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

published	September 28th 2004 by Spectra
first published	1968
binding	Paperback
isbn	0553383043 (isbn13: 9780553383041)
pages	192
description	Often compared to Tolkien's Middle-earth or Lewis's Narnia, Ursula K. Le Guin's Earthsea is a stunning fantasy world that grabs quickly at our hearts,...more [close] Often compared to Tolkien's Middle-earth or Lewis's Narnia, Ursula K. Le Guin's Earthsea is a stunning fantasy world that grabs quickly at our hearts, pulling us deeply into its imaginary realms. Four books (A Wizard of Earthsea, The Tombs of Atuan, The Farthest Shore, and Tehanu) tell the whole Earthsea cycle--a tale about a reckless, awkward boy named Sparrowhawk who becomes a wizard's apprentice after the wizard reveals Sparrowhawk's true name. The boy comes to realize that his fate may be far more important than he ever dreamed possible. Le Guin challenges her readers to think about the power of language, how in the act of naming the world around us we actually create that world. Teens, especially, will be inspired by the way Le Guin allows her characters to evolve and grow into their own powers. In this first book, A Wizard of Earthsea readers will witness Sparrowhawk's moving rite of passage--when he discovers his true name and becomes a young man. Great challenges await Sparrowhawk, including an almost deadly battle with a sinister creature, a monster that may be his own shadow. [close]
date added	12-19-06 edit book

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Tracy rated it:

02/09/08

bookshelves: read-and-liked-it

Read in February, 2008

recommends it for: young adults and adults

The fantasy classic A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin was first published in 1968 and this fantasy book deserves the praise it has often received. The fantasy world, Earthsea, created by the author is rich in detail. The fishy odor at the dock of every village and the salty tang of the sea literally wafted off the pages. The magical system revealed by Le Guin is convincingly real as well, and the way in which the wizards, witches, and sorcerers fit into the society felt natural and logic...more

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2 comments

Chris rated it:

07/15/08

Magic is a mysterious wonder to most beings, but in A Wizard of Earthsea, Ursula K. Le Guin makes it more logical by applying to it a Taoist sense of balance; Equilibrium the masters call it. Sparrowhawk, a thirteen-year-old adept, learns of Equilibrium and balance, but in the beginning he is more concerned with proving himself all-powerful and, as a result, loses his inner symmetry. For the remainder of A Wizard of Earthsea, Sparrowhawk quests to undo the evil he has caused and strives to becom...more Magic is a mysterious wonder to most beings, but in A Wizard of Earthsea, Ursula K. Le Guin makes it more logical by applying to it a Taoist sense of balance; Equilibrium the masters call it. Sparrowhawk, a thirteen-year-old adept, learns of Equilibrium and balance, but in the beginning he is more concerned with proving himself all-powerful and, as a result, loses his inner symmetry. For the remainder of A Wizard of Earthsea, Sparrowhawk quests to undo the evil he has caused and strives to become whole again.

The ideas Le Guin casts forth through the underpinnings of her magic system and Sparrowhawk's separation from himself are intriguing. Names are everything in Earthsea; if a wizard knows a thing's true name, the wizard has complete control over it. Thus, a common theme is revealing a name, and Le Guin invents some entertainingly clever ways in which Sparrowhawk does so. Another limiting aspect of magic is balance. Master Hand, a teacher, explains to Sparrowhawk, “To light a candle is to cast a shadow....” Before Sparrowhawk accepts this, however, his arrogance leads him to cast his own malignant shadow. These mechanics of magic make it more rational than not and provide a solid structure for the workings of the world of Earthsea.

Le Guin also deserves praise for subtly weaving in all the right enchantments to make Earthsea a rich and believable world. The detailed maps she includes alone have character; for example, it is said of the Ninety Isles “whether the sum of them is ninety is a question never settled, for if you count only isles with freshwater springs you might have seventy, while if you count every rock you might have a hundred and still not be done; and then the tide would change.” While Sparrowhawk is traveling across the world, the maps also prove to be useful guides for following along. Culturally, Le Guin gives a sense of the people's beliefs by leaving tidbits of their creation stories and celebrations throughout the book. One such event is Sunreturn, on which day Sparrowhawk receives his true name, a sort of passage into manhood. Le Guin even varies the cultures and accents from isle to isle. The world of Earthsea is easily the most attractive and enjoyable element of the book.

Undermining those strengths of A Wizard of Earthsea, however, is the awkward plot, which seems to stumble along randomly, tripping over moments of climactic importance. Furthermore, the linear nature of the plot contributes to the overall lack of depth in the book, as do the mostly two-dimensional characters that experience little development. Much of the book, it seems, whispers of the magnificence it could attain, but, in the end, its true name is still Mediocrity.

Le Guin's writing style is easy enough to read, even elegant at times, but her descriptions never paint brilliant, breathe-taking pictures. Her language simply does not seem fantastical enough for a fantasy story. For instance, when Sparrowhawk crosses to the side of the dead, Le Guin invokes senses of darkness and noiselessness, nothing more. Most of the time, the story struggles to flap its salt-encrusted wings and leave the page to alight in the reader's imagination.

If Le Guin had spent as much effort on the plot as she did fleshing out her fantasy world, the book would have been most enjoyable. Even so, A Wizard of Earthsea is a well-written book worth reading if one enjoys a place more than a plot. It is also important to note that A Wizard of Earthsea is the beginning of the Earthsea trilogy. Considering the solid fantasy foundation that is Earthsea, it would be interesting to see if Le Guin improves plot or imagery in The Tombs of Atuan or The Farthest Shore....less

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