This is a compelling story about a powerful and gifted young wizard who is tempted by vanity to try a Spell of Summoning which brings into the world a black shadow-beast. Barely escaping with his life the wizard Sparrowhawk at first tries to hide from the evil which he released into the world, before confronting the flaws in his own character which were responsible for the disastrous Spell of Summoning.
You won't warm to Sparrowhawk when you first meet him. He is indeed gifted and powerful beyond measure but he is also proud and conceited, self-willed and argumentative and perhaps above all ashamed of his lowly upbringing as a goatherd on the outlying island of Gont. But Ursula Le Guin moulds this character beautifully, dragging him inch by inch through devastating remorse and critical self-examination until he emerges, physically and mentally scarred, but now strong enough to turn and hunt the shadow beast in a final showdown.
And not only is this a scouring account of the battle between good and evil, but it is also set in a thoroughly constructed world where the rules of geography apply equally with the rules of magery. Ursula Le Guin will introduce you to the power of naming, and show you a school for wizards on the island of Roke where the arts of Changing and Summoning are taught. If you are interested, you might like to compare this school with Harry Potter's school of witchcraft and wizardry, Hogwarts. Although they are obviously treated very differently, these two schools have remarkable timetabling similarities. After I had read this book I really felt I understood the basics of witchcraft myself.
What do you think about ‘A Wizard of Earthsea’?
Inga Hobbs, girl, age 37, from Bristol, United Kingdom, on 19th November 2008. Rating: 10/10
Well, I read this book at age eleven after finding it on the desk of an empty classroom at school, and I have to say that I still consider it to be one of the best books I have ever read, and I have read fairly widely. I will always return to this book and I rank it as far superior to "The Lord of The Rings", which I consider to be an overrated dusty tome. Ursula le Guin's understanding of the balance and pattern far surpasses any drivel that JK Rowling may cite in her potboilers, Rowling's judicious use of latin aside. I was hooked by "A Wizard of Earthsea" from page one, and went out into the mist in the small village where I lived to see if I could call any wild beats to me, such is the joy of unfettered youth. Anyone who loves this book as I do should also try reading anything by Alan Garner, particularly "Elidor", and "The Owl Service". Susan Cooper's "Dark is Rising" sequence is also worthy of note. All of these books were written in the 1960's, and it seems to me that they contain an element of care that is sadly lacking in much modern literature.
B-boy Charlie B., boy, age 13, from London, Canada, on 5th November 2008. Rating: 10/10
My review is well nothing more than a perfect. My reasons well let me start off with how big the scale of the world is. I love how she kept referring to the world and where he was, every time a location like an island or so came up I would turn to the map to see where it was. Also the world is not just there randomly, it is there for a reason, if you look from location to location, and the reason why Ged was there it all adds up and fits together. This is book is very complicated, it confuses me from time to time, but I read it over and I understood why and so on. This book is a lot darker than most books. This has other things contributing to it feeling real, and maybe possible. Where Ged/Sparrowhawk, came from is very explained and thought through, such as all of the other characters, they are all explained, and all have their own personality. I love how the poem at the beginning of the book come in at the end. I beleive how everything comes together, the world, "magic" which is all really knowledge of names and different things than the classic mumbo jumbo, and the personalities of different characters, makes an amazing experience for any reader looking for deep story. All I'm really sayin' is that this book is recommended to those with the mental capacity to handle loads of information and is interested in the creativity of author.
Anonymous, boy, age 12, from United States, on 5th October 2008. Rating: 10/10
A Wizard Of Earthsea was one of the greatest books I have ever read so far, and in my opinion, better than the Harry Potter books. Earthsea kept me flipping its pages over and over... I just couldn't stop. If I actually had the time, I would have read the whole book without ever taking a break! So... between Harry and Earthsea, just as Fro said, Earthsea is more deeper and darker, where you have to really think about what is given (my type of book), while the Harry Potter books serve information on a silver platter, allowing a wide audience. Anyways, I can't wait to get the next Earthsea book in the series: Tombs of Atuan! I would recommend stopping over at your library and reading the first few pages, see if you like A Wizard Of Earthsea~ For Earthsea fans... check out the movie Tales From Earthsea, directed by Goro Miyazaki, son of Hayao Miyazaki.
Read all 25 comments about A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula Le Guin
If you want to buy A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula Le Guin and help readingmatters, please use these links
   |
 |
|
Sorry, no links yet at amazon.com |
A Wizard of Earthsea is a definitive work, in many ways as effective as The Lord of the Rings. If this book captures your imagination, you will be pleased to know it is just the first of a five-part series:
If you enjoy great fantasy epics you might like to look at the His Dark Materials trilogy by Philip Pullman:
If you haven't got round to reading J R R Tolkien yet, this may be the moment. Have a look at:
Also, in a lighter vein, by J.K. Rowling:
