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A Wizard of Earthsea (The Earthsea Cycle, Book 1)
by Ursula K. Le Guin

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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13642.A_Wizard_of_Earthsea?utm_medium=api&amp;utm_source=blog_review" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="A Wizard of Earthsea (The Earthsea Cycle, Book 1)" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1166571382m/13642.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13642.A_Wizard_of_Earthsea?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_review">A Wizard of Earthsea</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/874602.Ursula_K_Le_Guin">Ursula K. Le Guin</a> 
 <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/8241126?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_review"><h3>My review</h3></a>
 rating: 3 of 5 stars I first read A Wizard of Earthsea in eighth grade. My [our, for those of you who had the same class:] English teacher, Mrs. Middleton, had a mini-library set up in her classroom. I can remember appreciating it, but not really understanding it at the time. In fact, I remember being very confused by it, but too embarrassed to ask anyone about the confusion. I’ve had a very rocky relationship with Ursula K. LeGuin’s writings. I think she’s the author who wins the award for having the most books I’ve started but then never finished. I also think it’s my fault and not hers. I have great respect for her skills but, although she did write one of the best short stories I’ve ever read, I can’t seem to get into her work.
 
 Rereading it now, I can’t figure out why I felt this way about it. It’s a very straightforward read, almost simple. Upon reread, I was struck by how it reminded me of Beowulf; it has that same sort of Norse saga quality-- a sense of primordial, a feeling of ancientness. I also think I felt the same confusion the first time I read Beowulf which I also think was in eighth grade. Now, it feels like I story I know in my bones. I think A Wizard of Earthsea has that same sort of truth in it. It feels like a myth rather than a popular fantasy story and I think that’s a great triumph of LeGuin’s storytelling.
 
 Of course to us, after decades of sword and sorcery books, the concepts of A Wizard of Earthsea feel very status quo. The important thing to remember is that, at its time, there was nothing like it. All of your Harry Potters and Mildred Hubbles got their start right here. Sure, some stories had wizards, but the Wizard School was a new concept. The genesis of how wizards get to be so wise was an untapped source in the imagination.
 
 Instead of just having powerful, sage-like guys showing up and doing things, we now get to see them pre-godlike powers, when they were just mortal beings with mortal flaws like us. Sure, Sparrowhawk is whiney and annoying; all teenagers are whiney and annoying. [Harry Potter even has his phase.:] He is a fool because we are all foolish. He has to have these traits so that he can transcend them as he grows into a Wizard instead of a man.
 
 Truthfully, I didn’t particularly like the book all that much, but I can appreciate it for what it has done for books that I adore. It didn’t really incite much of a reaction in me beyond the myth parallel feeling. I would like to point out that this book, like so many others on the list, has had a great impact on a friend of mine. Apparently, the magic system LeGuin presents is the starting point for a magic system that Eric and Dillon have created for their RPG sessions.
 
 Also, I’m quite jealous of Liz’s copy of this book because mine is just god-awful. It’s a still from the Sci-Fi mini-series, also god-awful. I’ve heard a rumor that Hao Miyazaki’s son has produced an anime of A Wizard of Earthsea, but it can’t be released here because Sci-Fi owns the US rights. Dammit.
 <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/441385?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_review">View all my reviews.</a>

Donovan's review
rating:

recommended for: shapeshifters, students, storytellers
status: Read in January, 1994 — I have a copy to sell/swap

I first read A Wizard of Earthsea in eighth grade. My [our, for those of you who had the same class:] English teacher, Mrs. Middleton, had a mini-library set up in her classroom. I can remember appreciating it, but not really understanding it at the time. In fact, I remember being very confused by it, but too embarrassed to ask anyone about the confusion. I’ve had a very rocky relationship with Ursula K. LeGuin’s writings. I think she’s the author who wins the award for having the most books I’ve started but then never finished. I also think it’s my fault and not hers. I have great respect for her skills but, although she did write one of the best short stories I’ve ever read, I can’t seem to get into her work.

Rereading it now, I can’t figure out why I felt this way about it. It’s a very straightforward read, almost simple. Upon reread, I was struck by how it reminded me of Beowulf; it has that same sort of Norse saga quality-- a sense of primordial,...more I first read A Wizard of Earthsea in eighth grade. My [our, for those of you who had the same class:] English teacher, Mrs. Middleton, had a mini-library set up in her classroom. I can remember appreciating it, but not really understanding it at the time. In fact, I remember being very confused by it, but too embarrassed to ask anyone about the confusion. I’ve had a very rocky relationship with Ursula K. LeGuin’s writings. I think she’s the author who wins the award for having the most books I’ve started but then never finished. I also think it’s my fault and not hers. I have great respect for her skills but, although she did write one of the best short stories I’ve ever read, I can’t seem to get into her work.

Rereading it now, I can’t figure out why I felt this way about it. It’s a very straightforward read, almost simple. Upon reread, I was struck by how it reminded me of Beowulf; it has that same sort of Norse saga quality-- a sense of primordial, a feeling of ancientness. I also think I felt the same confusion the first time I read Beowulf which I also think was in eighth grade. Now, it feels like I story I know in my bones. I think A Wizard of Earthsea has that same sort of truth in it. It feels like a myth rather than a popular fantasy story and I think that’s a great triumph of LeGuin’s storytelling.

Of course to us, after decades of sword and sorcery books, the concepts of A Wizard of Earthsea feel very status quo. The important thing to remember is that, at its time, there was nothing like it. All of your Harry Potters and Mildred Hubbles got their start right here. Sure, some stories had wizards, but the Wizard School was a new concept. The genesis of how wizards get to be so wise was an untapped source in the imagination.

Instead of just having powerful, sage-like guys showing up and doing things, we now get to see them pre-godlike powers, when they were just mortal beings with mortal flaws like us. Sure, Sparrowhawk is whiney and annoying; all teenagers are whiney and annoying. [Harry Potter even has his phase.:] He is a fool because we are all foolish. He has to have these traits so that he can transcend them as he grows into a Wizard instead of a man.

Truthfully, I didn’t particularly like the book all that much, but I can appreciate it for what it has done for books that I adore. It didn’t really incite much of a reaction in me beyond the myth parallel feeling. I would like to point out that this book, like so many others on the list, has had a great impact on a friend of mine. Apparently, the magic system LeGuin presents is the starting point for a magic system that Eric and Dillon have created for their RPG sessions.

Also, I’m quite jealous of Liz’s copy of this book because mine is just god-awful. It’s a still from the Sci-Fi mini-series, also god-awful. I’ve heard a rumor that Hao Miyazaki’s son has produced an anime of A Wizard of Earthsea, but it can’t be released here because Sci-Fi owns the US rights. Dammit....less

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