If I haven't read "A Wizard of Earthsea" yet, can I read this one?

[Shanna_redwind]

Yes, you'd be able to follow it just fine. The book has a different central character, and the main character from A Wizard of Earthsea is a secondary (Though very important) character.

There might be a few things that could use a bit more explanation, but for the most part, you shouldn't have any problems.

[Jenelle]

Definitely. You might be a little confused, but if you've already watched the miniseries and read The Farthest Shore you should be fine. Tombs of Atuan is my favorite of the trilogy, by the by!

[Bryan]

Isn't it interesting how everyone has a different favorite? I haven't read Tehanu yet, but so far A Wizard Of Earthsea was my favorite.

[M]

Don't bother, it is kinda boring

[Ernest]

Sure. Merlin lived his whole life backwards. You can certainly read the books that way. Spoiler; he gets born at the beginning.

[Bryan]

Wasn't there a book of short stories Le Guin wrote called Tales Of Earthsea? Not sure if the movie was based on this or not, as I haven't read that Le Guin was quite disappointed in a movie that was made based on the series. Don't know if this was the same movie or not.

[Bryan]

Also, to the guy who advised me not to read Tehanu because "it's kinda boring"...do you really think I'm going to read three books in a series, rate one of them a four-star book, and then not read the fourth book? Is that how you work?

[Lesley]

Personally, I loved the Tombs of Atuan, and it does stand well on its own.

[Mark]

I read them as a trilogy in sequence and enjoyed them as such. Have never dared to go to the sequels as some of the critics murdered them in an anti-feminism stance.
The original three make up for some great reading in whatever sequence one enjoys.

[Julie Stout]

It works without reading Wizards. Girls like it. Boys say it's boring.

[Piotrek]

Julie Stout wrote: "It works without reading Wizards. Girls like it. Boys say it's boring."

Exception here! Tombs of Atuan was actually my favorite out of the Earthsea trilogy.

[Lesley]

One slightly strange thing that I found was that, when I read the book as a child, I could follow the directions around the maze very easily - but as an adult, re-reading, I found it very hard!

[db]

Yes