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

Ursula K. Le Guin

A young motherless boy discovers he has huge magical potential, and goes to wizarding school to...more

A young motherless boy discovers he has huge magical potential, and goes to wizarding school to learn his art. Soon he finds himself the hunted and the hunter in a quest to stop a terrible being, a Thing That Cannot Be Named, whose fate is inextricably linked to his own, from consuming him and using his form and powers to wreak destruction on the world. So far, so Harry Potter, only the boy in question is Ged and A Wizard of Earthsea was published in 1968. It’s hard to imagine J. K. Rowling wasn’t influenced by Ursula Le Guin. The latter is arguably more inventive, drawing on Celtic and Norse myth, and her magic has a much stronger internal logic than Rowling’s. But J. K. creates more engaging characters, her style is less portentous and humour is allowed a freer rein. And she’s a better plotter. But A Wizard of Earthsea is a landmark book and an enjoyable read even 40 years on. Will Harry Potter age as gracefully?   hide

As always, Le Guin manages to write a book that masters a genre (fantasy) while remaining...more

As always, Le Guin manages to write a book that masters a genre (fantasy) while remaining essentially a story about real people. If you like any of Le Guin's work - sci-fi, modern, anything - you'll probably like this. Even if you're not normally into fantasy. But don't bother with the miniseries. It's garbage, and has deservedly earned the contempt of fans as well as of Le Guin herself. If you've watched it but not read the book, the book is probably still worth reading. And read the other Earthsea books too.    hide

Le Guin is the dark horse in the fantasy genre compared to the likes of Tolkien, but she is a good...more

Le Guin is the dark horse in the fantasy genre compared to the likes of Tolkien, but she is a good writer who has created an intelligent fantasy series and her own world to go with it. What does it mean to face one's demons (literally)? There are a lot of themes subtlely woven into the tapestry. Yet, I really didn't like the book that much. For one, it reads too much like a children's book for my taste. For another, while intelligently-written, it just isn't executed well enough for me. The writing quality is average in my opinion. Maybe it's just a matter of style, but I have no interest in continuing the series.   hide

A amazing book, what else to say, deffinitly a masterpeice of sicence fiction! You grow with...more

A amazing book, what else to say, deffinitly a masterpeice of sicence fiction! You grow with Sparowhawk, you see his troubles, and even though a lot of the book focuses on a shadow, the shadow is not the main subject or point of interest in the book! I loved this book and give it five golden stars! It was quite short, but if you're just looking for a summer sci-fi read, read this book entitled: A Wizard Of Eartsea- By: Ursula K. Le Guin! ~~~<3Shelby   hide

A masterpiece of fantasy literature. It is great in it's simplicity and amazing in the way it...more

A masterpiece of fantasy literature. It is great in it's simplicity and amazing in the way it captures you and takes you away in a wonderfull journey of coming of age, the importance of the spoken word and the power of names. Sparrowhawk is one of my favorites wizards of all literature, mainly because you grow by his side along the way, with every page you turn...   hide