Yerdeniz Öyküleri

Earthsea Cycle #5

by Ursula K. Le Guin, Çiğdem Erkal İpek (Translator)

Ursula Le Guin'in kılavuzluğunda, Yerdeniz Takımadaları'nda yeni bir geziye çıkıyoruz.

Yerdeniz dizisinin son kitabı olan Tehanu'dan on iki yıl sonra yayımlanan bu beş öykü, takımadaların dört bir yanında dolaştırıyor bizi; Roke'taki Büyücülük Okulu'nun kurulmasından başlayıp, Ged'in gidişinden sonra Okul'da gerçekleşen değişimlere kadar geniş bir yelpazesinde, Yerdeniz'in erkekleri, kadınları ve ejderhalarına dair, isimlere ve büyülere dair yepyeni masallar okuyoruz bu kitapta...

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Short Stories, Young Adult, High Fantasy, Audiobook, Science Fiction Fantasy

272 pages, Paperback

First published May 4, 2001

About the author

Ursula K. Le Guin published twenty-two novels, eleven volumes of short stories, four collections of essays, twelve books for children, six volumes of poetry and four of translation, and has received many awards: Hugo, Nebula, National Book Award, PEN-Malamud, etc. Her recent publications include the novel Lavinia, an essay collection, Cheek by Jowl, and The Wild Girls. She lived in Portland, Oregon.

She was known for her treatment of gender (The Left Hand of Darkness, The Matter of Seggri), political systems (The Telling, The Dispossessed) and difference/otherness in any other form. Her interest in non-Western philosophies was reflected in works such as "Solitude" and The Telling but even more interesting are her imagined societies, often mixing traits extracted from her profound knowledge of anthropology acquired from growing up with her father, the famous anthropologist, Alfred Kroeber. The Hainish Cycle reflects the anthropologist's experience of immersing themselves in new strange cultures since most of their main characters and narrators (Le Guin favoured the first-person narration) are envoys from a humanitarian organization, the Ekumen, sent to investigate or ally themselves with the people of a different world and learn their ways.

Reviews

[Anthony · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am once again awestruck by the beauty, wisdom, humor, grace, and rough-hewn truth that emanates from every page I’ve read of the late, great Ursula K. Le Guin’s Earthsea Cycle. She was a monumental gift to the world, and we would all do well to pay attention to what the stories in this cycle have to tell us about life, death, power, nature, truth, and, above all else, magic.

[Darwin8u · Rating 4 out of 5]

"That’s the art, eh? What to say, and when to say it. And the rest is silence.”
- Ursula K. Le Guin, Tales from Earthsea



Solid. A couple of the stories really resonated with me (The Finder, On the High Marsh, Dragonfly). I cried at the end of one, and one made me pause for half-a-day chewing on it. Overall, I prefer her novels (or novellas) and this showed in this series because I gravitated towards the longer stories. Like with Tehanu, Le Guin alters the form. She is focused as much on the community as on the mages, witches, and magicians. She is looking at community, power, gender, and areas where the page folds, bends, or rips. Her magic is found in the ghost notes of fantasy. She would rather wander in the woods than travel over the expected trails of fantasy. The genre isn't where she creates. She creates in people, in weakness, in the humanity of the oppressed AND the oppresser.

- Foreword - nonfiction introduction: ★★★☆☆
- "The Finder" - School of magic is established (largely by women; or the Women of the Hand) on Roke island: ★★★★★
- "Darkrose and Diamond" - Romance between the daughter of a witch and the son of a rich merchant: ★★★★☆
- "The Bones of the Earth" - Ogion the Silent deals with an earthquake: ★★★★☆
- "On the High Marsh" - Mysterious healer arrives in a remote village with a livestock epidemic: ★★★★★
- "Dragonfly" - Postscript to the novel Tehanu: ★★★★★
- "A Description of Earthsea" - Fictional reference material*: ★★★☆☆

* Most of the story descriptions were lifted/based on the Wikipedia page for Tales from Earthsea.

[Zala · Rating 2 out of 5]

I definitely read this at the wrong time. I couldn't focus and immerse myself in these stories, so part of the blame goes to me for not being in a fantasy mood. But part of it is their own fault since most of them read like great story ideas that were never fleshed out.

The Finder - enjoyed this one for the most part, but it could have done a lot more with such a great premise (the founding of Roke)
Darkrose and Diamond - an okay romance about a man who can't multitask?
The Bones of the Earth - cool to know about that one time Ogion stopped an earthquake, but this could have been shorter (or longer if some more substance were added)
On the High Marsh - starts out interesting, but is ultimately very forgettable
Dragonfly - walmart Tehanu, a very much unneeded postscript

[Ivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ursula as wonderful as always.

[Dream.M · Rating 3 out of 5]

توی این جلد، نویسنده بعد سال ها از نوشتن جلد چهارم، دوباره سراغ مجموعه میاد و تاریخچه کهن اتفاقات گذشته جزیره رک رو تعریف میکنه تا به دوران معاصر جلد چهارم میرسه. تا اونجا که طبق پیشگویی ها جادوگر زنی پیدا میشه که باید بعنوان جادوگر ارشد قلعه انتخاب بشه اما توی دوره ای که جادوگرهای بزرگ همه مرد هستن و مردسالاری بیداد میکنه، این زن برای کسب جایگاهش باید بجنگه.

[Tijana]

Rešila sam da je konačno došao i taj dan da pročitam celo Zemljomorje s kraja na kraj - do sada sam čitala (doduše više puta) samo prve četiri knjige. I sinoć pospano počnem da se presabirem kako to da sam čitala tako malo Ursule Legvin i da nabrajam šta sam čitala i dođem do provizorne cifre od sedamnaest knjiga, što romana što zbirki, plus jedna za koju nisam sigurna da li sam čitala nju ili neku detaljnu analizu pa mi se urezao sadržaj. KAKO SAD TO.
Provizorni odgovor je da nije svih sedamnaest jednako dobro ni jednako bitno u mom životu kao npr. prva trilogija Zemljomorja ili Leva ruka tame (Čapljino oko pamtim kao gorko razočaranje). Drugi provizorni odgovor bio bi da je Ursule uvek malo ;) a treći se zapravo nadovezuje na prvi: Zemljomorje i Leva ruka tame su bili i ostali toliko bitni i formativni za mene da sve ostalo pada u zasenak.

Ova zbirka priča nije prekretnička za ceo koncept Zemljomorja poput Tehanu, a najvećim delom ni mučna poput Najdalje obale. Tri duže pripovetke i dve znatno kraće i "lakše", smeštene između njih, predstavljaju delove priče o Zemljomorju koji se nastanjuju u različitim narativnim prazninama oko prve četiri knjige. Sve govore o životnim izborima koje moramo stalno iznova da donosimo i potvrđujemo i sve su odlično napisane: čini mi se da sve bolje funkcionišu što su duže. "Vilin konjic" je možda najvažnija jer predstavlja neposrednu vezu između Tehanu i poslednjeg romana u nizu, Drugog vetra, ali gotovo celoživotna patnja i borba čarobnjaka Vidre u prvoj priči su baš klasična Ursula, a "Zemljine kosti" su toliko lepa i nežna priča o odnosu učitelja i učenika, i roditeljskom i prijateljskom u isto vreme, i o starenju i o požrtvovanju, da je možda ipak moj favorit u ovoj zbirci.

[Zitong Ren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, I enjoyed these short stories. There were good and provided the me with a bit more detail about the world and the characters that inhabit it. It was interesting reading on the backstories about certain events. I’ll just say that I wasn’t as invested in them as I would have liked. It wasn’t that they were bad, but rather, I just found myself not caring too much about the characters, even if the stories themselves were well written. I’m not going to review each short story individually, but what I will say is that I really like Earthsea as a world. 6/10

[LJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this as a gift, from a friend who knew I'd read the Earthsea books (the first four) more than once.

These tales are based on the world of Earthsea, and the author reports that they are best read 'after' reading the first four novels of the Earthsea collection. I would concur, as it adds the necessary depth and context for entering the world of these tales.

The first 'tale' in this book is called "The Finder"... and I found myself quietly weeping near the end of it. Stunning, to be moved so. It made me want to put the book down physically and stop thinking... to just explore the emotion that was flowing through my body. And to say a quiet Thank You to Ms. LeGuin for her incredible prose.

If you enjoyed the Earthsea books, you will find this set of tales a great addition. If you haven't read the Earthsea books, what are you waiting for? Do NOT be put off by the categorization of "Genre: Fantasy."

Ms. Le Guin is and always has been a woman who can challenge our hidden assumptions about life, culture, and the meaning of living as a human being in chaotic world situations. She's just clothed her wonderful explorations in a different milieu than contemporary times.

[Omerly Mendoza · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cuentos de Terramar es la quinta entrega de la maravillosa saga de fantasía de Ursula K. Le Guin. Este libro está compuesto por cinco relatos que nos permiten conocer mejor la historia del mágico mundo de Terramar.

4 ★★★★

1. El Descubridor 4.5★ nos sumerge de manera fantástica en la suculenta prosa de Ursula. Este relato me recordó mucho al primer libro. Aquí encontramos a un chico, Nutria, y lo acompañamos en su travesía para convertirse en un mago y encontrar la libertad, es decir, encontrar el lugar al cual pertenece. Las palabras y los nombres verdaderos siguen teniendo un significado muy especial, son fuente de poder. Creo que ha sido la historia ideal para comenzar el libro.

"Había perdido algo, lo había perdido para siempre, lo había perdido cuando lo había encontrado."

2. Rosaoscura y Diamante 3.5★ nos relata una sencilla y bonita historia de amor. Nuestro protagonista debe aprender a seguir lo que dicta su corazón, a elegir lo que le hace feliz. Fue interesante leer a Ursula con un romance.

3. Los huesos de la tierra 4★ es un relato corto sobre Dulse, maestro de Ogion, maestro de Ged, que nos cuenta lo que ocurrió realmente con el terremoto en Puerto de Gont (suceso que es mencionado en el primer libro de Terramar y que le brindó la fama de mago a Ogion). Ha sido el relato más corto, muy bonito y significativo.

4. En el gran pantano 4★ Este relato ha sido un cálido abrazo al corazón, se sintió tan bonito. La manera de escribir de Ursula es bellísima. Este relato lo protagoniza otro mago, y al final aparece muestro querido Halcón.

5. Dragónvolador 4.5★ Me encantó. Este relato sigue el hilo argumental que dejó el cuarto libro, y a su vez, un poco de los cuatro relatos anteriores. La historia de una mujer que rompe barreras, que ha llegado para cambiar las reglas sobre la magia en Terramar. ¡Magnífico!

Al final, el libro también nos ofrece una descripción más detallada sobre Terramar: sus pueblos, lenguas, historia y magia. La historia nos brinda un gran resumen de todo lo acaecido desde la creación del archipiélago, es perfecto para refrescar la memoria y poder rellenar esos huecos que se puedan tener sobre la historia de Terramar. Lo único que no me termina de convencer es la manera en la que Le Guin expone las diferencias entre la magia de los hombres y las mujeres.

Y ya parezco disco rayado, pero lo diré de nuevo: ¡Qué increíbles las introducciones de Ursula K. Le Guin! Te hace sentir que la tienes junto a ti, con una voz suave y melodiosa, contándote anécdotas sobre la época en la que escribió el libro. Estoy maravillada.

El libro se lleva sus muy merecidas 4 estrellas.

[Jeraviz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me resulta muy difícil siempre dar 5 estrellas a una antología de relatos. Aquí nos encontramos con dos cuentos que sí las merecen; donde se nos narra el origen de la Escuela de Magia y el cuento que sirve de unión entre Tehanu y En el otro viento. Estas dos historias son la mejor muestra de lo que es Terramar: buenos personajes, buena narración, trama con trasfondo, diálogos inteligentes...

Pero también nos encontramos con otras tres historias, genialmente escritas por Le Guin, pero que narran tres momentos distintos en la historia de Terramar cuyos personajes no me han llamado la atención.

Por último, nos incluye un tratado sobre las lenguas, pueblos e historias que existen en Terramar. Que si eres un fan y te interesa saber hasta el último detalle es una gran lectura, pero no me ha pillado con el cuerpo con ganas de saber el origen etimológico de palabras inventadas.

En definitiva, puedes leer esta colección como unión entre el cuarto y quinto libro de la saga, pero tampoco pasa nada si te has leído la saga completa y quieres completar la experiencia con estos cuentos de Terramar.

[Tatiana · Rating 4 out of 5]

UKL is one of my favorite authors of all time, one of two authors (along with Tolkien) whose fantasy I love because it feels real to me down to the deepest level. This book is five stories set in the same world as her Earthsea novels. All five are just jewels. They flesh out that universe a bit more, in quite interesting ways, and all are delightful in their own right, as well. One is from the time that Ged is Archmage. Another is from after his time. One is from long ago, telling something of how the school for wizards got its start on Roke. They all have her subtlety and sense of power and reality: how life really is, and how it feels to different types and classes of people. She has the voice of a poet. Her prose rings with it. I think all her books would be marvelous read aloud. She talks of stories as though they grow, organically, rather than being wrought intentionally, and the naturalness and simple truths that her stories hold makes you believe it. If you haven't read the Earthsea books yet, read them all, then read this collection. They're all wonderful.

[Nicky · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you read nothing else from this collection, you should grab this to read ‘Dragonfly’. The other stories fill in bits and pieces of the background, or use the world to tell a new story that is small in scope compared to Ged’s. ‘Dragonfly’, on the other hand, is necessary (to my mind) to really understanding The Other Wind, and should definitely be read first. It introduces a character who becomes important, and events which are referred to throughout the novel.

As for the writing of the stories themselves, well: Ursula Le Guin’s prose is as fine as you would expect, and the words are precise and crisp and each placed exactly right. The glimpses of history and other places which we get in these stories is worth the price of entry, too. I think ‘Darkrose and Diamond’, for instance, is incredibly slight compared to Ged’s story, but on the other hand it does reflect on some of the same themes as Tehanu. As does ‘Dragonfly’, in different ways.

Originally posted here.

[Gyalten Lekden · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a perfect addition to the Earthsea Cycle. This collection, with two novellas and three short stories (or, really, novelettes) has an enormous scope, a truly holistic exploration of everything we think we know about wizards, magic, and what it means to be in Earthsea. I enjoyed every story, every single one felt additive to the overall mythos while also standing on its own, celebrating art, individuality, and kindness, maybe above all else. The writing is rich and emotional, written in the mythic register that Le Guin has used in all of the Earthsea books. The stories, while short, all feel like they have weight. They are populated with characters that you immediately feel invested in, lives that immediately feel real and complicated and valuable. The world of Earthsea is vast and this collection helps map out some of its boundaries, which feels like a joyful excursion from the undeniable momentum that ended the previous book, Tehanu. This break in narrative momentum works really well, reminding the reader that there are histories sung of these grounds we are traveling, and more songs being composed as we travel.

In order to fully appreciate where we are going we need to have this expansive view, this reclamation of the past, this understanding of how things have come to be what they are, for better or worse. Some things grew together and some things have strayed from what they were, and as we see what was and compare it to what we know to be it leaves us with the imminent sense of change, the knowledge that this journey will bring us to a place of transformation. The final story offers a story that brings us to the present, offering a story that we might recognize as parallel to Tehanu’s journey, or how her journey may have started had the circumstances of her birth been different. We are guided back to where our narrative left us, not with the same characters but with the same sense of urgency and conviction.

Le Guin shows us that all the power structures we have been told are the ways of old are, in fact, inventions of men. Sometimes with the best of intentions, sometimes out of ignorance, and sometimes out of lust for power and control, but nothing as infallible as we may have been led to believe. I really appreciate how these stories can be so playful and meaningful at the same time, challenging the world as we know it while providing warmth and comfort. Some of the things that have frustrated me about the world Le Guin created in the previous four books all have to do with what feels like a capitulation to the patriarchal status quo and expectations of high fantasy: of the power and beauty, in fact the need, of a benevolent king to keep away the chaos, of the gendered roles of magic and homesteading and society (though these she began to explicitly question in book four), and more. These are books for young readers, and they are breathtaking and revolutionary in some ways, but I have been missing Le Guin’s more radical politics, her denial of the shackles of the status quo and common expectation. It felt, especially in the original trilogy, that Le Guin was entranced by the words of her own history books, forgetting those are the mere scribblings of men who cannot remember the songs that preceded them. The fourth book felt like her beginning to recognize the fallibility of her narrators, and this collection has brought the story and the history full circle in ways that are quite fulfilling and leave me excited to see how she concludes this epic tale.

[Велислав Върбанов · Rating 4 out of 5]

„Приказки от Землемория“ е много приятен сборник! Той съдържа пет разказа, които са поучителни, увлекателно поднесени и определено допринасят за развитието на фентъзи света. Любимите ми истории от книгата са „Костите на Земята“ „Драгънфлай“.




„— Моят учител беше с мен, и неговият — с него — отвърна им Оджиън, когато взеха да го възхваляват. — Можах да задържа Портата отворена, защото той удържа планината неподвижна.
Те хвалеха скромността му и не го слушаха. Слушането е рядка дарба, а хората държат да си имат своите герои.“


„... името. Не можеш го измисли. Оставяш го то да дойде при тебе. Трябва да дойде през тебе и през водата до оная, на която принадлежи. Ей туй е силата, така става. Това е. Не го правиш ти. Ама трябва да знаеш как да го оставиш да стане. Това е целият майсторлък.
— Маговете могат повече от това — каза след малко момичето.
— Никой не може повече от това.“

[Özgür Atmaca · Rating 3 out of 5]

3. kitapta bitmiş serinin 5. uzamış halkası gibi.
Kavramlar, yöntem ve ifadeler aynı mı gelmeye başladı yoksa bir körü kitap mı bunu da son kitapta anlayacağız sanırım.
Gerçekten bitirmekte çok zorlandım.

[Sarah ~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

أحببت كل قصص المجموعة والتي تدور في عالم إيرثسي الساحر.

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Do you trust me, Dragonfly?"

"Yes."

"Will you trust me entirely, wholly-knowing that the risk I take for you is greater even than your risk in this venture?"

"Yes."

"Then you must tell me the word you will speak to the Doorkeeper."

She stared. "But I thought you'd tell it to me-the password."

"The password he will ask you for is your true name."

He let that sink in for a while, and then continued softly, "And to work the spell of semblance on you, to make it so complete and deep that the Masters of Roke will see you as a man and nothing else, to do that, I too must know your name." He paused again. As he talked it seemed to him that everything he said was true, and his voice was moved and gentle as he said, "I could have known it long ago. But I chose not to use those arts. I wanted you to trust me enough to tell me your name yourself."

She was looking down at her hands, clasped now on her knees. In the faint reddish glow of the cabin lantern her lashes cast very delicate, long shadows on her cheeks. She looked up, straight at him. "My name is Irian," she said.

He smiled. She did not smile

He said nothing. In fact he was at a loss. If he had known it would be this easy, he could have had her name and with it the power to make her do whatever he wanted, days ago, weeks ago, with a mere pretense at this crazy scheme-without giving up his salary and his precarious respectability, without this sea voyage, without having to go all the way to Roke for it! For he saw the whole plan now was folly. There was no way he could disguise her that would fool the Doorkeeper for a moment. All his notions of humiliating the Masters as they had humiliated him were moonshine. Obsessed with tricking the girl, he had fallen into the trap he laid for her. Bitterly he recognised that he was always believing his own lies, caught in nets he had elaborately woven. Having once made a fool of himself on Roke, he had come back to do it all over again. A great, desolate anger swelled up in him. There was no good, no good in anything.

"What's wrong?" she asked. The gentleness of her deep, husky voice unmanned him, and he hid his face in his hands, fighting against the shame of tears.

She put her hand on his knee. It was the first time she had ever touched him. He endured it, the warmth and weight of her touch that he wasted so much time wanting.

He wanted to hurt her, to shock her out of her terrible, ignorant kindness, but what he said when he finally spoke was, "I only wanted to make love to you."

"You did?"

"Did you think I was one of their eunuchs? That I'd castrate myself with spells so I could be holy? Why do you think I don't have a staff? Why do you think I'm not at the school? Did you believe everything I said?"

"Yes," she said. "I'm sorry." Her hand was still on his knee. She said, "We can make love if you want."

He sat up, sat still.

"What are you?" he said to her at last.

"I don't know. It's why I wanted to come to Roke. To find out."

He broke free, stood up, stooping; neither of them could stand up straight in the low cabin. Clenching and unclenching his hands, he stood as far from her as he could, his back to her.

"You won't find out. It's all lies, shams. Old men playing games with words. I wouldn't play their games, so I left. Do you know what I did?" He turned, showing his teeth in a rictus of triumph. "I got a girl, a town girl, to come to my room. My cell. My little stone celibate cell. It had a window looking out on a back street. No spells-you can't make spells with all their magic going on. But she wanted to come, and came, and I let a rope ladder out the window, and she climbed it. And we were at it when the old men came in! I showed 'em! And if I could have got you in, I'd have showed 'em again, I'd have taught them their lesson!"

"Well, I'll try," she said.

He stared.

"Not for the same reasons as you," she said, "but I still want to. And we came all this way. And you know my name."

It was true. He knew her name: Irian. It was like a coal of fire, a burning ember in his mind. His thought could not hold it. His knowledge could not use it. His tongue could not say it.

She looked up at him, her sharp, strong face softened by the shadowy lantern light. "If it was only to make love you brought me here, Ivory," she said, "we can do that. If you still want to."

Wordless at first, he simply shook his head. After a while he was able to laugh. "I think we've gone on past... that possibility..."

She looked at him without regret, or reproach, or shame.

"Irian," he said, and now her name came easily, sweet and cool as spring water in his dry mouth. "Irian, here's what you must do to enter the Great House..."



He left her at the corner of the street, a narrow, dull, somehow sly-looking street that slanted up between featureless walls to a wooden door in a higher wall. He had put his spell on her, and she looked like a man, though she did not feel like one. She and Ivory took each other in their arms, because after all they had been friends, companions, and he had done all this for her. "Courage!" he said, and let her go. She walked up the street and stood before the door. She looked back then, but he was gone.

She knocked.

After a while she heard the latch rattle. The door opened. A middle-aged man stood there. "What can I do for you?" he said. He did not smile, but his voice was pleasant.

"You can let me into the Great House, sir."

"Do you know the way in?" His almond-shaped eyes were attentive, yet seemed to look at her from miles or years away.

"This is the way in, sir."

"Do you know whose name you must tell me before I let you in?"

"My own, sir. It is Irian."

"Is it?" he said.

That gave her pause. She stood silent. "It's the name the witch Rose of my village on Way gave me, in the spring under Iris Hill," she said at last, standing up and speaking truth.

The Doorkeeper looked at her for what seemed a long time. "Then it is your name," he said. "But maybe not all your name. I think you have another."

"I don't know it, sir."

After another long time she said, "Maybe I can learn it here, sir."

The Doorkeeper bowed his head a little. A very faint smile made crescent curves in his cheeks. He stood aside. "Come in, daughter," he said.

She stepped across the threshold of the Great House.

Ivory's spell of semblance dropped away like a cobweb. She was and looked herself.


4 1/4 stars

[Irmak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sanırım seride kadınların toplumda kabul görmesi gerektiğini, erkeklerden bir farkları olmadığını en çok vurgulayan kitap buydu. Bir de herkese gerçek adımızı söylüyoruz, acaba insanlara fazla mı güveniyoruz?

[Ruxandra Grrr · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I spoke your true name. It’s not what I thought it would be. And I don’t feel easy about it. As if I’d left something unfinished. But it is your name. If it betrays you, then that’s the truth of it.”

I read this collection with pleasure and tenderness. It would have felt strange to say this after The Farthest Shore, which had been an absolute let down. But I love how Ursula kept coming back to this world she created and doing work of repair to the world. What felt fixed and conservative in A Wizard of Earthsea (misogyny, a 'natural' way to rule, to study, to teach) becomes with the shifting perspective a way to accrue power and control. A way to oppress. I love how complicated and nuanced the world is now (not enough to enjoy too much of the ending 'The World of Earthsea' information, which felt a bit snoozy!). And the last tale promises that balance will be sought after again, because 300 years of men keeping all the power and fighting over it is enough.

However! It was a bit annoying that most of these stories had male protagonists once again, even if the prose was lovely and we got glimpses into the women and nuance into gender and the sexism of the world. More often than not I wanted to be in the women's perspective. And in the history at the end, it's interesting that the final final bit (just a few words) is about how some magical women pledge 'witch-troth' with each other, which is the only mention of any kind of non-hetero bullshit. Earthsea is a bit too straight a sea, if you ask me!

The Finder: The origin story of the Roke school, through the eyes of a man, Otter. It was interesting and I enjoyed it, but damn, I wish I'd actually been in Ember's perspective all along!

Darkrose and Diamond: This was cute, I liked Diamond's conundrum of: do I want to be an Earthsea capitalist like my father, a Roke intellectual to get more status or do I want to follow my bliss? But once again, I found Darkrose more intriguing. Beautifully written though.

The Bones of the Earth: Great atmosphere, I remember some bits of it, but basically this felt like most non-descript for me in the collection. I read this last week and almost forgot it!

On the High Marsh: In a way this felt like a re-tread of the story in Tehanu, but in the afterword Ursula speaks about how the presence of animals decenters humans in our stories, which was lovely and true (and had clocked it a little bit, but not enough).

Dragonfly: This was a total banger and my favorite of the collection, it felt most connected to Tehanu in spirit and of course, had a woman protagonist. Dragonfly was lovely to follow - a woman with a body type that is not often in fiction, especially at the time this was written. There was more reckoning with the sexism of the school of Roke and also tension in the relationship between Dragonfly and Ivory (who is a dick, but also makes some good points - like rules are made in injustice and bravery changes them). I loved how the other stories set a foundation for this one, giving such nuance to the previous books and the world and the magic. And what balance means. I'm excited for The Other Wind!

[Wick Welker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fleshing out Earthsea.

Rules are made to be broken. Injustices makes the rules, and courage breaks them. I have the courage, if you do!

This is the penultimate installment in Le Guin’s Earthsea cycle and it is simply superb. You get several short stories across space and time within this world. Many origins are explained as well as needed back stories. The last story is the bridge from the prior book Tehanu to the last book. You simply cannot skip this collection. As always, the prose is simple, inviting and beautiful. The themes about power, acceptance and resistance are timely.

The rest are SPOILER summaries:

The first story is about the origins of Roke and the school of wizardry there, probably set a hundred or so years before Ged came along. The main character, Otter, has a skill for magic and is quickly exploited by another wizard who works on behalf of a pirate king. This is before the King of Havnor days. Otter escapes with the help of a young girl who also has magic who dies in the process. He then finds the hidden island of Roke where only magic women live. They have hidden themselves from the power of men. Despite their best instincts, they let Otter onto the island who then goes about recruiting students and founding the school of magic there. Well, what happens? Men are attracted to the power of the island and threaten its very existence. This is barely prevented but clearly sometime after this story, Roke is taken over and replaced by a patriarchy. By Ged’s time, woman aren’t even allowed in the school of Roke and any woman who has magic is simply deemed a witch.

Darkrose and Diamond is a love story between the daughter of a witch and the son of a rich merchant. I definitely enjoyed this.

My favorite story was On the High Marsh which features a mysterious healer, Irioth, who heals livestock and has memory loss. He clearly is a wizard and forms a relationship with a woman with whom he lives. The twist is this wizard was banished from Roke by Ged himself and fled. Ged find him here but lets him be and in the care of the woman.

Dragonfly, direct bridge between Tehanu and the final novel featuring the young woman Iria who goes to Roke to be accepted as the first woman mage. Azver accepts her as an apprentice but is swiftly challenged by the higher mages. Thorian has amassed an army of students to banish her. Iria transforms into a dragon at the climax and leaves. There must be a connection with Iria and Tehanu of the prior book, who are also of the dragons.

[Caterina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Muhtesemdi! Serinin onceki kurgulariyla paralel hikayelerden olusuyordu. Ne ara sonuna geldin anlamadim. Ozellikle "Iriali"...

Bu serinin her kitabindan ayri bir keyif aldim. Her ne kadar Ged'in kendine has oykusunu cok ozlemis olsam da yeni karakterlerle tanismak guzeldi.

Nasil bir hayal dunyasidir Le Guin'inki bilmiyorum... Ama cok derin oldugu hissettigim tek sey.

Satir aralarinda dusunduren cumleler vardi. Dikkatimi cekenlerden bazilari sunlar:

"Eğer kendimizden başka herkes köle olacaksa, bizim hürriyetimizin kıymeti ne olacak?"

"Cehalet içindeki güç felakettir!"

"Olmaman gereken bir sürü yere gitmeden nerede olman ge­rektiğini bilmek ender bulunan vergilerden biridir."

" İyi bir şey yapmanın tehlikesi, aklın iyilik niyeti ile işleri doğru dürüst yapma eylemini karıştırmasında yatar."

"Dinlemek, insana zor nasip olan bir vergidir; üstelik insanlar kahramanları olsun isterler."

"Eğer bir kelime iyi ediyorsa, bir başkası da yaralar,"

"Haksızlik kurallari yaratir. Cesaret ise onlari yikar."

" Herhangi birimizin bü­tün bildiği, olayların kendisine nasıl göründüğü, nasıl geldiğidir."

Seriyi mutlaka okumalisiniz...

[Kristen · Rating 2 out of 5]

These stories were not nearly as compelling as the first four Earthsea books, either in the plot or the writing. Also, several stories seem overly concerned with demonstrating that women have more importance in Earthsea than the fist three books indicate, especially the last story, "Dragonfly." This story and the first one, "The Finder," read as though the author is trying to re-write women into the Earthsea stories as an afterthought. I didn't mind their near absence in the first three books, so their post-hoc addition in these stories doesn't interest me much.

The stories are mostly entertaining, but the women-equality themes in "Dragonfly" overpower the rest of the story. Also, most material in it was already covered (and better) in the fourth Earthsea novel, Tehanu.

[Coco · Rating 3 out of 5]

-3.5-

[YouKneeK · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tales from Earthsea is an anthology of five stories that take place at various time periods before, during, and after the previous four books. In the author’s introduction, she says these stories should be read after the first four books. I would definitely agree; I think some of these stories would be less meaningful without already knowing how they fit into the larger story. I normally find anthologies to be pretty unsatisfying, because the stories are so short and I like longer, meatier stories. However, I really enjoyed this anthology because the stories felt more like they were just part of the larger series and that larger series added the depth and context.

The first story, The Finder, is the longest story and represents a third of the book. It’s set long before the first Earthsea book during a time when people with magical abilities were feared and either killed or forced to work for powerful men for ignoble purposes. The story focuses on a boy known as Otter who has magical abilities. Although this book takes place too far in the past to have any familiar characters, it does give us some history directly related to some very familiar aspects of the main series. I enjoyed this story, and I liked Otter.

The second story, Darkrose and Diamond, didn’t have any direct connection to anything from the previous Earthsea books. It too tells the story of a young boy with magical abilities, but it’s a pretty different story. The boy, Diamond, is also gifted with music and he’s in love with a girl who lives nearby. His potential wizardry, his father’s expectations, his love for music, and his love for the girl all seem to be in conflict with each other. This story was a little too romance-y for my tastes. It wasn’t a bad story over all, but it had some of those romance tropes that really drive me nuts such as one character automatically assuming the worst, and the other character somehow failing to spit out the three-word explanation that could have quickly set things right. I hate it when characters are made to act like idiots for the sake of increasing romantic tension.

The third story, The Bones of the Earth, was a good one. We gain insight into Ogion’s past and we learn the details behind the event he’s famous for. The story is mostly told from the perspective of the master that Ogion was apprenticed to, and I think it left me with more questions about Ogion than answers, but I really enjoyed it and I wish it had been longer and more detailed.

The fourth story, On the High Marsh, introduces us to an adult sorcerer who seems to be half out of his mind. He’s good with animals, bad with people, and just seems generally confused. Eventually we learn his story and it ties to a familiar character from the main books. I enjoyed this story and I had fun trying to guess what was up with the sorcerer.

According to the author’s introduction, the fifth story, Dragonfly, is intended as a bridge between the fourth and sixth books. We’re introduced to a new character, a girl called Dragonfly. Like most of the main characters throughout this series, she has power. However, there’s some confusion as to just what kind of power she has. I really liked this one, and I look forward to seeing what happens to Dragonfly next. I’m assuming she will be a major character in the sixth book.

The author really tells a lot of different “coming of age” stories within this one series. We have Ged in the first book, Tenar in the second, and Arren in the third. One could arguably count Therru in the fourth book, but the meat of the story was far less about her than it was about Tenar and Ged so I wouldn’t count it. Then in this anthology we have Otter, Diamond, and Dragonfly. I’m not counting Ogion since the glimpse we were given was so brief and limited. One might expect this common theme to get repetitive, but it really didn’t for me. Each of the characters were distinctive and interesting, and the stories were all different.

Only one more book to go! I’ve actually only been reading this series for about 10 days, because the books are so short, but it feels like I’ve been living in this world longer.

[Dawn F · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a bit hit and miss, with a couple of stories being really interesting, while three of them were rather mediocre and forgettable imo. But overall Le Guin’s prose is beautiful and clear, and I’ve enjoyed listening to her words narrated by Jenny Sterlin while going through the Earthsea books.

[Krbo · Rating 4 out of 5]

što god je ova žena napisala je izvrsno, samo je pitanje odgovara li vam ili ne.
tako postoji hrpica njenog SF-a koji mi je izvrstan no ima i djela koje sam jednostavno ostavio na pola jer se nešto nije uklapalo.

u žanru epske fantastike jako respektiram i volim Zemljomorje tako su ovi dodaci kako punjeni čokoladni bonbonići po šlagu torte.

[Xabi1990 · Rating 4 out of 5]

7/10 en 2006. Media de los 23 libros leídos de la autora : 7/10

Los libros de Terramar de Ursula K Leguin siempre han sido una fuente de diversión para los aficionados a la CF la fantasía, y la serie de Terramar es un claro ejemplo. Historias entretenidas, con humor, imaginación, magia, originalidad, acción ... todo lo que podemos pedir a un buen libro de fantasía. Valga este comentario para lo que yo tengo etiquetado como “Un Mago De Terramar / las tumbas de Atuan / La Costa Mas Lejana / Tehanu / En el otro viento”

Peeeero acabo de leer el volumen titulado “Terramar 6– Las 12 moradas de viento” y decir que son historias muy muy cortas que no me han gustado apenas. No es que sean malas, pero esperaba más.

Por cierto, que estos libros de Terramar se han publicado bajo distintas denominaciones, recopilaciones, agrupaciones, editoriales, etc y es casi imposible al ver el título de un libro de Terramar decir si lo has leído ya o no.

[Gabi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful tie-in stories into the world and story of Earthsea.

(more substantial review next week when I'm off the app)

[Kostas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Before bright Éa was, before Segoy
bade the islands be,
the wind of dawn blew on the sea.

8/10

Coming back once more to the classic fantasy series a decade after the publication of the last novel, Tehanu, thinking at the time that she had reached the end of her character’s tales and wanting – after being asked to write more stories – to explore her fantastical world from its past to its present time, Ursula Le Guin delves in the Tales from Earthsea, the fifth book of the Earthsea Cycle, into the Archives of Earthsea, taking us in five stories, and an essay, of warlords, kings, dragons, wizards and witches, and gifted children; but also of history and knowledge, love and sacrifice, and magic and change, in a magical collection full of treasures.

The Finder

Ever since it was written centuries ago – after Elfarran and Morred perished and the Isle of Soléa sank beneath the sea; after the Ring of the Runes broke, and Erreth-Akbe died, and Maharion the Brave was betrayed – the Book of the Dark tells of a time where came the dark years, when warlords ruled through slavery, wizards sold their skills to the highest bidder, and all magic was considered black – but Otter, born by a boatwright in Havnor Great Port and a farm woman from Endlane village on Mount Onn, had learned to hid his gift of magic.

Yet, with his special gift that had put him into trouble in the first place to have taken him on a strange journey, coming before men and women of power and wisdom and travelling far in the Archipelago, when his destiny leads him back to his homeland, and a wicked wizard – wanting to bring Earthsea under his rule – learns about him, and tries to catch him and use him for his evil ends, Otter will soon find himself in a hunt for his very life that will bring him into a dark place which, if he fails to find a way to escape and return to the world of the living, could cost him everything...

Set 300 years before the novels, the opening story of the collection travels us in a dark and troubled time. A particularly different novella that, through its themes of power and gender, and its fascinating characters, Le Guin explores the dark years of the Archipelago, and the conflicts between warlords and wizards, revealing the difficult day-to-day life of its people of that time, but also of how Roke School was founded and its customs came to be.

Darkrose and Diamond

In the west of Havnor, in the town of Glade, his father: a merchant called Golden, was the richest man in that town. But Diamond, having grown up in the finest house, had a love for music.

Yet, with his manifestation of a talent for magic as he grew up to have brought him close to the witch’s daughter, Rose, spending their days together and falling deeply in love, when his father – wanting to put him on the right path – sends him away, and their time apart starts to deteriorate their relationship, Diamond will be faced with everything he had ever dreamed and desired...

Darkrose and Diamond comes from the heart of those in love. A story in which Le Guin writes for the greatest, and most important as well, part of life: love, showing us through her wonderful storytelling the passion that it causes, the mistakes that can destroy it, and all these things that make it, in the end, worth fighting for.

The story is also accompanied by a sheet music of the song that the author created specifically for this one.

The Bones of the Earth

High in Gont Mountain, where there are only pastures and goats, Dulse, born in Re Albi and spent the eighty years of his life there, has been standing on the doorstep of his house before the rainy day.

Yet, with the boy who turned up a long time ago in his doorstep and who became his apprentice to have turned him to memories of the past, reminiscing the days when he taught him the art of magic and taking his mind off, when he feels something strange coming from the heart of the island, and he starts seeking for its origin, Dusle will soon come before an event of both horror and destruction that, if he fails to stop, could make everything and everyone on the island to be lost...

The Bones of the Earth tells the story of Ogion’s teacher, and how Ogion ended up gaining his reputation. A short story of knowledge and sacrifice that shows the impact of magic, whether used for good or evil purposes, and the costs that can come from it.

On the High Marsh

On the island of Semel, south of the great silent volcano Andanden, lies the village called High Marsh where its few people live with their cattle among the marshlands. But Irioth, travelling for days on end and wandering about Earthsea, has been standing at the crossing of two paths.

Yet, with his arrival in the village to have made him the main topic of discussion of its people, wanting to know more about him and finding it difficult to believe his strange talent with the cattle, when not long after another traveller comes looking for him, and offers him a second chance, Irioth will be faced with a decision that could change his life forever...

Set during the years that Ged was Archmage, On the High Marsh explores themes of pride and greed, guilt and redemption, where Le Guin manages to create a short but meaningful story that shows once again the impact of magic on the world, as well as on the mind and body of the wielder.

Dragonfly

In the rich island of Way, her ancestors – surviving through all the dark years and prospering when order and peace returned in the Archipelago – were once known as the Masters of Iria – until, from one generation to the next, greed and time altered the family and their heritage was divided. But Dragonfly, heiress of Iria, grew up from her father’s housekeeper.

Yet, with her deepest desire to discover who she is to have motivated her to go to Roke, travelling with the help of a young wizard to the Isle of the Wise and wanting as nothing else to learn from their wisdom, when her presence in the Great House stirs up trouble between them, and the wizards soon take different sides, Dragonfly will find herself in the midst of a dispute that, if she doesn't find a way to resolve it, could leave her in ignorance of her true self...

Taking place a few years after the end of Tehanu, the final story of the collection bridges the fourth novel with the next one, The Other Wind. A dragon bridge, as Le Guin puts it. A story of self-discovery and change that takes us on the adventures of the eponymous character, on the concerns of the Wise, but also on the events that are about to unfold in Earthsea.

A Description of Earthsea

Last but not least in this collection is an essay about the history of Earthsea: its peoples, lands, and creatures; its languages, dialects, and writing; its cultures, beliefs, and magic; and its tales, songs and poems, in which Le Guin chronicles briefly the Beginning, the Years of the Kings, the Dark Time and the Founding of Roke through all the events and customs that made Earthsea what it is.

In summary, Tales from Earthsea is a wonderful addition to the Earthsea Cycle, with Ursula Le Guin enriching with information the world that the novels established, travelling us through all its history from the past to the present time, and also preparing the ground before the final end of the series.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

Somehow, having the penultimate book in this series be an anthology works perfectly for what Earthsea is. This book is more about the world, Earthsea itself, than any other book before it. LeGuin was able to gather all the threads that were left from previous books and start showing you where they make a complete whole. The first few stories were a bit dull in places but the last two are among my favorite stories in the entire series and the way they all interact with each other and move the narrative of Earthsea forward (even if some of them are set in the distant past) is masterful.

The Finder - 3.5/5
Darkrose and Diamond - 4/5
The Bones of the Earth - 4/5
On the High Marsh - 5/5
Dragonfly - 5/5