Rating: 
Summary: Enjoyable and yet compelling.
Review: This book is a collection of five short stories that Ursula Le Guin wrote about her world, Earthsea. "The Finder" is the earliest set story, showing the founding of the wizard community on Roke. "Darkrose and Diamond" that could have happened just about anywhere during the Earthsea books, and it is a tale of the love of magic, and the magic of love. "The Bones of the Earth" tells how Ogion (Ged's master) stopped an earthquake. "On the High Marsh" tells of Ged and Irioth, who nearly overthrew the wizards of Roke. And finally, "Dragonfly" tells of Irian, who featured so large in The Other Wind, and her confrontation with Thorion, the Summoner who summoned himself back from death.I really enjoyed these stories. As with so much of Ursula Le Guin's writings, they are enjoyable and yet compelling. In particular, though, I am sorry that I read this book after The Other Wind. The last two stories are actually referenced in that book, and it would have been nice to read them before that book. Therefore, let me recommend this book to you, and furthermore recommend that you read it *before* The Other Wind.
Rating: 
Summary: Return to Earthsea!
Review: This book is a must for any fan of Ursula LeGuin's 4 part Earthsea series. The book includes two fairly long stories bracketing three short stories, and spans the history of Earthsea. Although Ged/Sparrowhawk appears only briefly, LeGuin has recaptured the magic of a world rich in tradition, myth and history. As a bonus, the book includes a medium length essay on the history, language and people of Earthsea. There is another Earthsea novel in publication - it will arrive this fall. This book is a wonderful way to pass the time until then.
Rating:
Summary: another great addition
Review: This is a collection of 5 short stories about the Earthsea world. It is another great addition to the Earthsea trilogy, or what used to be just a trilogy. "The Finder"- This is the story of young Otter, who goes to a new island. He also is a slave for finding metal. This is a story of the founding of Roke School. It takes up about 1/3 of the book. "Darkrose and Diamond"- 2 young lovers would turn their backs on magic for each other. "The Bones of the Earth"- Young Ogion (he is being trained as a wizard in this story) and his master pull together to stop an earthquake form destroying a Gont port city. "On the High Marsh"- Ged the Archmage chases a mad wizard after he has been driven from Roke. "Dragonfly"- Probably the best story in the book. This is the bridge to the new Earthsea novel, "The Other Wind". It is set after Tehanu A woman comes to Roke to challenge the rule that only boys can come to Roke School. Old friends return. This has a fantastic ending! Tales from Earthsea is a must-read for any Earthsea fan. It is highly worthy of being in the Earthsea saga. Highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: another great addition
Review: This is a collection of 5 short stories about the Earthsea world. It is another great addition to the Earthsea trilogy, or what used to be just a trilogy. "The Finder"- This is the story of young Otter, who goes to a new island. He also is a slave for finding metal. This is a story of the founding of Roke School. It takes up about 1/3 of the book. "Darkrose and Diamond"- 2 young lovers would turn their backs on magic for each other. "The Bones of the Earth"- Young Ogion (he is being trained as a wizard in this story) and his master pull together to stop an earthquake form destroying a Gont port city. "On the High Marsh"- Ged the Archmage chases a mad wizard after he has been driven from Roke. "Dragonfly"- Probably the best story in the book. This is the bridge to the new Earthsea novel, "The Other Wind". It is set after Tehanu A woman comes to Roke to challenge the rule that only boys can come to Roke School. Old friends return. This has a fantastic ending! Tales from Earthsea is a must-read for any Earthsea fan. It is highly worthy of being in the Earthsea saga. Highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: Good But Not Outstanding
Review: This is a collection of stories and some supporting material about Earthsea, the fictional world developed by Le Guin in a series of previous novels. The Earthsea novels are first rate fantasy, on a par with Tolkien and Philip Pullman's Dark Materials trilogy. The present book is not as good. While the quality of writing is solid, it doesn't approach Le Guin's best work. This book is still attractive by providing interesting information about Earthsea and the stories are entertaining. Le Guin is publishing another Earthsea novel this year and the last story in this book is an apparent bridge to the forthcoming novel.
Rating:
Summary: A near-perfect return to Earthsea
Review: When I found Tales from Earthsea sitting on a bookstore shelf, I was thrilled. I had no idea it was coming out - and when I saw on the back cover that a fifth Earthsea novel was due out later in the year, I nearly did a dance for joy. Ursula LeGuin is a wonderful writer, and Earthsea is perhaps her greatest creation. Needless to say, I came to this book with high expectations. I was not dissapointed. Every story is at least enjoyable. My personal favorites were "Darkrose and Diamond," a love story, and "Dragonfly," a story set after Ged's reign as Archmage - but I could easily imagine any of the five stories being someone's favorite. They're all wonderful, and althuogh they all deal with Earthsea, they're varied enough to appeal to different tastes.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful prose, but...
Review: Whenever I sit down with a Le Guin book, be it for the first time or the twenty-first time, I prepare myself to be transported to "another world" -- one in which new and extraordinary things happen. A world, not so much unlike our own, that opens a window into the nature of relationships, power, loss, and so much more. In other words, I am going to read a wonderful myth, akin to Tolkien, George MacDonald, even the Bible. Real truths come out of literature like this. The "Tales from Earthsea" collection does not disappoint. There are insights to human interaction, emotion, etc, in these pages. But, many times, I was wondering if the author would have been able to work these plot lines into the earlier books at the time the original chapters of the trilogy were published. The difficulty in writing new material for a universe created decades ago is that the universe's mythology, as described now rather than 20 years ago, "feels" completely different. My preconceptions and imaginations of the world of Earthsea have been rudely turned on their heads by one new book! Obviously, this process was begun in "Tehanu", but now Le Guin has gone back in time and done "revisionist history" on us by adding to the history that we thought we had. The new stories are engaging, mind you, but a bit discongruous with the old. Nevertheless, after reading the final story in this collection, I look forward with great anticipation to the next chapter in the Earthsea series. Highly recommended reading for young adults and adults alike. Do make sure to read the first four books before embarking on this set, though.
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