Kick us off someone.

I read it so long ago I'd be stretching my memory. When this book first came out, it was one of the very few that looked at fantasy with a woman's angle worked in.

in high school, the "regular" kids read very different books than us "honors" kids...and i was often jealous of the far more interesting reading material they got (e.g., 'farenheit 451' instead of @#%!* thomas hardy). 'a wizard of earthsea' was one of those likewise missed books, but i managed to acquire a copy from a classmate when they were done with it. it's absolutely lovely, and this series gets re-read every so often, especially the amazingly lyrical 3rd entry 'the farthest shore'.

right now, i'm about 2/3 through this re-read. i love the thick woodcut-like illustrations at the heading of each chapter (are those the same in everyone's editions?), especially the ring of keys.

i suppose a starting point for a discussion could be the speculation i was pondering last night - how different would this tale have been if the arha was an older priestess, locked tighter into her position with the passage of time? much younger, and there would not have been someone actively warding the labyrinth (so, no story). would an old woman, though, have done away with the intruder more swiftly?

I remember reading The Tombs of Atuan as a pre-teen and again as a teenager. I remember connecting with Tenar and loving the labyrinth.

For some reason, I remember rain or fog ... I get the feeling I read this book on a rainy, blustery, chilly fall day, snuggled up in an afghan on my bed in the upstairs/attic of our country/farm house.

I read this back in junior high on a family vacation. I remember disliking Tenar at the beginning, but by the end really loving the whole story (Tenar included). I hadn't read A Wizard of Earthsea at that point, so it was my initiation to the Earthsea Cycle.
I read A Wizard of Earthsea this last January and am currently reading The Farthest Shore, which I love. I should definitely reread The Tombs of Atuan, because at this point I retain very few details of the plot, and I'm sure much of the beauty of the author's language was lost on my younger self. A few scenes I still vividly remember.

I enjoyed this book for its portrayal of someone on the other side of the Good versus Evil fence (and not the "Good" side), who is raised to perform a duty they have been taught to be devoted to because they have no other frame of reference. At the same time, it raises the question of what really defines good or evil, whether it's just perspective, tradition, or action.

Also, considering it was written at a time when female protagonists were practically non-existent in fantasy or science fiction, I thought LeGuin did an excellent job of presenting Tenar not as a typical damsel in distress, but as an interesting individual with a complex situation and dilemma.

Patrick, that "evil" is a matter of perspective also interested me. Tenar isn't evil at all, of course, she's just doing her job, which she considers a sacred duty. the kick being that it's sacred to the same type of force portrayed as most definitely evil in the first book.

Exactly, and so it makes you think about the motivations of "evil" in literature, and those who choose that side of the main tug o' war.

They say that the worst kind of evil is the one that believes it is right, that doesn't think it's evil at all but is serving the greater good. So if the worshipers of the Dark Ones are only following tradition, are they not truly evil? Even if human sacrifice is part of that tradition? But then again, it's only because human sacrifice itself is considered evil, and that can be a matter of perception/opinion. What if the sacrifices were consenting individuals?

It's interesting picking these things apart, turning them over and holding them up to a more open-minded kind of light. It's a good way of learning the intricacies of human psychology, especially if you're some kind of storyteller.

I also remember reading this as a teen. I recall feeling like I really knew the characters as real people. I also remember feeling the suspense very strongly. Ms Le Guin is not afraid of letting bad things happen to the main characters.

Hmmmm, I usually really like her stuff, played catch up with A Wizard of Earthsea a few weeks ago and enjoyed it, but this one, I just don't know. I was slightly gratified that my earlier thoughts about Ged's Shadow adversary seemed to hold here also, as the prospect of death in the labyrinth held no sway over him.
I have a horrible sneaking suspicion that my latent chauvinism may be showing in my lack of a connection with Tenar, as I enjoyed relating to Ged in the previous tale. I felt it very difficult to relate to her situation, but was left with a vague feeling of sadness for her plight. Being a fairly new Father, eldest munchkin not quite 3 and a half, my strongest emotions were felt over Tenar's selection, just between me and you I was quite choked up.
As for Good and Evil, well again I'm not so sure. I didn't find Tenar or any character falling squarely into either category, a bit like real life I suppose, but just felt that the point of view was different this time. I didn't even find the Powers that Tenar served that Evil, more sad, selfish, lonely, isolated and of course very old.
So not a bad book, just didn't grab me this time. I think I need to go away and think about subjugation, indoctrination, innocence and a bunch of other stuff before maybe looking again at this one from a more informed or empathic point of view.

Richard wrote: "So not a bad book, just didn't grab me this time. I think I need to go away and think about subjugation, indoctrination, innocence and a bunch of other stuff before maybe looking again at this one from a more informed or empathic point of view."

Aaaah - but when was the last time that you read a middle-reader level book and it had issues that complex? Le Guin sure was brave to trust her readers, that they could handle and be interested in these gray-area difficulties.

Cindy wrote: "Aaaah ..."

Is that a scream as in "Arrrrr you blockhead" or just "Oh yes, but just think".

I can appreciate both as I rate Le Guin as one of the finest authors in the genre, and still consider The Left Hand of Darkness as one of my favourite books. I freely admit that the failing here is with me, and not the book. I just didn't emotionally connect, and after all the title of this thread is First Impressions. I wasn't being flippant when I said what you quoted, the book deserves thought and maybe one day I can return Le Guin's trust.
I would like to hear your take on the book as the issues are, as you say, complex.

PS. Cindy, I loved the War of the Worlds map you did for all of us, I live in England and found it really useful and interesting. Thanks. Sorry for going off topic.

Richard wrote: "
Is that a scream as in "Arrrrr you blockhead" or just "Oh yes, but just think".

Definitely the latter! I'm fascinated to hear that even though you didn't connect with Tenar, the book did get you to ponder indoctrination, innocence and good vs. evil. It's quite a thing to have happen! I should have added a <relevatory thinking> html tag to my aaaah.

So far for me, this is one of the most curious aspects to the Earthsea cycle: you don't have to like the characters very much to like the intricacies of the story. I might be the opposite to you, Richard. I had a tough time with the initial introduction to the world in A Wizard of Earthsea because the women were just a prop in the background. (I still think Ged would have wanted or wished for a mother.)

That's not to say that I connected with Tenar much at all. She's an unusual character placed in a very impossible situation.

I love that Le Guin's protagonists can be harsh, mean, selfish and infuriating at times, yet tender, reflective and giving at others. It could be some of these darker aspects that prevent me from identifying with the lead characters. I wish I had read this as a pre-teen - I'm curious if Young-Cindy would have identified with Tenar or Ged more than I do now.

Patrick wrote: "They say that the worst kind of evil is the one that believes it is right, that doesn't think it's evil at all but is serving the greater good."

If you think about it, most people in the world who do bad or evil things think they are doing right, or doing it for the good, etc. Very few sit around cackling, thinking "What nasty things can I do today". :)

Its the ones who believe they are right who are utterly and totally committed to their cause.