson as one follows Ged on his journeys. Le Guin is exhaustive in her descriptions and histories of the people and places that comprise Earthsea.
Because A Wizard of Earthsea is at times a tedious read, I would not recommend it to readers who do not enjoy fantasy. For those who do, A Wizard of Earthsea, and the remaining books in the series, will be a pleasurable excursion into a world of wizards and magic.

I heard this series was one of THE standards in young adult sci-fi literature so I checked out all the books from my library.

Thank goodness I didn't waste my money actually *buying* this stuff.

I made it through the third book before just taking the whole pile back to the library, the last three unread. I couldn't make myself read through anymore of this mind-numbing ode to boredom.

To be fair, the author starts out with a good premise in this book. A young man discovering unknown powers, craving even more power, learning caution through a harsh lesson that costs a life and then he sets out on a quest to right the wrong he's done. It's a great formula and the glimpses we see of the characters show that they were good enough to pull it off. But that's the problem; glimpses were all we ever got.

The author suffered greatly from "telling" instead of "showing," that is, telling us what happened instead of letting it unfold through circumstances and dialogue. As a consequence, all of the characters remained two dimensional and severely underdeveloped. I wanted to care about them but there wasn't anything there to care about.

One of the big climactic scenes in the book, Ged raising the dead, was pretty close to anti-climactic simply because the author didn't have either the patience or the desire to develop the scene more.

Many scenes in the book suffered from that failing, especially the ending, which was a huge letdown. All that build-up and we're left with what? An overly confusing layer of images (badly described scene) where Ged's facing off against himself? Sure, it's supposed to be deep and meaningful, but it comes off as trite and dull. Much like the rest of the series, actually. And no, it being geared towards young adults doesn't excuse any of its faults; there are many sci-fi/fantasy YA books out there and so many of them are better than this series.

Ursula K. LeGuin's Earthsea books are hailed by many as an outstanding example of the fantasy genre. I am personally going to withhold judgment on that until I have had the opportunity to read the other two books in the original trilogy because while I enjoyed A Wizard of Earthsea I felt that there were some things missing that could have made it a much better book. My hope is that those missing pieces will be filled in by The Tombs of Atuan and The Farthest Shore and that together the three books will make one outstanding tale.

My first thought upon finishing A Wizard of Earthsea was, "That's it?" I really felt that it was far too short. I enjoyed the story a lot, but it seemed as though I was just getting into it and things were really just beginning to happen when all of a sudden things were being wrapped up and before I knew it, the book was done.

One thing I would like to have read about is more of the magic theory of the world. There was lots of talk about classes in magic, but nothing that gave me a glimpse into how the magic really worked. There were enough different branches and classes to imply that there is a magic theory, but it was never elaborated upon. I would also have liked to know what differentiated the wizards from the sorcerers. I know that they touched on it in the book, but I never truly understood the difference. That is definitely one thing that I hope will be expounded upon in the later books.

Actually, I hope just about everything, including characterization, will be expounded upon in the later books. Like just about everything else in A Wizard of Earthsea, I felt that there was a good start on characterization, but that it could and should have gone a little farther for it to be truly complete. The only character I felt that I knew at all well was Ged, but there were a few, like Vetch and Ogion, who I felt as though I should have known better than I did, because they were important to Ged. In addition, I felt that the squabbles Ged had with some people would perhaps have had more meaning if I had known more about the people involved.

The only thing that I didn't really like about A Wizard of Earthsea was was Ged's reaction to what I thought should have been a traumatic event. I felt as though the whole incident was rather pointless because it didn't really affect Ged at all. He didn't really mourn as far as I can tell, and though it was mentioned that he was upset, I didn't see any signs of Ged being more than somewhat disappointed. Perhaps that was due to the fact that I didn't know him as well as I would have liked, but it did seem odd that I was more upset than Ged was.

Other than that, however, I found A Wizard of Earthsea to be a very enjoyable book. I wished that it was longer and that there was more to it, but that was because I was enjoying the book. I was sorry to see it end, and I'm looking forward to reading the other books in this series.

There wasn't enough description of characters or lands, at first there was a bit, but as the book progressed and characters grew older there was none. So there was no way to really care for or get attached to characters. It became extremely boring as GED just rowed about at sea the whole book. Any interesting parts were very short lived. I wouldn't recommend it even if you're desperate to read anything as I was it certainly wasn't worth the money nor time IMO. A lot of ppl gave it five stars and compared it to lord of the rings. I don't know what they could've possibly got out of it or how on any world it could ever be compared to lotr. It was soooo dry and boring :/

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 wizard of Earthsea is a very smooth and easy to read story. I like that the battle that this wizard faces is actually within himself rather than a external enemy. Kinda different. I will continue with the series.

Ursula K. Le Guin's A Wizard of Earthsea is (and deserves to be) a classic of modern fantasy literature. It is a serious-minded allegorical HIGH fantasy. Gone are the comical cavorts of house-elves, or the liberal spell-slinging of Dungeons and Dragons. This book delves into man's identity as the dust of the earth, and how he comes to terms with that.

The story follows the early life and coming-of-age of Ged Sparrowhawk, who will become (according to the book) one of the greatest wizards of all time. Ged is proud and lustful for power, and eventually sets an undead shadow loose on the world---one which only he can stop.

Two of Le Guin's achievements in the book stand out above the rest. The first is the ability of her style to spark the reader's imagination. Her description of the physical world is extremely sparse, often focusing on characters' immediate feelings. This allows the reader to fill in the gaps of description in his or her own mind, making the world belong more firmly to the reader. This aspect of her writing is mirrored in her choice to focus on "slices" of Ged's life by quickly passing over periods of a few years. Finally, she actually gives relatively little description of the world, but hints at it enough to give the reader the feeling that there is more going on "out there" than the book details. This might be frustrating to a reader who felt they were missing out on action, but the book's themes of cosmic balance and tranquility smooth that over somewhat.

Which is a nice segue into her next achievement: well-done literary expression of the idea that power requires caution. This idea has been repeated so oft lately as to seem clichéd---Spiderman, Star Wars, the World of Darkness, Jurassic Park, even Harry Potter---but earlier works only dealt with the caution that must be taken against those with power. While there are examples of the theme before Le Guin (the stories of Icarus, Prometheus, and Epimetheus come to mind), hers was one of the first in the modern era.

I ought to stop writing, though. In the words of Ged's master and teacher---

"To hear, one must be silent."

The Wizard of Earthsea, as the first in a series of books of Earthsea, follows the journey of Duny/Sparrowhawk/Ged as he leaves his secluded island to become a student of wizardry on Roke Island. Although there are wizards, dragons, and adventures throughout the book, it is primarily a story of growing up. Ged must learn, through trial and error, how to not only be a great wizard but a good one as well. At the beginning, Ged is exceedingly arrogant, owing in large part to his innate grasp of magic. Through his mistakes, he learns to face his inner demons and come off conqueror against his worst enemy: himself.
After listening to friends lauding Le Guin and her books of Earthsea, I finally caved in and read the first one. I found it to be interesting, yet tedious. By the time I was halfway through reading it, I had figured out a large part of the ending. Figuring out the ending aside, I felt like the book lacked a human element to it. I knew Ged’s strengths and weaknesses, but I didn’t walk away knowing Ged as a person. It wasn’t a very intimate reading experience.
With that said, I did enjoy the book overall. The setting was well-written and the adventure aspects were good. Le Guin was able to create a world which I hope to soon be exploring more of it.

Before there was Harry Potter, there was Ged, also known as Sparrowhawk. He has the potential to become the greatest wizard of Earthsea, but his youthful arrogance keeps getting him in trouble---and may get him killed. A Wizard of Earthsea is the first in this series by Ursula K. LeGuin.

I enjoyed this book even though Le Guin uses less narrative than exposition (more "tell" than "show). It's almost like reading something in the style of the Old Testament. After I thought about it, I decided it was not a bad way to present this story. It would have been too drawn out otherwise.

A world steeped in mystery. A world where a name gives you power over a being. This is the world that young Ged, also known as Sparrowhawk begins his epic journey. After calling a mist to protect his village, young Ged is chosen to be an apprentice. The wizard he is first apprenticed to does not teach him the power words he wishes to know. An ego combined with bravado and ambition lead to great danger for our young hero.
Using his power and a magic he does not understand, young Ged summons a great evil into this world after having his ego bruised. Full of himself and overconfident, he loses control of his spell and launches his own great tale of victory.
This is an interesting book as it actually deals with the consequences of misusing magic. Ged suffers drastically for his "crime" and must set his wrong right. Not an easy task, he doesn't seek fame after his encounter, he merely seeks to make it right. This grand adventure that he undertakes and the taming of the dragon make him famous which is an ironic twist to get what he really desired despite the fact he gave up on it.

'A Wizard of Earthsea' is the perfect beginning to an awesome quartet of impeccable fantasy. Deeper and more introspective than Tolkein's albeit unassailable 'Lord of the Rings', the characters here are alternately frail and strong, struggling with their humanity, both chained and enriched by their mastery (or lack) of sorcery. Worth reading and re-reading, I found many parallels to life today - my own included - within.
A stunning piece of fiction that is continued in good stead by the three successive volumes...

It is surprising to note that Harry Potter 1 gets 5 stars from more than 4900 people on the store, while this book gets only 4 stars from only a little over 290 reviewers. However, comparison is not my intent (as I believe there's really no way to actually compare the two).

This is by far the best book of coming of age in a fantasy/wizardry context. It's deep, thought provoking, amazingly imaginative and written exceptionally well. It resonates with me today as much as it did when I first read it in the late eighties.

The plot is superb and what works so well is the humanity of the characters, especially the protagonist, Ged, and fellow students in the school of wizardry on the island of Roke. Ged's motivations are easy to relate to, while the context is magical and yet so real at the same time. Ursula Le Guin has a way with words that's admirable. On the one hand, it's really a short book, she does not tend to overkill the reader with lengthy scenic and character descriptions (unlike what's so common in the genre). In fact, I'd even say that part of the power of this book is how much you crave for more words and yet end up filling in using your imagination. But that's not a drawback, it's a huge advantage. Because what Ursula does tell us, she does with a resonant voice, clear, beautiful prose that fits together very well and at the end you feel you really know a lot about the geography of earthsea (in some sense that's a big driving mechanism) and about the boy who would be archmage, Ged.

Dragons and wizards are vividly depicted (this is possibly the most awe inspiring source for depicting dragons as truly magical beings), yet the book is really about human emotions and human weaknesses. These are explored as part of the overall theme and message of the book - anger, jealousy, strong-headedness, pride, just to name a few.

The book emphasizes the power of words. I find that the book itself is the strongest advocate of this power. It's a keeper on many accounts and will be the kind of book that's still there, deep in your memory several years after you read it. You're likely to reread it later on only to discover its strength and maturity, the stronger and more mature you get.

I cannot recommend this book more strongly. If you haven't done so yet, pick up a copy. You can thank me later by coming back here and writing your own 5 star review !!!

The world of Earthsea is so rich, textured, and well developed that it is hard to force yourself to leave it once the book is over. I know this is suppose to be a book for young adults but it doesn't read like a young adult book at all. The themes and topics addressed in the book really explore the universal state of humanity in a way that makes you think about your worldview. Even when surrounded by magic and dragons, Earthsea's epic story feels real.

After reading a lot of second rate books I hope Earthsea would be a whole new look on fantasy. It still came out a disappointment, the book is written a little to childish for me. Therefore I am disgusted now when people compare Orsula K. Le-Guin to J.R.R Tolkien, Robert Jordan or George R.R. Martin. Tolkien's, Jordan's and Martin's greatness strength's are detailed stories and worlds. Le-Guin's skills are stuck at a childish level in this book and not fully developed. (Her only excuse is that she was a women stuck in the 60's, and forced to waste her Sci-Fi talents this way).
My opinion might be skewed by the high praise this series got, ( given it was probably earth-shattering when it came out) It got a three because everyone will say "You haven't the series yet?"

A Wizard of Earthsea not only has a great characters but a great plot as well. Le Guin really spents time on telling about the characters and the scenery and i think it really gives a sense of understanding to the whole thing. The story of a young man growing to be more than he had expected more or less by accident is told throughout the entire earthsea series and this book starts the seires off greatly. I have loved Le Guin's books ever since i first pulled A Wizard of Earthsea of the dusty shelves of the library.

Until now, I haven't read a fantasy or SF book by LeGuin that I didn't like. And this one, I love too. I've got the sequels next to my bed, ready to be devoured at night.
I love the epical language (some people seem to have problems with that and the 'hard' words, but what are dictionaries for, and I am even Dutch, so English is my second language), the character development, the heroic view on how life should be.
I love the idea of the powers of magic as depicted in this book. So much more realistic and modest than Tolkien. It makes it much more powerful to me.
What strikes me in this book, as well in the books of Exile and Illusion of LeGuin, is her love for travel stories. The main character always goes on a big quest to find something, to accomplish a goal. And each time it is different, it is written so well that you feel that this next long journey is necessary for character and story development. It deepens the plot, it pictures a strange world that is still quite similar to ours. LeGuin's books are not for the 'heavy action lovers', where long battles occur.
Special as well is the development of the shadow that is unleashed by Geb. It develops into a real human being, it is it's own shadow, and it is finally united with Geb. It makes me think of Yin and Yang.

LeGuin creates a completely believable world reminiscient of the days when Viking pirates plundered European settlements. Earthsea is an archipelago of small and large islands, ruled by island kings threatened by seagoing marauders and the occasional dragon. It is a region still subject to the creative power which formed the islands out of the sea and still endows a few of its inhabitants with some degree of magical power. From amongst these some are drawn to train as fully fledged wizards on the island of Roke so as to serve the island kings or attend to woes of the island people.
Into this world the young rustic boy Ged is born with exceptional powers which after their initial wonder and excitement prove more of a burden to him and serve instead to separate him from his family and people. LeGuin writes an intriguing tale of the loneliness of power and the terrible consequences of our actions, even if it is unintentional or well-meaning.
LeGuin demonstrates clearly that she is one of the few writers who appreciates that power even of the magical kind has its own rules and limitations which may set us on a path which taxes us to our limits and may deprive of us of life's simpler pleasures and the gift of peace of mind. And so Ged discovers that simple pranks when dabbling in magic have fateful consequences which pursue him to the ends of his world and that a wizard is not the master of his world but very much its servant with his hands not only full but tied.
Why and how is explained carefully and ingeniously through the course of the three novels, teaching us why magicians deserve our respect and our pity.
But LeGuin can be merciful and Ged's lonely life finds unexpected peace and comfort in the concluding novel Tehanu.

The most exquisite book of fantasy ever written. You must have taste to truly appreciate how beautifully told this story is. Elegant and memorable, like a five star meal or a scent of rare perfume, it will linger in your mind for years to come. I first read it as a child, later as a college student, and as an adult I have revisited this novel, each time with renewed pleasure and admiration for the uncluttered beauty of this book. The author mercifully refrained from adding kitsch and characters ad infinitum without thought of future theme park possibilities or products to be placed or plastic replicas to be sold from here to eternity. A truly original tale as well, with nothing borrowed, overused, hackneyed or hijacked from countless cliches found in contemporary fantasy series that leave so little to the imagination. A true treasure.

I first read the book 9 years ago, I have never regretted it. Ursula K. le Guin uses a simple story to tell a realstic coming of age tale in a fantasy world of make believe. Sparrowhawk/Ged is shows a very simple human side that is seldom focused on in other books - Pride. The story centers on his pride and how because of it he loses something of himself. Later in life he finds the courage to face his mistake and regain that part of himeself which he lost through a moment of pride and folly.

While not as detailed or as ornate as THE LORD OF THE RINGS, LeGuin's Earthsea Cycle is considered among the finest of the Sword and Sorcery classics. A WIZARD OF EARTHSEA is the first book in the Cycle.

Ged, a young adolescent, is taken as apprentice by Ogion the Mage shortly after Ged's magical abilities manifest themselves. A difficult, awkward, vain but brilliant student, Ged is soon sent to the School For Wizards on Roke Island, where he summons up a spirit from the Dead on a bet. Due to his foolish and destructive motives, an evil shadow enters the world through the doorway Ged has created. Dedicated to undoing his evil act, Ged's quest becomes one to somehow find the shadow and master it.

Despite a very weak plotline that wanders from its path as far as does Ged, LeGuin's characters are memorable, and many of the scenes in A WIZARD OF EARTHSEA are enthralling, even though LeGuin spends too little time developing the historical and mythological backstories of Earthsea, and is sloppy with her invented language, Hardic. These flaws weaken the Cycle and keep it from the true greatness evident in the works of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and Katharine Kerr.

I reckon that the Earthsea books are the greatist books ever so far Ive read A Wizard of Earthsea, The Tombs of Atuan, The Farthest Shore and Tehanu three times non stop!I first discovered this amazing serries of books when I was given the Earthsea Quartet at first I looked at the size of it and thought "WHAT! I'm never going to be able to read somthing that big!" And I shoved it aside for a copple of months.Untill finally I decided that I would at least give it a try and read the whole thing. Well when I'd finished it I thought "Is that all plese god I hope that Ursula K. Le Guin is going to write more books to continue this sensational serries and decided to read the whole thing again and again. I just cant stop reading the Earthsea books over and over again! At times the book even had me crying for the character that had been lost (it even had me wishing that I was part of it!). tis is the greatist book ever with taking Dragons misterios shadows and heaps more!I think that these books are a must for every one and I hope that you have or will enjoy these breath taking books as much as I have. From Ruth Catriona Mary Higgins.

An almost unparalleled piece of fanatsy writing, beautifully rendered world in so few pages, many of todays supposedly great fantasy writers could take a few hints from Ursula. Her mythos is complete, the way magic works logical and the duality of that exsists in all life and death brilliantly written. The book is about Ged and his rite of passage from boy to powerful wizard. A journey of one facing his fears, of accepting them as part of who is....literally! A great read for young peaple and adults alike. Enjoy a truly magical piece of litreature.

Perhaps I've been spoiled with high-quality writing lately, but when I began reading Earthsea (which I was fully expecting to enjoy), I found myself waiting for the summary to end, and the story-telling to begin. This isn't a story so much as it is a summary of a story. The action moves at such a fast clip without giving any significant insight into the hero's feelings, which are kind of a big deal, don't you think? I could not connect with this story in any meaningful way. I'd heard wonderful things about Le Guin, so this was a major disappointment.

This book is about the coming of a very powerful wizard, named Ged. I read this book when I was a child, but I found it much more interesting as an adult. Le Guin creates a world with it's own definition of magic, where the highest power is commanding something by wielding its true name. one of Ged's classes is simply learning the names of everything, and I found this simple but powerful. Some people will compare this Harry Potter. Potter is more detailed and comprehensive while Earthsea is more thematic and brief. I recommend reading them both.

The Wizard of Earthsea was an incredibly difficult novel. Ged's coming of age story lacked the necessary pieces to form a great work of art. The lack of excitement and character development made for a tedious reading. Earthsea's stop and go, choppy presentation created even more difficulties. The climactic scenes were few and far between and without those couple of events, the book would have been a complete failure. The two main confrontation scenes held the most excitement and this enthrallment simply festered out of the need for action and longing for an interesting facet to this book.
Another fault within the confines of this book was the poor depiction of time. With all of the sea travel and moving around, the time frame seemed to extend to decades. It appeared to be much like an epic, extending over an incredible amount of time. However, in actuality the lapse was only a couple of years. There was only one instance where the time passed was given an amount. The time between the first encounter with the shadow and the running into Vetch towards the end of the novel was two years. In those two years, Ged had traveled far and encountered much, so much it seemed impossible that it had only been two years. For this reason, it was extremely difficult to give age, appearance or understanding to the character, Ged. The similarities between Earthsea and Harry Potter were amazing, however, Harry Potter was written well with character development and exciting, adrenaline-rushing scenes. Despite the similar aspects Earthsea fails to live up to Harry Potter or Tolkien's Lord of the Rings.

A Wizard of Earthsea was written by Ursula K. Le Guin. This book may have been interesting to kids but it wasn't interesting at all to me. Personally, I thought that this book was very hard to get through. Earthsea is the story of a young boy named Ged who seems to be climbing the ladder of becoming the greatest sorcerer ever. After discovering that he has some power, Ged goes on a quest of trying to see what else he has power to do. Ged was not satisfied with a few things he had to learn and do more. Ged starts off being a curious young boy who wants to learn every trick there is. Later on down the line his curiousty caused many problems for him. After reading the book, I realized that Ged didn't really know who he was and throughout the book he was trying to figure himself out.
This book isn't the worst but it isn't the best either. For all those readers who love fantasy, I would suggest this book. I like fastasy but not enough to really enjoy this book. I found this book so hard to get through that I'm not interested in reading the rest of the series.

A Wizard of Earthsea was a confusing read. This particular book was filled with many examples of courage and bravery. Ursula Le Guin used a creative mind when writing this book. Her amin charcter Ged was based on one with courage. Ursula Le Guin used this character to show a brillant example of bravery. This book showed how one faced their fear head on no matter what the consequences. Ged faced fear and uncertainty in its face.
Although I did enjoy this book and it was relatively short in read, I did find fault in Le Guin's use of names for her mystical places. I found it hard to focus or keep the names straight. The names were a little diffcult to comprehend and to remember which place was associated with the charcters. I do understand that the names of her places bring a sense of fantasy and mystery to the book, whereas the reader is pondering whether these places actually existed but again the titles of these places I found hard to remember.
I do give credit to Le Guin when it comes to her writing. She expressed herself and her ideal of bravery/courage by getting straight to the point. She did not let the story linger or draw it out which is good in some instances due to the fact taht some storyines you like for it to linger and take it's time to get to the point and you want it to take its time (e.g. romance novels.)
She got straight to the point and showed her example of what it means to have courage and be brave whatever the cost. I would recommend this book to other readers especially high school students who could always use an example of what is means to be courageous and brave.

I was forced to read this book for a literature elective and absolutely loved it. It is an awesome fantasy with a plot similar to Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde but utterly unique. Le Guin gives her world a feeling of everyday reality as well as believable fantasy elements. This is one of the few books that I have found in which wizards can't do everything. She sets limits on what her wizards are able to do and they are logical understandable boundaries. I certainly recomend this book. I kept my copy.

LeGuin creates a completely believable world reminiscient of the days when Viking pirates plundered European settlements. Earthsea is an archipelago of small and large islands, ruled by island kings threatened by seagoing marauders and the occasional dragon. It is a region still subject to the creative power which formed the islands out of the sea and still endows a few of its inhabitants with some degree of magical power. From amongst these some are drawn to train as fully fledged wizards on the island of Roke so as to serve the island kings or attend to woes of the island people.
Into this world the young rustic boy Ged is born with exceptional powers which after their initial wonder and excitement prove more of a burden to him and serve instead to separate him from his family and people. LeGuin writes an intriguing tale of the loneliness of power and the terrible consequences of our actions, even if it is unintentional or well-meaning.
LeGuin demonstrates clearly that she is one of the few writers who appreciates that power even of the magical kind has its own rules and limitations which may set us on a path which taxes us to our limits and may deprive of us of life's simpler pleasures and the gift of peace of mind. And so Ged discovers that simple pranks when dabbling in magic have fateful consequences which pursue him to the ends of his world and that a wizard is not the master of his world but very much its servant with his hands not only full but tied.
Why and how is explained carefully and ingeniously through the course of the three novels, teaching us why magicians deserve our respect and our pity.
But LeGuin can be merciful and Ged's lonely life finds unexpected peace and comfort in the concluding novel Tehanu.

The most exquisite book of fantasy ever written. You must have taste to truly appreciate how beautifully told this story is. Elegant and memorable, like a five star meal or a scent of rare perfume, it will linger in your mind for years to come. I first read it as a child, later as a college student, and as an adult I have revisited this novel, each time with renewed pleasure and admiration for the uncluttered beauty of this book. The author mercifully refrained from adding kitsch and characters ad infinitum without thought of future theme park possibilities or products to be placed or plastic replicas to be sold from here to eternity. A truly original tale as well, with nothing borrowed, overused, hackneyed or hijacked from countless cliches found in contemporary fantasy series that leave so little to the imagination. A true treasure.

I first read the book 9 years ago, I have never regretted it. Ursula K. le Guin uses a simple story to tell a realstic coming of age tale in a fantasy world of make believe. Sparrowhawk/Ged is shows a very simple human side that is seldom focused on in other books - Pride. The story centers on his pride and how because of it he loses something of himself. Later in life he finds the courage to face his mistake and regain that part of himeself which he lost through a moment of pride and folly.

While not as detailed or as ornate as THE LORD OF THE RINGS, LeGuin's Earthsea Cycle is considered among the finest of the Sword and Sorcery classics. A WIZARD OF EARTHSEA is the first book in the Cycle.

Ged, a young adolescent, is taken as apprentice by Ogion the Mage shortly after Ged's magical abilities manifest themselves. A difficult, awkward, vain but brilliant student, Ged is soon sent to the School For Wizards on Roke Island, where he summons up a spirit from the Dead on a bet. Due to his foolish and destructive motives, an evil shadow enters the world through the doorway Ged has created. Dedicated to undoing his evil act, Ged's quest becomes one to somehow find the shadow and master it.

Despite a very weak plotline that wanders from its path as far as does Ged, LeGuin's characters are memorable, and many of the scenes in A WIZARD OF EARTHSEA are enthralling, even though LeGuin spends too little time developing the historical and mythological backstories of Earthsea, and is sloppy with her invented language, Hardic. These flaws weaken the Cycle and keep it from the true greatness evident in the works of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and Katharine Kerr.

I reckon that the Earthsea books are the greatist books ever so far Ive read A Wizard of Earthsea, The Tombs of Atuan, The Farthest Shore and Tehanu three times non stop!I first discovered this amazing serries of books when I was given the Earthsea Quartet at first I looked at the size of it and thought "WHAT! I'm never going to be able to read somthing that big!" And I shoved it aside for a copple of months.Untill finally I decided that I would at least give it a try and read the whole thing. Well when I'd finished it I thought "Is that all plese god I hope that Ursula K. Le Guin is going to write more books to continue this sensational serries and decided to read the whole thing again and again. I just cant stop reading the Earthsea books over and over again! At times the book even had me crying for the character that had been lost (it even had me wishing that I was part of it!). tis is the greatist book ever with taking Dragons misterios shadows and heaps more!I think that these books are a must for every one and I hope that you have or will enjoy these breath taking books as much as I have. From Ruth Catriona Mary Higgins.

An almost unparalleled piece of fanatsy writing, beautifully rendered world in so few pages, many of todays supposedly great fantasy writers could take a few hints from Ursula. Her mythos is complete, the way magic works logical and the duality of that exsists in all life and death brilliantly written. The book is about Ged and his rite of passage from boy to powerful wizard. A journey of one facing his fears, of accepting them as part of who is....literally! A great read for young peaple and adults alike. Enjoy a truly magical piece of litreature.

Perhaps I've been spoiled with high-quality writing lately, but when I began reading Earthsea (which I was fully expecting to enjoy), I found myself waiting for the summary to end, and the story-telling to begin. This isn't a story so much as it is a summary of a story. The action moves at such a fast clip without giving any significant insight into the hero's feelings, which are kind of a big deal, don't you think? I could not connect with this story in any meaningful way. I'd heard wonderful things about Le Guin, so this was a major disappointment.

This book is about the coming of a very powerful wizard, named Ged. I read this book when I was a child, but I found it much more interesting as an adult. Le Guin creates a world with it's own definition of magic, where the highest power is commanding something by wielding its true name. one of Ged's classes is simply learning the names of everything, and I found this simple but powerful. Some people will compare this Harry Potter. Potter is more detailed and comprehensive while Earthsea is more thematic and brief. I recommend reading them both.

The Wizard of Earthsea was an incredibly difficult novel. Ged's coming of age story lacked the necessary pieces to form a great work of art. The lack of excitement and character development made for a tedious reading. Earthsea's stop and go, choppy presentation created even more difficulties. The climactic scenes were few and far between and without those couple of events, the book would have been a complete failure. The two main confrontation scenes held the most excitement and this enthrallment simply festered out of the need for action and longing for an interesting facet to this book.
Another fault within the confines of this book was the poor depiction of time. With all of the sea travel and moving around, the time frame seemed to extend to decades. It appeared to be much like an epic, extending over an incredible amount of time. However, in actuality the lapse was only a couple of years. There was only one instance where the time passed was given an amount. The time between the first encounter with the shadow and the running into Vetch towards the end of the novel was two years. In those two years, Ged had traveled far and encountered much, so much it seemed impossible that it had only been two years. For this reason, it was extremely difficult to give age, appearance or understanding to the character, Ged. The similarities between Earthsea and Harry Potter were amazing, however, Harry Potter was written well with character development and exciting, adrenaline-rushing scenes. Despite the similar aspects Earthsea fails to live up to Harry Potter or Tolkien's Lord of the Rings.

A Wizard of Earthsea was written by Ursula K. Le Guin. This book may have been interesting to kids but it wasn't interesting at all to me. Personally, I thought that this book was very hard to get through. Earthsea is the story of a young boy named Ged who seems to be climbing the ladder of becoming the greatest sorcerer ever. After discovering that he has some power, Ged goes on a quest of trying to see what else he has power to do. Ged was not satisfied with a few things he had to learn and do more. Ged starts off being a curious young boy who wants to learn every trick there is. Later on down the line his curiousty caused many problems for him. After reading the book, I realized that Ged didn't really know who he was and throughout the book he was trying to figure himself out.
This book isn't the worst but it isn't the best either. For all those readers who love fantasy, I would suggest this book. I like fastasy but not enough to really enjoy this book. I found this book so hard to get through that I'm not interested in reading the rest of the series.

A Wizard of Earthsea was a confusing read. This particular book was filled with many examples of courage and bravery. Ursula Le Guin used a creative mind when writing this book. Her amin charcter Ged was based on one with courage. Ursula Le Guin used this character to show a brillant example of bravery. This book showed how one faced their fear head on no matter what the consequences. Ged faced fear and uncertainty in its face.
Although I did enjoy this book and it was relatively short in read, I did find fault in Le Guin's use of names for her mystical places. I found it hard to focus or keep the names straight. The names were a little diffcult to comprehend and to remember which place was associated with the charcters. I do understand that the names of her places bring a sense of fantasy and mystery to the book, whereas the reader is pondering whether these places actually existed but again the titles of these places I found hard to remember.
I do give credit to Le Guin when it comes to her writing. She expressed herself and her ideal of bravery/courage by getting straight to the point. She did not let the story linger or draw it out which is good in some instances due to the fact taht some storyines you like for it to linger and take it's time to get to the point and you want it to take its time (e.g. romance novels.)
She got straight to the point and showed her example of what it means to have courage and be brave whatever the cost. I would recommend this book to other readers especially high school students who could always use an example of what is means to be courageous and brave.

I was forced to read this book for a literature elective and absolutely loved it. It is an awesome fantasy with a plot similar to Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde but utterly unique. Le Guin gives her world a feeling of everyday reality as well as believable fantasy elements. This is one of the few books that I have found in which wizards can't do everything. She sets limits on what her wizards are able to do and they are logical understandable boundaries. I certainly recomend this book. I kept my copy.

I really enjoyed the premise of this book. It felt so big and unexplored/mysterious. The world it took place in was a nice change--being islands in the sea rather than mainly on land.

It moved along at a steady (slow) pace, with only a few parts that made me excited.

But the best part in this story was the ending by far. I loved how the conflict was solved, so well done, with a message that resonated with me for a while.

I'm not a big fan of fantasy literature, but this book was really good. I had to read it for my english class in college. Like I said, im not a fan of fantasy so I may not know what to look for when reading these type of books but the characters were so human-like even with all the powers they possesed, that was what kept me reading. I found it to be highly enjoyable and I recommend it to people that may be skeptical about fantasy novels.

I first read "A Wizard of Earthsea" when it was first published - and I was only ten years old. I enjoyed the story, but missed much of Ms. leGuin's subtley and deeper meanings. I later returned to it and found in it a quiet sense of wonder which was deeply satisfying. The world of the book is consistent and the reader will be startled by how much seems familiar in this fantasy Archipelago. But beware - the "fantasy" label may not preapre you for the author's insights into good, evil, the nature of adulthood and the need for self-acceptance. If you are a parent, this is an excellent book for a pre-teen child. If you are an adult, you may find a renewal of the wonder you had before you became a "grown up." "A Wizard of Earthsea" easily ranks among my top ten most influential books - and it is the one I give most often as a gift.

I love this book for it's simple style and sparing, but evocative use of description.

HOWEVER....
The style is not typical of most other books in the genre, so I think it will be more helpful for some of you to hear why you may not like it.

This book does not read like other popular books in the genre like Robert Jordan's the Wheel of Time series, the Dragon Lance books, David Eddings, Raymond E. Feist, Tad Williams, etc. Comparatively, I think some people may find it slow and boring.

Description is minimal. Readers who need/enjoy a lot of description may have trouble with his book.

Characterization is minimal. Little time is spent explaining the feelings and motivations of the characters.

Action is minimal. Readers who desire a lot of classic swords and sorcery action with lengthy blow-by-blow descriptions of battles and wizards who wield fire and ice may be disappointed with this book.

The cast is minimal, and some will find the characters bland compared to those in the books mentioned above. Character interaction is minimal. There are no romances, no intrigues, no wars, no subplots.

So BE WARNED! While this book is one of my favorites, I do not consider myself a typical reader of the genre. In the past I loved everything swords and sorcery and was happy to read many novels I consider to be lousy today (such as the books mentioned above). This is one of the few books in the genre I still enjoy.

This is basically when Ged meets the mage and is taken to his castle and becomes his prentice. After the Kargs tried to hurt the village people that where Ged lived at and everyone tried to flee. His aunt taught him different kinds of powers here also. He used some of those powers to make some fog go away and almost died but the mage saved him and he became his. Ogion also gave Ged his name which was first Sparrow hawk.
This brings me to chapter two. This is when of course Ged is now with the mage and is living with him as his prentice but wonders about it because the mage hasn't taught him any powers. He meets a new girl and she asks him to turn himself into another form and he runs home to look through hidden book to do the spell and the mage catches him and tells him that the girl was probably a witch. Ged confesses about what is troubling him and the mage asks him if he wants to leave or go to Roke and he chooses Roke! The mage is also known as Ogion.
Chapter three and four are when Ged has arrived in Roke now and he goes to live with the Archmage Nemmerle. He is now there and he meets his friends Vetch and Jasper. They try to get him to do spells but he gets upset because he can only do illusions. This is a kind of turning point. It was spring time and Ged was studying with the Master patterner in the secrecy of the immanent grove. He didn't see his friends much. This is a time when he starts to become mad with jasper. He was sent home by the master and at the little party. Jasper was getting a lot of shine which made Ged very upset and Jealous.
Chapter five and six are very interesting because Vetch and Jasper tried to get Ged to do some crazy and dangerous magic. Bring a dead person back to life. Ged did it and he brought back an evil force. A woman, she tried to kill him and everyone. Ged created a magewind to help move the ship. After that Ged traveled to Oskhill to go to court of the Terrenon to get a sword to fight shadows with. The Gebbeth escaped by going through a door of some kind.
This part of the book gets very good because Ged awakes in a big bed and Hoeg was gone. Ged met a woman names Serret which was the wife of Benderesk. Ged refused to touch the stone and speak to it because it can work great evil. Serret wanted Ged to talk to the stone. Ged escaped successfully from the creatures of the Stone. Ogion gave Ged some advice, he said go back to the place where he was harmed. Read the rest! You will enjoy it!
So this brings me to the end of the book, there is more I can say but I want to make this short. My group liked this book very much. We recommend it if you like the Harry Potter series. It's an easy book to read and it keeps you wanting more. We recommend this book to ages 13-16. Enjoy!

I decided to read this book after a few recomedations. I am glad I did. The characters were great, and it was nice to be able to read a book and the references made to herbs, and plants, and certain rules of magick to ring true. Too often a writer is afraid of being persecuted due to the realistic tone of the book. I praise this author for not being one of them. The book has good plots and great characters. I recomend to any who likes authors such as Tolkien, Brooks and Fiest

After reading many bloated fantasy novels, it is refreshing to pick up the classic a Wizard of Earthsea. I was debating between giving this novel 3 or 4 stars, only because at times I wished Le Guin had gone into more detail in the journey of Ged. She's created a believable and rich world, and has made me want to pick up book 2.

I chose this book a long time ago for a school report. And suprisingly, liked it. I still remember the story, though it's a vague image by now.
The story of a young boy getting deeper into forbidden secrets and magics, until finally he unleashes an evil shadow. More philosophical than action packed, more thought provoking and concentration required than most fantasy novels. This is the first in the Wizard of Earthsea quartet.
Leguin writes with an abstract quality that makes the reader know the story as a WHOLE never in part. A style that fascinated me at the time - and still does. Like a giant jigsaw puzzle, the more you read the greater the picture. But you can never *see* what and where that single piece fits in. Though I kept searching, I never did find the rest of the series.

I give credit to Ursula for imanginative and creative scenerios of writing in this book, but must say I didn't enjoy reading it. I read this book in English last year and found the plot very hard to follow. This was not only my opinion, but the opinion of 30 other students. This book is definately not a page turner. I would only recommend this book to those of you who have very open imaginations, LOVE fantasy, and have the time to sit down and carefully read this book.

Ursula K. Le Guin has written one of the greatest stories in fantasy literature. As the first book of the Earthsea cycle, A Wizard of Earthsea has such imagery that pulled me into the the imaginary world of dragons, wizards, and the balance between good and evil. I thought that this book would be the same as the Harry Potter books, but with a twist of the Middle Ages, I was excited to find out where the story would lead.

The main characters had so much tension that you can understand what they were feeling. For example, when Ged was being criticized by Jasper that he was better than Ged, He wanted so much to embarrass Jasper in front of everyone by beating him in a duel. As the tension between them got darker, Ged would not resist any longer and do the unthinkable thing to strengthen his reputation and put the world in chaos.

Ursula K. Le Guin tells a story of a young man who finds himself by learning from his mistakes and how he mastered the powerful words of sorcery, tamed an ancient dragon, and restores the balance of good and evil by putting his life on the line.

A young man named Sparrowhawk would be known as Ged, the greatest sorcerer in all of Earthsea, but until the then he is a troubled young man who was anxious for power and knowledge. He meddled with forbidden secrets and set loose a terrible shadow upon the world of Earthsea. Now he must face the consequences and learn the most valuable thing in being a great wizard.

I would recommend anyone who likes a magnificent sci-fi fantasy, to read this first book of the Earthsea Cycle and the next three books of the Earthsea Cycle.

The book, A Wizard of Earthsea, was a good book, but it is kind of hard to understand at first, but as you get farther into the book, it is easier to understand. I like the part where he sets the evil shadow into the world, and when he finally captures it by a clever plan. He also has a very nice friend, Estarriol, who helps him after he releases the evil shadow into the world, and he went with him when he went to capture it, even though Ged didn't want him to go with him.

Easily the best of this series of books. A Wizard of Earthsea is the story of a young boy named Ged, who becomes a wizard.

Earthsea is a world of island archipelagoes, so a lot of boating and shipping goes on. Everything has a public name and a secret name, as knowing the names of things can give them power.

Ged, or Sparrowhawk must master magic, fight demons, and work out what his role is in life.

This book was amazing. I enjoyed it a lot. It is not a hard read and it has a great story. But what I liked most about it was how it made you ask questions about yourself. This book struggles with inner fear that everyone faces and how to overcome it. When I read it, I had to think a lot. The book helped me to understand that everyone has a battle between good and evil within themselves. Everyone has to fight this battle at least once in his or hers life. For Ged it took him many years, thousands of miles, and dozens of fights to understand what he was fighting. But from reading this book I also learned what I was fighting.

This book not only lets you ask yourself a lot of hard questions, but also let you understand fantasy better. After reading this I could remember multiple books that had major similarities taken from this book. This book influenced many authors when they wrote their books, or just has a very popular concept of magic. But either way, it was a classic fantasy that I will never forget.

Hmm, an orphan boy discovers he is a wizard and goes off to wizard school where he becomes the most powerful wizard of his age. What a neat story idea, and Ursula K Le Guin beat J K Rowling to it by about thirty years. Fear not, while Ged and Harry Potter form an interesting parallel, there's no rip-off here.

To tell you the truth, I don't really like fantasy audiobooks that much, but there are always exceptions. I was drawn to Le Guin's EarthSea series because I heard someone compare it to Tolkien's Lord of the Rings. It seems to me that LeGuin was influenced by Tolkien, but no one can measure up to him and I don't think it's a fair comparison. What I enjoyed about A Wizard of Earthsea was getting a more in-depth look at wizards in general. Tolkien didn't delve into wizardry very deeply and I was curious to know more.

Did someone say Lord of the Rings? Well, as a matter of fact, Rob Inglis did narrate Tolkien's audiobooks. He did an excellent job with A Wizard of Earthsea just as he did on LOTR. I enjoy his deeply mellow voice, and his mild British accent. Rob Inglis adds an air of sophistication to any audiobook he reads.

Those who like wizards and dragons will no doubt enjoy A Wizard of Earthsea, but do yourself a favor; don't try to make any comparisons until after you read the audiobook.

I have nothing to add to the glowing reviews that already make up the body of this catalogue. This book made the same sort of impression on me as a child that the Bible, Torah or Koran might make on a religious person. It is, in my opinion, a superior example of flawless storytelling and I cannot praise it highly enough.

Buy two- one for yourself and one to give to someone you love deeply.

The Wizard of Earthsea is an incrediable story which details the adventures of the young magic-user named Ged. Through many dangers, toils, and snares, Ged discovers he has a powerful gift for magic, and leaves to study at the ancient school of magic on Roke island. But when he accepts a challenge from a fellow student, he releases a deadly shadow from the netherworld, and must journey the earth to battle its dark power and seal it away forever. This story gives you a sence of the medieval past, when the world was filled with mystery and adventure. The story of Ged is one that both children and adults can enjoy for years to come.

Before I go into details, a simple statement. I ranked the book a five. It deserves it. Phenomenal book, phenomenal story.

Here we go, the strengths: She is a phenomenal writer and is able to entrap the reader in the story. As I read, the personal conflicts and complexity of her characters was amazing. You get to feel for their struggle and understand it intimately. This is a classic book and a wonderful read.

My only criticism is simple, I wanted more. The writer has a wonderful ability to describe the surroundings and situations, but I felt wanting to know more about the character and the situation. Sometimes, it felt like the story jumped from one point to another without a clear connection. None the less, it is an awesome book, worth reading. My criticism stems from wanting to know more about the world she created. Which is a reflection of the authors writing and storytelling ability.

I read this book in about 3 days, on and off, and I was so inspired by it. It wasn't my first fantasy book, but it made me want to read more and more of the genre (despite my decision to read all fantasy series years ago). It is so exciting to read this book. I read it at age 13, and am saddened to think I hadn't read it earlier. It has all of the elements of a fantasy book, but is written better than most. It doesn't overkill with words like Terry Brooks (whose writing I do love, especially Shannara) or say too little. You love the technique (Le Guin is the best female fantasy/science fiction writer in the world, in my opinion). I can't describe the feeling you have towards Duny/Sparrowhawk/Ged, and are saddened when it ends after, what, 160 pages? That is the only downside: This book is so short. At least there are 5 others in the series, though. This is a piece of literature that every elementary school student should read. I am happy to say I will introduce this to my nephews/nieces when they grow up. It will be worth it for them.
Darn it, this review made me want to read it again. I knew that would happen....

This book is one of my favorite fantasy books. Of course it all comes down to personal taste, but to give you an idea I'd rank this similar to:

Weis and Hickman - Dragon Lance / Death Gate

Lloyd Alexander - Chronicles of Prydain

The series as a whole is quite different from most other fantasy series though. After the first book, they are more thoughtfully written. Possibly intended for a slightly older audience, but still quite good. The first book though is up there with the hobbit and the lord of the rings.

I first read this book two years ago when i was 22 and away on holiday with my fiance. It is one of his favourite books, and he has read the whole series time and again. I enjoy reading all types of literature, although science-fiction and fantasy books are my favourite. I have always favoured sci-fi, especially Asimov and Clarke, and my fiance fantasy, particularly Tolkien and Le Guin. This book, along with The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings, have made me as passionate about fantasy as sci-fi.
The book works on many levels, as a good story, as escapism, as a gateway to an incredible fantasy land, and as something far deeper. The story is thought-provoking and compelling, rich and meaningful. The book examines how we consider ourselves and the world around us. What is our real self ? What are we capable of ? How do our actions influence the world around us ? How do the names that we apply to objects affect how we view and understand them ?
A brilliant book that i would recommend to anyone of any age. I think its ridiculous that great literature such as this, The Hobbit, Lord of the Rings, Alice in Wonderland, C.S. Lewis, and so on get classified as "childrens books". They are books for everyone with imagination, who enjoys good story-telling, and interesting and unusual characters. They are tales which leave strong images for years after reading, which make you want to go back to read again and again, which offer something new each time they are read, which make you want to tell other people about them, which enthrall and inspire you, which leave you with plenty to think and talk about, and which push back the boundaries of your thoughts and imagination.

With a limitation of five stars maximum, I cannot possibly give this story all the credit it diserves.
I am a dedicated fanatic of Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings" which I devoured nearly four years ago in third grade. So far, I've seen nothing but the Harry Potter series come even close to those three marvelous books and "The Hobbit." I was very pleasantly surprised upon readin this book.
LeGuin starts by introducing the child Duny, called Sparrowhawk, who has some very remarkable abilities. When Duny is given his true name, Ged, by Ogion the mage, he becomes his prentice, and is eager to learn the ways of magic.
Eventually, he comes to Roke, and becomes a student in a school for magic. He befriends a kindly boy called Vetch, but also makes a great enemy -- Jasper. Ged, proud and thirsting for power, attempts to outdo his rival by attempting a very dangerous piece of magic...raising a spirit from the dead. In doing so, he accidentally unleashes a deadly and mysterious shadow into the world. Although he is nearly killed during his first encounter with it, Ged knows it is up to him alone to destroy the unnamed evil he has leashed upon the world.
This first book of Earthsea is about Ged's passage from boyhood into adulthood, his mastery of magic, and the journey he undertook to restore Equilibrium to Earthsea.

Storytelling never loses its place at the forefront of this, the first book of the Earthsea Trilogy. This series has always been one of my favorites ever since I read it. Ms. Le Guin creates a believable world with characters that ring true on every page and the way she discusses and develops the importance of language and words in these novels is not only unique but powerful. Please read this series. You will not regret it.

I first read the original Earthsea trilogy over 20 years ago, and it has stood the test of time. If you like your fantasy with action, this will not be your cup of tea…but LeGuin is a master and a unique voice. The best part is that the books keep getting better and more moving. Read this so that you can get to Tehanu, which I think is one of the best books ever written about the nature and meaning of love.

If you are reading this book for your Harry Potter fix, you will find next to no similarities. Yes, the main character is a young wizard and he does spend time in a wizard school, but that is where the similarities end. This story is more serious and told more like a fable and has none of the fun, sometimes whimsical nature of a Potter story.

I enjoyed the story and it was over before it even got started coming in at a thin 196 pages in paperback. Alot of Ged's life is breezed over, sometimes covering years in a paragraph or 2. About halfway through the story, you know pretty much how it will end and it seems to drag out the inevitable with a very short final conflict.

The world Le Guin creates is a huge island based realm with boats and water in abundance. Magic is ubiquitous and wizards are highly respected members of society. I was drawn into the story by the legends and lore as well as fantasy elements like dragons, but didn't care much at all for any of the characters who are never given much depth.

Maybe in the 60's this book was a breath of fresh air in the fantasy world, but it just doesn't hold up over time to current books with much better drawn characters, more fantasic worlds and more engrossing plots.

Le Quin takes the reader through the magical powers of a young
boy name Ged. He is a young boy who is born with exceptional
powers. He is trained to become a wizard with all the powers he
have, but his pride becomes over him.Through the trials and
tribulations Le Quin carries the reader through the fears he
faces in the aspects of his life. Ged becomes to hungry for
power and knowledge that he lets out the birth of the shadow
with the tremendous amount of pride he has. He masters the words
of power to maintain his balance throughout the end of the book.
I think Le Quin did an O.K. job on this book, but I think it
could have been a lot more intesting. I didn't find a lot of
interest in the beginning of the book, because the beginning was
at a very slow pace. After reading a few chapters the book
became a better interest to me. Eventually the pace of this book
becomes a lot faster and interesting after you get through the first
few chapter. I advise anyone to read this book because it is a very
interesting book that focus on the setting on a island and begins with
a young boy with extreme powers that is hungry for knowledge.

Book on which two movies have been made thus far. Fantasy book on in a series about a wizard and his school. Thru misuse of magic a shadow is freed into the world. Excellent for cause and effect. Easy for reader to spend the day lost in the world of Earthsea.

The series of Earthsea is great! I enjoyed the first book one of my teacher lent me, and now I'm working on the third, having completely enjoyed the second. I love Ursula K. Le Guin's writing and have fallen in love with the Earthsea series. I plan to read the rest of the books in the series and move onto her other books. I recommend you buy this book, but I must warn you, you're going to get hooked on it!

This series of books is phenomenal. Much like the popular Harry Potter books, they're written at a young-adult level. The difference, though, is that the plot, characters, and magic is much more dark and mature. I recommend the Earthsea books to everyone I can; you won't regret reading them. I think one or more also won the Nebula Award. Go get it!

It has been years since I finished reading the science fiction book "The Legends of Earthsea" by Ursula K. Le Guin. There is nothing at all to complain about when describing this book. If I can remember it from 3 years ago and be able to discuss it today, then that proves it's a good book in my opinion. It is my most favorite book of all time up to date.

"The legends of Earthsea" is about a young boy named Ged who lives in a small village on the isle of Gont. Ged does not like his lifestyle on the island at all, because all he does is help his father smith. Ged knows that his abilities far exceed that of a mere smither, because he continuously has visions. These visions show a girl in a dark labyrinth, and she is running away. Ged has no idea what this means, but he knows that he has special abilities.

Ogion, a wizard that resides on Gont, advises Ged that maybe he should go to the isle of Roke. Roke has a school for people with wizard-like abilities, and only accepts those who have specially written recommendations from Arch Maguses. When Ged gets there, he becomes quick friends with Veg, a student who has enrolled there. However, he is also challenged, challenged to a duel in wizardry, by Jasper. In this challenge, Jasper says that Ged could never summon a spirit if his life depended on it. However, his life would have been much better off he did not summon one. Ged summons a dark spirit and releases it into the world.

Throughout the book, Veg and Ged seek the demon, flee from the demon, and seek it again. Ged knows that the only way to defeat Debith is to confront it and speak its true name.

The story line of this story is good because it always leads you along on the hunt. It's a story that takes you with Ged on his journey to defeat the Debith, and as he does this, he learns many lessons and skills along the way. From sailing across many oceans, to evading the wrath of dragons, Ged travels all over earthsea for the answer he needs to defeat this evil he has released.

I would recommend this book to everybody because this is not a boring book at all! Also, read the entire trilogy, because it gets better after the first book, much better.

I am writing from the perspective of a working magician, that is, one who actually *uses* magic as Ged does (though not nearly in such a flashy manner!). :-) This set of books is one of the few works of fiction that I have ever read which accurately conveys the *feel* of what magic is really about. It is rich, deep and well worth the time of a serious reader, as well as being a great read for someone looking for entertainment. The previous comments about the descent into the subconscious and the search for the Anima (etc.) are welcome insights to carry during my frequent re-readings. As true and important in its own way as Dione Fortune's The Sea Priestess and Moon Magic for its sensible treatment of real magic. [And it isn't about the spells described in the book or the (quote)language of the Dragons(unquote)that I'm talking about.] Thank you Ursula.

A Wizard of EarthSea is one of the first fantasy novels written. She wrote around the same time that J.R.R. Tolkien and Roger Zelazney, founders of the fantasty genre, wrote. This book is written on a lower level of reading as like those found in the young adult/teen section of a library or Barnes and Noble bookstore. Even still, I respect it because it was one of the first fantasy novels, and the modern so-called fantasy novels are really just copies and imitations of what has already been written. This is a series of, I believe, five books. It has some good ideas that could be used in a comprehensive background of magic and its properties. One such idea is that everything has a true name in the Old Speech. This idea is the basis of illusion. If a rock seemingly turns into a diamond, its essence, so to speak, or true name is still a rock. The 'diamond' is an illusion. Overall, this book is entertaining and has a lot of good ideas about magic and heroes, but it is written on a lower level of reading and I wasn't thrilled with the plot. It does have well-done maps and an interesting world in which Sparrowhawk, or his true name/Old Speech name: Ged, travels. It is complete with different cultures and languages. le Guin deserves to be recognized as another founder of fantasty, although I don't believe she is as good as the two stated earlier in the paragraph.

I thought A Wizard of Earthsea was a great book. It was THE fantasy book to read. It was full of magic, action,and friendship. The theme of the story was that you shoudn't be arrogant. I'd recommend this book to anyone, ecspecially people who like fantasy.

(If you think you're intrested in reading it, check out my overview)

A Wizard of Earthsea was about a boy named Ged. At birth, he was gifted with extraordinary powers. At the age of 13, he crossed into manhood and was taken as the prentice of the Wizard Ogion. Ged decided that he would rather go to a school of wizardry, so he went to school on the island of Roke. After about a year on Roke, Ged challenged an older boy to a duel. Thinking that he could surpass what the others said he couldn't do, Ged attempted to raise a spirit from the dead. In doing so, he failed and loosened a "shadow" of neither the realm of the living nor realm of the dead. It is now Ged's duty to rid the world of it--before it rids the world of him.

Ursula Le Guin is the daughter of Alfred Kroeber, an anthropologist, and Theodora Kroeber, a psychologist and writer. It's easy and accurate to say that her parents' interests inform her brilliant writing, and that cultural anthrpology and Jungian psychology are at the core of Wizard of Earthsea and its three sequels.
But the book isn't a treatise. It's a wonderful, well-told story of a young man, Ged, coming of age in a world where words can have the power of magic and dragons are as real as earthquakes. There is nothing didactic about this story; Le Guin's writing is compelling and her characters are vivid: Ogion, the Mage of Silence, whose word had stilled an earthquake; Vetch, who helps Ged on a deadly quest for no reason but friendship; Murre, Vetch's sister; Yevaud, the dragon of Pendor; and Skiorh, possessed by a gebbeth.
Earthsea doesn't exist in a vacuum. Le Guin constructs a deep and textured history, and her characters act in ways that are consistent with that world. She manages the trick of writing a mythic tale without falling into the traps and foibles of sounding like you are trying.
The climax is straight from Carl Jung, but you don't need to know Carl Jung from Steve Young to appreciate it.
From time to time, religious groups call for this book to be banned from school libraries, claiming it promotes witchcraft. Nonsense. This is a book every teenager should read. It speaks to self-understanding, nothing more.
And some feminists criticize Le Guin because Ged is a male character. Again, nonsense, Ged is an archetype, and his gender matters not at all.
This is an important book. It's also terrific fun. Highly recommended.

I've read this book myself as a teen and now have read it to my children as an adult. What I loved about this book/series my children now share in kind. Thought provoking with a gripping story line that has my children asking for one more chapter and then want to talk about the possibilities and things that were said in the story itself. I am thankful for a book of depth such as this in a "sea" of shallow water stories. Great read!

Ursula Le Guin knows how to write about wizards and dragons in such a way that your imagination lives in her words. This is a gift not many authors have and some readers are not aware of. This is a book to read before you die.

Well, it sems that this is one of those books you either love or hate.
Personnally (and you may be able to tell from the rating!) I think that Ged, and the world Ursula Le Guin created is one of the best I have ever read.
Tehanu was not the greatest, but the Wizard of Earthsea was a fantatastic story, showing the samll details, and the story was not an end-of-the-world type, just the posible end if Ged's world.
Tolkien, Feist, Jordan etc follow the dramtic (ie. global) picture when writing, guin wrote a story from a more intimate perspective, and for that we can only applaud her vision.
everyone who likes fantasy must read this!

REVIEW From my 11 yr. old son: This was an awesome book with lot's of mystical things.I liked all the magic that young Sparrowhawk got to learn.When he tried to outdo his rival he released the worst thing in the world ,his own arrogance. He went to learn wizardry from the best wizardry school in the world so he could defeat it.This is a world where names are powerful and useful.

I know it's listed under "young adult," but this is a book anyone can enjoy. The characters are unforgetable and full of personality, and the story sucks you right in from the very beginning.

...and if you're convinced the book is anything like the lousy SciFi movie version, shame on you. If you watched that tripe, please do yourself a favor and read the book... don't worry, the story & plot haven't been ruined for you.

I read this first twenty years ago. Consider, how much we change each year as a child. Imagine then how marvellous it is that the same book can reach out to a child and then an adult, and bring fresh beauty with each reading.

I recommend this to young and old. You will find strong lean prose to embrace, timeless truths, and a story that is as ragged, raw, and natural as a dragon.

It took me several renewals at the library to finish this book. It takes forever to get started, and I really didn't like the main character (and he had too many names to keep track of). But Le Guin's writing is beautiful to read, so I kept at it, and the story improved steadily. You can see where JK Rowling got the idea for Harry Potter--straight from this book. The magic is very well defined and limited (a must for fantasy/magic). The tension in the was tight--when it happened finally--and there was a sound message with subtle symbolism (the yew tree and yew staff) below the surface in a Tolkien way--often missing in contemporary fantasy.

This is a must-have for any library, it only misses the fifth star because it failed to hook me into reading it straight through.

When I first read this book I was blown away by the power that Ursula K. LeGuin put into it. I found the characters very appealing and real. Also I enjoyed how fast the story was. The characters did not spend a lot of time on useless talk or stupid love affairs. It was straight to the point of the matter. It is a high fantasy classic that deserves to be shared with all. Ms. LeGuin rates up there with such authors as Tolkein and Anne McCaffrey. I'll never need to read another fantasy as long as I live. In A Wizard of Earthsea I have found the perfect one!!

I think this book is a great trilogy because it is filled with adventure and excitement. This book actually makes you feel like you are there with the characters inside the story. I would recommend this book to kids between the ages of eleven to eighteen.
Ged was once known as Sparrowhawk in his youth. He was the greatest known wizard of all of Earthsea. He was a reckless child that was hungry for power and knowledge. One day he learned of a life-long held secret and had loosened a shadow upon Earthsea.
He also tamed an ancient dragon because the city was afraid of the dragons were coming to eat their life stock. They were starving because they had not eaten for years. When the shadow was loosened it was going to conquer everything until Ged found a way to defeat the shadow.

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 the back of his mind. His emotions are real, his development as a human being is real, but he never seems to conjure up any sort of lasting, memorable personality. None of the characters excel very much, from Ged's master to his kind-of sort-of love interest, except for maybe his best friend. Don't be expecting the likes of Frodo, Aragorn, or Gandalf from Earthsea.

However, the world is brilliant, and as a high fantasy adventure it certainly captivates. The system of magic Le Guin creates for her universe is intuitive and frightening - everything has a very, very real price, and the best mages are those who scarcely use magic. The beasts, from island-sized dragons to lovable (if violent) dog-rat familiars, are exemplary and the world they inhabit lives and breathes with them.

This book is worth reading, definitely - but it could be better. The ending alone makes it a worthwhile read.

Let me start by saying that I'm 36 years old and have been a voracious reader since early childhood. That said, I still love the "Wizard of Earthsea" series. These books (especially the first and the third) really have something for everyone... children, teenagers and adults alike. LeGuin is a master at alliteration (if you don't know what that is, look it up), which gives every sentence a dreamlike, poetic quality. These books are not "adrenaline pumpers" but mature, thoughtful high fantasy written in the spare but beautifully poetic style of Hemingway. I'm very pleased to see that the Earthsea series is still being introduced to kids and teens these days.

A Wizard of Earthsea caught me off guard. I plan to teach in the high school in a couple of years and it really took me a while to get into this book. However, I noticed that Ursula LeGuinn is very descriptive and my goal was to figure out what my students would get out of this book. There are many morals to the story. Ged, the main character, has to find something that makes him who he is. He finds himself through magic and the meaning of his name. This is good, but it can take the reader a while to realize what the story is about. When reading the book in the beginning I thought it to be very boring and didn't see a reason to encourage anyone to read it because I was focused on what was where and how it might have looked. Then an idea suddenly came to me! The idea that I came up with was an art class. Because of the descriptiveness, it would be very interesting to see how students would draw the land of earthsea and the people that live there. I would advise students who are into art and imagination to read this book.

Ursula Le Guin knows how to write about wizards and dragons in such a way that your imagination lives in her words. This is a gift not many authors have and some readers are not aware of. This is a book to read before you die.

Well, it sems that this is one of those books you either love or hate.
Personnally (and you may be able to tell from the rating!) I think that Ged, and the world Ursula Le Guin created is one of the best I have ever read.
Tehanu was not the greatest, but the Wizard of Earthsea was a fantatastic story, showing the samll details, and the story was not an end-of-the-world type, just the posible end if Ged's world.
Tolkien, Feist, Jordan etc follow the dramtic (ie. global) picture when writing, guin wrote a story from a more intimate perspective, and for that we can only applaud her vision.
everyone who likes fantasy must read this!

REVIEW From my 11 yr. old son: This was an awesome book with lot's of mystical things.I liked all the magic that young Sparrowhawk got to learn.When he tried to outdo his rival he released the worst thing in the world ,his own arrogance. He went to learn wizardry from the best wizardry school in the world so he could defeat it.This is a world where names are powerful and useful.

I know it's listed under "young adult," but this is a book anyone can enjoy. The characters are unforgetable and full of personality, and the story sucks you right in from the very beginning.

...and if you're convinced the book is anything like the lousy SciFi movie version, shame on you. If you watched that tripe, please do yourself a favor and read the book... don't worry, the story & plot haven't been ruined for you.

I read this first twenty years ago. Consider, how much we change each year as a child. Imagine then how marvellous it is that the same book can reach out to a child and then an adult, and bring fresh beauty with each reading.

I recommend this to young and old. You will find strong lean prose to embrace, timeless truths, and a story that is as ragged, raw, and natural as a dragon.

It took me several renewals at the library to finish this book. It takes forever to get started, and I really didn't like the main character (and he had too many names to keep track of). But Le Guin's writing is beautiful to read, so I kept at it, and the story improved steadily. You can see where JK Rowling got the idea for Harry Potter--straight from this book. The magic is very well defined and limited (a must for fantasy/magic). The tension in the was tight--when it happened finally--and there was a sound message with subtle symbolism (the yew tree and yew staff) below the surface in a Tolkien way--often missing in contemporary fantasy.

This is a must-have for any library, it only misses the fifth star because it failed to hook me into reading it straight through.

When I first read this book I was blown away by the power that Ursula K. LeGuin put into it. I found the characters very appealing and real. Also I enjoyed how fast the story was. The characters did not spend a lot of time on useless talk or stupid love affairs. It was straight to the point of the matter. It is a high fantasy classic that deserves to be shared with all. Ms. LeGuin rates up there with such authors as Tolkein and Anne McCaffrey. I'll never need to read another fantasy as long as I live. In A Wizard of Earthsea I have found the perfect one!!

I think this book is a great trilogy because it is filled with adventure and excitement. This book actually makes you feel like you are there with the characters inside the story. I would recommend this book to kids between the ages of eleven to eighteen.
Ged was once known as Sparrowhawk in his youth. He was the greatest known wizard of all of Earthsea. He was a reckless child that was hungry for power and knowledge. One day he learned of a life-long held secret and had loosened a shadow upon Earthsea.
He also tamed an ancient dragon because the city was afraid of the dragons were coming to eat their life stock. They were starving because they had not eaten for years. When the shadow was loosened it was going to conquer everything until Ged found a way to defeat the shadow.

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 the back of his mind. His emotions are real, his development as a human being is real, but he never seems to conjure up any sort of lasting, memorable personality. None of the characters excel very much, from Ged's master to his kind-of sort-of love interest, except for maybe his best friend. Don't be expecting the likes of Frodo, Aragorn, or Gandalf from Earthsea.

However, the world is brilliant, and as a high fantasy adventure it certainly captivates. The system of magic Le Guin creates for her universe is intuitive and frightening - everything has a very, very real price, and the best mages are those who scarcely use magic. The beasts, from island-sized dragons to lovable (if violent) dog-rat familiars, are exemplary and the world they inhabit lives and breathes with them.

This book is worth reading, definitely - but it could be better. The ending alone makes it a worthwhile read.

Let me start by saying that I'm 36 years old and have been a voracious reader since early childhood. That said, I still love the "Wizard of Earthsea" series. These books (especially the first and the third) really have something for everyone... children, teenagers and adults alike. LeGuin is a master at alliteration (if you don't know what that is, look it up), which gives every sentence a dreamlike, poetic quality. These books are not "adrenaline pumpers" but mature, thoughtful high fantasy written in the spare but beautifully poetic style of Hemingway. I'm very pleased to see that the Earthsea series is still being introduced to kids and teens these days.

A Wizard of Earthsea caught me off guard. I plan to teach in the high school in a couple of years and it really took me a while to get into this book. However, I noticed that Ursula LeGuinn is very descriptive and my goal was to figure out what my students would get out of this book. There are many morals to the story. Ged, the main character, has to find something that makes him who he is. He finds himself through magic and the meaning of his name. This is good, but it can take the reader a while to realize what the story is about. When reading the book in the beginning I thought it to be very boring and didn't see a reason to encourage anyone to read it because I was focused on what was where and how it might have looked. Then an idea suddenly came to me! The idea that I came up with was an art class. Because of the descriptiveness, it would be very interesting to see how students would draw the land of earthsea and the people that live there. I would advise students who are into art and imagination to read this book.

I started this novel with a great deal of anticipation; I had read reviews, and seen this book on many fan lists, so I bought it.
Usually, when I start the first book in a fantasy series, I spend many sleepless nights pouring through each sequel until I have finished the series. This is the first time I had no interest in finding out what happened in the subsequent books.
The stories and characters were horribly underdeveloped. Neither were built up enough for me to even care about what happened to them. The entire approach to wizardry felt overly simplistic for the fantastic events that were supposedly happening.
I haven't been this disappointed with anything since I saw Dungeons and Dragons (what a pile that thing was).

I love fantasy and science fiction, and this is one of my favorite fantasy books ever. The story follows a young man named Ged, from the moment he said his first spell, not knowing what the words meant, to the days when he is a powerful wizard. Ged is probably one of my all time favorite charactors, because all though he is very powerful he has his flaws, and it was his reckless pride that changed the world forever. If you like Harry Potter, I recomend you read this, although it is a bit darker and more serious. Ursula keeps you always wondering how it will end.

There is nothing I could say about this remarkable and wonderful book that hasn't been said already. But I can say that this version that is illustrated by Ruth Robbins and Gail Garraty is simply special. The cover is beautiful and the illustrations inside are like wood cuts. It's a magical book and this version is the best representation of how special it is .

This is one of these rare books that, while being simple in plot and restrained in style, somehow resonate in a profound and moving manner. "Wistful" is probably the most fitting word I would use to describe what I felt after having read this. This is one of the most beautifully written books I have read.

Le Guin wrote this book before the 400+ page standard for a 'good' fantasy book came about. This book takes you there -- you could be Ged and isn't that really what fantasy books are all about? This one's on par with The Hobbit, Dune, Ender's Game etc., in my top shelf category. The rest of the 'series' isn't a trilogy in today's meaning, rather looking at Ged later in life. I'm not a huge fan of Le Guin, but this one will read as well 100 years from now as today.

Rented this movie and it was lame, read a review and it spoke of the trilogy in book form...
I am in the middle of book 2 and it's so much better then the movie, what a shock...
I'm not sure why movie directors can't stick to the main story line, it's a pity.

In all seriousness, this is one of the best fantasy novels available for purchase -- Ursula Le Guin is a fabulous author, one of the best out there, and this book and its following sequels are absolute classics. Ged is a truly marvelous character, and the story, world and much else are incredible!

It may sound crazy, but I first read the Earthsea trilogy when I was in sixth grade. I have read all four of the Earthsea books at least once a year since then and, when people ask me what got me interested in literature, so interested that I'm now studying for my PhD, I tell them it was this book. Enough said.

The Wizard of Earthsea is a comming of age story that tracks the development of a young man. Earthsea has a plot that involves an internal good vs evil theme. Ged, the protagonist goes learns many lessons throughout this novel. First Ged must find his place in as a wizard. Ged is faced with issues that will force him to enter conflict about how to use his magic. Tricked to use his wizardry at an inappropriate time, Ged battles the evil side of himself. Ged must conquer the evil to bring a balance back to his world.
Earthsea is interesting at the beginning but lags a little at the end. I enjoyed the book myself but It can be boring and slow moving, especially toward the end of the novel.

You cannot find mighty wizards shooting balls of fire and lightning , demi-liches , dark elves , mad gods , utopic heroes or other fantastic cliches in this book. You can only find the story of goat herder who becomes master wizard of his world. What is the meaning of power? Shake the world with simple move of your hands? Ýncinerate thousands of warriors with one word? Ý think not. Power comes from heart. A people with good and strong heart can become god.Others can only 'think' they are god. This is the message of this book. Growing and staying pure even become the most powerful man in the world. Read and learn ,its the part of our way to power :)

This is no Lord of the Rings!!!! Where do people got this idea??? Lost interest in the poorly written story after 25% reading into it, mostly because I hoped the story would get off the ground. The conflict between Jasper and Ged is unfounded... totally weak plot.Not worth time and money

The story is slow and plodding. Granted, it was written for teens, but it felt as if someone where reciting a parable instead of telling a story. The ending was not engaging (like much of the book) nor was it much of a surprise. There is supposed to be some sort of environmental message. If so, it's a weak one.

I give it two stars as I am a big fan of this genre, so I don't write it off as a complete waste of time. This is certainly not Le Guin's best work. The Lathe of Heaven was much better.

The story begins with a kid called sparrowhawk, but his real name is ged. He discovers that he is a wizard, so Ged decides to enroll in a school called school for wizards. the school teaches students about illusions and shadows. when Ged arrives at school on the first day, he meets two boys, Jack and Vetch. But jack and vetch become lords. then Ged goes on a mission to find the head wizard. he finds the island of roke and finds the headmaster. then he leads the headmaster back to school. now ged is considered a hero.

Maybe I'm biased against this book because I was required to read it for school, but most of the other books we have read I have loved. This one just annoyed me. It seemed like when you read it there were always certain parts in the book that just didn't need to be there. Filler. If I had taken out all the filler in this book, it would have been at least half as thick. Maybe I'm just not into these kinds of books (although I like most books no matter what they're about), but I found it hard to focus on because of all the unnecessary information, and kind of boring. I personally do not recommend this book.

I read the series for the first time when I was about 12, and have gravitated towards it every couple of years since then to re-read. I just can't help myself. This isn't typical kids' stuff, it's brilliant writing. I recently started to re-read a Stephen Donaldson book that I remember liking as a teenager 15 years ago and was amazed at how poor the writing was--bad grammar, convoluted sentences and inept metaphors. I immediately reached for A Wizard of Earthsea, fearing I'd similarly misremembered its greatness--I had not. It was as great as ever. I lost sleep three nights running and now I have to wait another couple of years!

The book tries hard to be something of a Lord of the Rings story, but it rarely succeeds. We are quickly told about Ged and in the first few chapters he has lived about 4 years of his life, we rarely get a second to breathe or really know anyone, but Ged. And we hardly understand him either. It is quite a tedious read and uninteresting from this perspective. There are a few attempts (well, quite a lot actually) to capture the reader's attention, but unfortunately that is just what they are, attempts. This book isn't awful, but it is just like any other Fantasy book or Trilogy and doesn't stand out like Tolkein or Rowling's books. Read it if you like, but I would reccomend something with a deeper storyline, more colorful and dynamic characters, and events that keep the reader's attention and entertains them. This book doesn't do that.

Forced to read because of required reading in school. O - M - G. Be prepared to read each sentence once, twice and then again so you can follow this slow moving, confusing and totally uninteresting story.

Ged becomes the greatest wizard of earthsea with his use of Real Words. The magic from this and the other stories of the Earthsea series flows through your mind because the book itself is a Real Word of Power - - and will transform you into the growing world of Earthsea fans.

I first read this "GREAT" book when I was in the 8th grade, and loved it. But it wasn't until I picked it up again much later in life that I was able to fully apreciate it. I'm twenty six right now and I still re-read it every so often, and every time that I do I find something more to love about it. This book is definatly not just for young adults, in fact with some of the issues it tackles and addresses, I'm sometimes surprised to think that it is a book written for young adults.

I bought my first copy of this book for a class when I was a sophomore in high school. Since I finished the first book, I fell in love with the story of Earthsea. The story is gripping and original, and the charachter development is well rounded. I would recommend this series for fantasy readers of any age.

I'm afraid that I haven't actually read this trilogy in a while (Like, somewhere around twenty years) and in fact, I stumbled on this citation because I've been assuming for a while that it was out of print, and was searching the store for stuff for work when it occured to me to check on that assumption. I didn't even know there was a fourth book! I'm so pleased I was wrong - this trilogy meant a lot to me, and to discover that it's available in hardcover, aimed at school libraries! It's so well written, and an excellent recommendation for readers of Harry Potter who are looking for more fantasy, or a more mature fantasy. Read!

I found that the world created was very detailed. There was many explanations on how magic was used and regulated. It was not bad for a short book.

The one thing I didn't like about it was that it did drag on a few areas. I began feeling like I was reading it just to finish it and be done. I will not be reading the following books either. The ending was a bit predictable and not as climatic as I thought it could of been. There was only 2 parts in the book where I was interested and then it was over in a matter of pages.

The writing was not bad and it was easy to follow. Although the dialog lacked a bit. I felt like everyone spoke with the same mouth.

Ursula K. LeGuin's "A Wizard of Earthsea" comes from a different place then the other two fantasists with whom her Earthsea trilogy is so often compared. Tolkein's so-called fantasy was a real attempt to capture what Tolkein believed the languagues lost before the beginnings of early English, while his Oxford colleague wrote his Narnia fantasies from a Christian viewpoint. LeGuin's fantasy novels derive from her background in anthropology and show it in every way.

The story concerns the Wizard Sparrowhawk and his education. Sparrowhawk comes from a desperately poor village in the mountains, from among illiterate peasants (compare to the world of the hobbits, where, though illiterate, there is no squalor) who live with their goats. His home island, Gont, is the birthplace of Goatherds, Pirates, and Wizards, and from an early age Sparrowhawk shows his powers. After saving his village from an invading army, Sparrowhawk is apprenticed to Ogion, the great Mage. There Sparrowhawk begins to learn what Wizards know: the names of all things. He also is drawn to showing off, including calling up the dead.

Too powerful and curious for Ogion, Sparrowhawk goes to the isle of Roke to attend the school there ( Rowling only stole from the best) and finds he's not only the best pupil, but he can make enemies. In a boast, he calls up a spirit and brings out a sort of un-him. The un-him scars Sparrowhawk and kills the school's Archmage who uses his power to try and undo what Sparrowhawk has done.

Ged, Sparrowhawk's true name, must now pursue this unhim while fighting dragons, evil stones, and gibbeths, people the unhim have entered and destroyed.

Finally, Ged turns on his pursuer to fight an epic battle on the unsea and reunite himself.

LeGuin's spare prose is based on folktales, and myths, and Earthsea's theology of balance, true names, and magic is clear: Ged has disturbed the balance, so he must restore it. Like Tolkein's and Lewis' books, there is a sexual innocence here: Ged is a mage first and foremost: he feel attractions, but no lust. Of course, Heros of Myth are too good to be lustful; chastity preserves their power.

Unlike the other fantasies, the Earthsea Trilogy is not England, but an actual mythical place, albeit medieval in a European sense. Ged is no Englishman either, being copper-colored.

The deep understanding of what makes a culture a culture underlies everything LeGuin has written, from "The Dispossed" to "Terhanu." The intelligence behind these books is impressive, neither sentimental nor baroque, almost clinical in its portrayal of an premodern world where magic does work, and where every action has personal consequences and real pain.

Not only is the "Earthsea" trilogy a wonderful series for adolescents but it also contains profound wisdom for adults seeking their own path to individuation. Rich in timeless myth, the series has the young mage Ged surmount many trials on his way to understanding himself and therein lies the key to his ultimately becomming the Archmage of Roke. Each book in the series has the main story turn on the issue of trust between two people and upon Ged's courage in facing dark issues either within himself or in the enviroment. Ged is a powerful role for young people developing a sense of their inner integrity and for middle-agers every where beginning to deal with their shadow issues. Of course there are plenty of dragons, battles, transformations and journeys which can be enjoyed simply as a good storey, but don't pass up the chance to re-read to catch the deeper meaning. This series is too good to be eclipsed in popularity by LOTR and the Chornicles of Narnia, "Earthsea" stands on its own! If I haven't convinced you, please read the essay by Noel Perrin in his book, "A Child's Delight."

A Wizard of Earthsea, by Ursula K. Leguin is the best book I have read in my entire life. I first read it at the age of 13, and read it again, about 30 times since then. I am now 17 and still am in love with this series, and specifically this novel. The literature has enhanced my own word-usage, the symbolism is magnificently relative to my own experiences, and the story of Ged has provided me with several laughs, tears, and pure angry moments. If you ever get the chance to read this inspired, life-changing novel, I STRONGLY recommend it. Good work Ursula!

It has been at least a decade since I read either LeGuin or Tolkien. LeGuin because I have not had the time; Tolkien because I did not want to be bored out of my wits yet again. But from memory alone, I know that LeGuin's writing is in a word: Fantastic. Her command of English prose is absolute genius. I can still remember the haunting beauty of those words in A Wizard of Earthsea that gave each thing its true name, as if all of us, on this earth, had such a name as well. And I still remember the scene in The Farthest Shore on which the reader casts his eyes: dragons floating in the distant air, reflecting the gold of the sun from their wings, onto the water. That image haunts one's memory, because LeGuin gives us something rare not only in fantasy, but in all of literature -- the shared imagination : so vivid that we cannot help but retain those images in indelible memory. Though I read her novels as a teenager, I also read Shakespeare and Tolstoy, and Joyce and Homer. It strikes me as rather insipid to plug her novels into the genre of juvenile literature while somehow vaunting Tolkien's as for the sophisticated and mature. I really beg to differ. LeGuin's Earthsea is far richer, far more imaginative, far more convincing, and dare I say, just darn more interesting, than the world of Tolkien's pen (I won't say imagination). And that Joyce's Ulysses should be about a young Stephen Dedalus becoming his nation's poet has never caused that novel to be called a book of Bildungsroman. Please! Her novels, if we must be plain, are about the search for self, which is not a meager task accomplished between the ages of 11 and 20 -- but a lifelong endeavor. Earthsea is about discovery, of a new and fantastic, beautiful world, and of oneself, as deep, as turbulent, as entangled and mesmerizing as the realm of her imagination. Is this not what we hope for from any piece of art? Understanding of the world, and understanding of the worlds within.

And simply because LeGuin's novels are terse and stylistically written in the meter of lore and legend, does not render it in any way inferior to the prose of Tolkien. In fact, many an intelligent reader would gladly do without the droning repetition and pedantic, overwrought elaborations of Lord of the Rings. Quantity does not equal genius. In fact, the true poet is one who says the most with least words. One only has to read a single Shakespeare play to realize that.

So once and for all, let us give Ms. LeGuin her due honor, and stop comparing her to a writer such as Tolkien, who truly is much less than her equal. Ms. LeGuin is by my estimation one of the greatest fantasy novelists, and possibly THE Greatest, ever to have taken up the pen. She writes fantasy not to create a world for its own sake (as might be said of some others), but to bring that world of the imagination into the realm of the possible, the credible, the believable -- so much that we would believe in spite of ourselves, and we only wish we could will this imagined world into being a part of our own.

brings you into the world of earthsea and into the mind of ged . I enjoyed the various properties of this world but I think the plot was slow but helps you learn about human nature through his actions

I first read it when I was 14, and I loved it. I tried reading it again, twice, about 15 and 20 years later and didn't get very far, finding it a bit boring. Now, at 41, I figured I would give it another try, and devoured it in a few hours. I can't understand exactly why I didn't enjoy it the last 2 times as this time I thought it was a really good read. I would highly recomend it to fantasy lovers of any age.

This is the first book of Ged's life tetralogy. Here, young Ged is an apprentice of the magical arts that are so difficult to find in Earthsea, a world of scattered islands. The young mage will discover his powers, his fears, and the power of his fears. He will find out his place in the world, and his role in the struggle between light and shadow. This is a story set in a fantasy world, but tells about the struggle of keeping one's ideals while growing up and understanding how other people act, think and feel.

It was like reading a black-and-white movie. The book may have been special when it was released many decades ago, but it pales when compared to modern works from authors like Patrick Rothfuss and George R.R. Martin. The world around the main character is lifeless, and the ending is a disappointment. Also, the arc of the book is relatively simple and can be summed up as follows: Young wizard makes a bad mistake, young wizard runs from mistake and fails, young wizard defeats mistake by facing it head on. Good lesson, though: Don't run from your fears.

The most interesting thing about this book is that it is a foundation upon which many other authors have built improved stories. Additionally, it appears to be the direct inspiration for Rothfuss' "naming" of things, i.e., that all things have a true name which is hidden and, if spoken by another, allow that thing to be controlled by the speaker.

Has alot of strange things in the begining, but there are enough explainations and descriptions in the later chapters. Great for any person just begining fantasy, this would be the book to start reading. McCaffrey and Tolkien and Le Guin are my favorite, they all seem to be of a parallel, if not the exact same types of fantasy. Gives great insight on nature of person, world, and our feelings, actions and thoughts. If a teacher "forces" you to read this, go thank him/her.

The story is fun and complex, but I do not care much for the style of the writing. It seemed too much a takeoff of the style of Tolkien's Silmarillion, though the story somewhat weaker. I would have enjoyed it more had it been written in the form of a true novel.

I read this for a book club and did not enjoy it. Some of the members who like Fantasy books enjoyed it more than I did. I thought the story was not well developed. I did not have any feelings towards the protagonist. In addition there were several erroneous characters that never really had any impact on the main character. I kept waiting for them to come back into the story and they never did.

I liked the story, particularly the evolution of Ged's character throughout the book. I think the book is very well written, Ursula Le Guin uses a beautiful languange. The only drawback I find in this book is being a bit slow in some parts.

Le Guin's Earthsea Cycle has found its place among the great fantasy series of the time. With a vast, colorful, and incredibley original world, readers can't help but feel drawn in. In this first book, we meet Ged, and follow his early adventures. The plot is intriguing, if feeling a bit rushed at times, though a pleasure to read all the same. This quick read leaves you wanting more, which you get if you continue reading the series.

I first read this book in 1967 or '68. It was a major influence on my life at the time...living as I was in the counter-culture among astrologers, tarot card readers, and reading Gurdieff, Timothy Leary, plus running my life with the Chinese divination book of the I-Ching. It was exciting stuff, promising power that we only dreamt of.

Now after 40 years of spiritual warfare and growth into Truth, as a teacher of the Bible I can see this has almost no tie to reality, good or bad. Ged, known as Sparrowhawk, is prideful, self-centered, rebellious, commonly rude, in many ways the worst of man. He is forcibly humbled and becomes the better for it. He's just a kid without friends, family or guidance.

It's a very sad book—masterfully written, intriguing, compelling, yet empty of reality. But yet I can never forget how wonderful I thought it was in my drugged stupor in the late 60s.