A Wizard of Earthsea (Earthsea Cycle, #1) in Do Better: SFF without Sexual Violence

Jun 14, 2022 Amy rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, recommended-to-me, classics

I feel very torn about how to rate A Wizard of Earthsea. I enjoyed...maybe 30% of it. But that 30% I really enjoyed.
It just took me forever to get into it. I've been trying (unsuccessfully) to read this one since it was recommended to me 5 years ago. The beginning was particularly slow and rambling.
The thing is, this isn't a modern book determined to kick off with adventure. Rather, it sets about to tell the tale of how an eventually magnificent wizard became that wizard. (How Merlin became Merl ...more

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Sep 15, 2020 Cat rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobook, overdrive, read-at-2020

Meh i just didn't care for it, maybe because of the audiobook, I don't know ...more

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Mar 17, 2018 Alan rated it liked it · review of another edition

Gorgeously written, and tightly plotted. I was impressed by Le Guin's characterization of Ged--he's not your typical fantasy protagonist by any means, just as the narrative itself plays with many common fantasy tropes and motifs, but imbues them with a richness and distinction that lingers.

That said, I've always (rather unfortunately for my sake) found it hard, as an adult, to get sucked in by children's books, or books for younger readers (even ones I loved myself as a child), and this was the ...more

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Jun 08, 2011 Becca rated it really liked it

I was way overdue to reread this, and rereading Tehanu reminded me. I took off a star because this book is wonderful, but a little bit hard to get into. You always feel like you're reading an epic, rather than coming along with the characters. ...more

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