A Wizard of Earthsea

Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: Simple yet elegant. Le Guin's writing is economical - sparse on the descriptions but it's more than adequate. Refreshing change from the typical Anglican sword-and-sorcery settings, with dark-skinned islanders as the main focus and the Caucasians as the far-off enemies.

Ged is an endearing and interesting character. We recognize his mistake when he leaves Ogion, and sympathize with his realization of his foolish pride and it's terrible price.

The magic system LeGuin has created is interesting and consistent. The lore is intriguing and helpful. The first in a wonderful series.

Rating:
Summary: a master piece
Review: this is a classic! very stylish not to be missed highly recomended. the best of fantasy up there with lord of the rings

Rating:
Summary: The Spiritual Grandparent Of Harry Potter
Review: Ursula K. Le Guin's A Wizard Of Earthsea, the first book in her long standing Earthsea Trilogy, is the spiritual grandparent of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Indeed this story about a boy training at a school for wizards, who will one day go on to become the greatest wizard of his age, seems like a somber older adult version of Rowling's beloved story. Certainly the implications of magic and the responsibility of having such powers are given greater weight in Le Guin's story. Sparrowhawk becomes a wizard's apprentice after the wizard reveals Sparrowhawk's true name. Later, Sparrowhawk having been sent to a school for wizards, unleashes a terrible apparition of evil during a prideful contest with another student. His quest to destroy the apparition makes for a compelling right of passage story.

Preston McClear...

Rating:
Summary: An extraordinary tale
Review: Storytelling never loses its place at the forefront of this, the first book of the Earthsea Trilogy. This series has always been one of my favorites ever since I read it. Ms. Le Guin creates a believable world with characters that ring true on every page and the way she discusses and develops the importance of language and words in these novels is not only unique but powerful. Please read this series. You will not regret it.

Rating:
Summary: Great
Review: A great work of classical fiction. Must read for all science fiction and fantasy fans.

Rating:
Summary: The best Book
Review: This book is by far the best book I have read in my life, and I had thought that I had read the best book "A Christmas Carol" before this one, after reading this one i realized that this could be a verry intresting book for everyone to read.

Rating:
Summary: A Great Read
Review: Intelligent and thoughtfully written are appropriate adjectives to use when describing Ursula Le Guin's work. Many of her scientific novels are as profound as they are fanciful.

"The Wizard of Earthsea" is the first in a trilogy of books begun in 1968. "The Earthsea Trilogy" has often been compared to Toklien's Lord Of The Rings and many times critiques have praised it has the greatest of the two.

This first book in the trilogy begins the life story of a young boy called Duny at birth who is destined to become the greatest of all wizards in a world already renowned for its magic and power. Duny is a young headstrong boy who learns the first rudiments of magic from his aunt a witch. She begins to teach him minor weather control but most importantly she begins to instruct him in the true names of things. To know the true name of anything whether it is an object, an animal or a person gives you the power to control that entity.

Using the knowledge that his aunt has imparted to him Duny saves his village from attackers. This brings him to the attention of the Mage Ogion. At the time of naming when one sheds his childhood name for his true name, Ogion bestows on Duny his true name Ged. However, since to know ones true name is to have power over that person the boy became known to the outside world as Sparrowhawk.

Ged is impatient with his master's methods and when Ogion offers him the choice between staying with him or going to a famous school of wizards, he chooses to go to the school. There he meets his first rival Jasper and Vitch who will become his true friend.

However, although his natural magical talent leads him to become a great student and his knowledge grows by leaps and bounds, so does his pride and anger. Ged in a moment of pride accidentally lets loose a dangerous shadow on the world. It is in the battle with this shadow that he comes to learn not only the true power of words but humility and duty.

This book although written for adolescents will also appeal to adults who will appreciate the lessons taught in the story. Most children and teenagers may find the story a bit slow compared to current fantasy novels. Although children exposed to Harry Potter may enjoy the school of wizards and the interaction between Ged, Vetch and their rival Jasper.

I must confess that although I like Le Guin's writing style and always appreciate her stories, I often lamented her treatment of women. In this book women are never equal to men. They are there to be avoided or protected. However, I do highly recommend this book because despite its minor flaws, it is fantasy at its best.

Rating:
Summary: Very Original
Review: In A Wizard of Earthsea you will witness and accompany Sparrowhawk through what is to be his rite of passage. He discovers his true name while facing great challenges, such as an almost deadly battle with a terrifying and powerful creature, only to realize that the monster may only be his own shadow.

This is a truly original story that quickly captures your attention, imagination and heart. It won't be any easy one to put down, and you won't be able to get you hands on the next book in the series fast enough. It is full of action and symbolism, and represents the authors exceptional ability to create things that the rest of us never dreamed of. This novel will not dissapoint.

Rating:
Summary: really great book
Review: i was introduced to ursula k. leguin just this year, and she has certainly become one of my favorite authors. her books aren't like typical fantasy, with some magic object of power and a big old quest, with plenty of fighting and killing on the way. i loved this book because of how well the author developed characters and how she portrays ged's transformation from a child to an adult. i also like the fact that the evil is conquered not in some huge and bloody battle, but by ged coming to terms with the good and bad sides of himself. i loved the description of nature and the sea, and i found all the different histories of the islands to be really interesting. this book hasn't gotten the credit it deserves, so i hope more people will read it.

Rating:
Summary: We have seen the enemy, and it is us
Review: I don't usually read sci/fantasy. However, suffering from a cold and lacking any other easy reading material in the house, my husband handed his copy of The Wizard of Earthsea. I didn't really think that I would like, but ended up pleasantly surprised. The Wizard of Earthsea is basically the story of a young man with exceptional talent and an equal measure of stupid pride. As you might expect, this stupid pride ends up getting the young man into trouble when he releases a 'something' from the underworld. Of course, the young man is then forced to 'go on quest' to force the dark shadow back into the underworld. In the end, the shadow ends up being himself and a valuable lesson is learned.

While I wouldn't call this original material or fabulous writing, it is still well worth your time. The story is enjoyable and the characters likable. Being ill when I read it, I was able to finish it in the course of a day. This book would also make worthwhile reading for those who are young adults and not quite up to the challenge of The Lord of the Rings.