Ursula LeGuin
A Wizard of Earthsea (1968)
Author: Ursula K. LeGuin
Genre: Fantasy (Secondary World)
Plot Summary:
The story begins at the start of Sparrowhawk's life in Gont. Later known as Ged, the greatest sorcerer in Earthsea, he first learns rudimentary magic from his aunt the witch. After he uses magic to save his town from an attack by the Kargs, word of his abilities spreads, and he begins studying under the sorcerer Ogion. Ged soon moves to study at the Roke School of Magic, where he meets a kind friend in Vetch and develops a bitter rivalry with Jasper. Ged starts to gain a reputation as a gifted magic student, but his pride and ambition get the better of him and result in disaster. SPOILER: After Ged challenges Jasper to a duel, he attempts to raise the dead and unleashes an awful shadow upon the world. The headmaster of Roke, Archmage Nemmerle, dies saving Ged from this shadow, and Ged nearly dies himself. After leaving school humbled, Ged spends the rest of the novel hunting for and being hunted by the shadow. Vetch joins him toward the end of his quest, and in a final showdown, Ged is able to defeat the shadow.
Geographical Setting: Earthsea
Time Period: During the early 1000s -- Sparrowhawk/Ged's childhood and young adulthood
Series: The Earthsea Cycle, Book 1
Appeal Characteristics:
This classic 1969 winner of the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award for Best Children's Fiction & Poetry, the first in The Earthsea Cycle, will probably be enjoyed by most fans of fantasy and is often a well-liked title among young adults. The narration is third person omniscient, which lends an air of fairy-tale to the telling of the story. The other-worldliness of the novel is established in the first paragraph, and the reader soon learns they will be told the tale of "Sparrowhawk," a legendary sorcerer. As with most fantasy titles, particularly those that are the first in a series, the author puts a great deal of effort into describing the setting and giving the reader background insight into the world of Earthsea, and her descriptions are beautifully vivid. A map of Earthsea can be found at the front of the book, and maps of certain Earthsea locales turn up in appropriate chapters throughout the novel -- this is particularly helpful in trying to get acquainted with the geography of the voyages described. In addition, small illustrations mark the start of each chapter. The prose style is simple and elegant, and while the plot is not at all fast-paced, this can be a quick and easy read. The most predominant appeal characteristic is really the magic -- wizardry, sorcery, witches, spells and other magical elements drive the story forward. Fantastical creatures, such as dragons or Ged's pet otak, Hoeg, are found throughout the novel. Sea travel is another very important aspect of the plot, particularly during Ged's quest to find/escape the shadow. There is also mention of imperialism, especially when the white, blonde savages of the Kargad Empire attempt to colonize. The hero, who begins as a motherless child, is very prideful and ambitious with little respect for wisdom and restraint until he realizes the dire error of his ways. Young Ged moves through life with something to prove, envious of others, and is friendless except for Vetch. He learns his lesson, though, and soon becomes humbled and thoughtful of others. Ged's friendship with Vetch becomes a particularly important element towards the end of the story, and there is some vague foreshadowing of a possible romance between Ged and Vetch's sister, Yarrow, in future books. The master-apprentice dynamic between Ged and Ogion is particularly strong, and Ogion emphasizes the relationship between power and responsibility. The wiser wizards in the novel, such as Ogion and the Archmages, discuss the importance of the world balanced in "Equilibrium" -- nothing should be changed without knowing the consequences of making the change. The concept of "true naming" controls the sorcerer's ability to perform magic; everything has a true name, and knowing the true name of a person is a very intimate and powerful thing. Good vs. evil is a predominant theme, with good triumphing in the end. Overall, this title is filled with elements loved by fantasy readers, and would be enjoyed by both adults and children.
Read-alikes:
For those who enjoyed this book, the best place to go afterward might be directly to the remaining 5 books in LeGuin's Earthsea Cycle (in order of publication): The Tombs of Atuan, The Farthest Shore, Tehanu, Tales from Earthsea, and The Other Wind. The first 4 books, through Tehanu, tell the story of Sparrowhawk/Ged and complete the Earthsea Cycle -- these should definitely be read in order. Tales from Earthsea is composed of short stories, novellas, and a multitude of interesting facts and information about the world of Earthsea, while The Other Wind is the fifth novel in the Cycle where we again meet Sparrowhawk, this time as an old man who helps a younger, troubled sorcerer named Alder. As The Earthsea Cycle is widely considered a young adult series, another good choice might be the popular Harry Potter titles by J.K. Rowling, starting with Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Like Earthsea, this series is beloved by both adults and children, and it follows a young wizard from his boyhood to his status as one of the greatest wizards in his world. Like Ged, Harry battles the curse of a shadow from his past, attends a magic school, makes friends, gains mentors, learns lessons, and overcomes great obstacles along the way. Although LeGuin's writing style is darker in tone and is far less pop-culturish than Rowling's, the Earthsea and Harry Potter series share a great deal in terms of plot, themes, character, and magical elements. If it's dragons, a strong lead protagonist, and a female author that you're looking for, then you might want to try Anne McCaffrey's Dragonriders of Pern series, starting with the first book, Dragonflight. This book, another favorite of adults and kids, tells the story of Lessa, a young girl who is destined to play a role in battling the deadly "thread" which threatens her planet. This is a meaty series that focuses on many different characters throughout the course of the novels, and there are about 24 books in all. Strong major characters, a quest, complex moral themes, and a highly descriptive and intense writing style can also be found in another classic readalike series, The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien, beginning with The Fellowship of the Ring. In this book, Frodo the Hobbit sets out with his friends on a quest to a dark land where they must destroy the One Ring of Power in its forge, and they are tempted, like Sparrowhawk, by dark forces along the way. Yet another title that focuses on a male protagonist as he comes of age and gradually achieves his status as a legend is T. H. White's The Once and Future King. This classic saga, filled with magical and fantastical elements, follows Arthur from his days as an apprentice to the magician Merlin (in The Sword and the Stone) to his reign as King of Camelot and leader of the famous Knights of the Round Table.
Red Flags: war and violence; magic; raising of the dead; brief mention of slavery
The Other Wind (2001)
Author: Ursula LeGuin
Genre: Fantasy
Plot Summary:
Dreams are the main theme running through The Other Wind. Dreams haunt Alder, a minor wizard in Earthsea. He seeks council from Sparrowhawk who directs him to King Lebannen’s castle where he finds explanations for the terrifying dreams. Tehanu and Tenar are at the castle at the request of King Lebannen and they all embark on an emergency voyage to break down the wall between the living and the dead and free the dead from the dry lands of the West. SPOILER: Tehanu is revealed to be a dragon and is released from her sorrow and King Lebannen marries the princess Seserakh of the Kargs for what I imaging is an epic and surprising end to the series.
Geographical Setting: Earthsea
Time Period: during the reign of King Lebannen
Series: Book six of The Earthsea Cycle
Appeal Characteristics:
The Other Wind has all of the classical appeal elements of the fantasy genre. There are the mages and sorcerers, dragons and magic. The plot is enhanced with a little romance and intrigue. The Other Wind is the sixth book in the Earthsea series by Ursula K. LeGuin. I would not recommend reading the books in this series out of order. I have not read any of the other books in this series and I was pretty lost throughout the beginning of the book as to the plot and the character references. Finding out that this book is from the tail end of the series explains a lot as to my frustration with the development of the character and the minimal descriptions regarding reasons that the characters are acting as they are.
b>Read-a-likes: Readalikes are Dragonshadow by Barbara Hambly which is part of the Winterlands series about mages working to protect themselves from dragons. The mysticism and fantasy storylines of the Earthsea cycles is mirrored in this series. Also The Lesser Kindred by Elizabeth Kerner part of Tales of Lanen Kaelar, is a series with the same feel as the Earthsea cycle with a married couple working to save the word from demons and bad mages. Ursula LeGuin’s writing style is similar to J.R.R. Tolkien's, author of the Lord of the Ring trilogy. Both series include epic battles against all odds. A Game of Thrones from the series, A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin, is another potential readalike in that the frame of the two series are similar. A final readalike would be any of the other books in the Earthsea cycle. I would suggest starting with the first book in the series and reading the books in order. Each book is supposed to stand alone, but I have found it rather unfulfilling to read the last book in the series.
Red Flags:Don’t start reading Ursula LeGuin with this book. Start with the first book in the Earthsea cycle, A Wizard of Earthsea.
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