A Wizard of Earthsea (The Earthsea Cycle, Book 1)

As I read I couldn't help comparing to Harry Potter--I know it's trite, but come on--a boy wizard with inexplicable magical talent who goes off to wizard school . . . anyway, I spent a good part of the book wondering how Ms. Le Guin could get away with so much telling, and I kept waiting to be taken inside the story. It never happened, but I learned to appreciate her...more

As I read I couldn't help comparing to Harry Potter--I know it's trite, but come on--a boy wizard with inexplicable magical talent who goes off to wizard school . . . anyway, I spent a good part of the book wondering how Ms. Le Guin could get away with so much telling, and I kept waiting to be taken inside the story. It never happened, but I learned to appreciate her story-teller style, and her ability to create a scene in as little as a sentence. The book read VERY quickly because she didn't have to waste time pulling her readers in. Most of all, I appreciated the depth behind the story. It wasn't subtle, but sometimes that's what we need! Overall a quick and enjoyable read.   hide