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Summary: The inward-looking sequel to "A Wizard of Earthsea"
Review: After encountering the broadly expansive world detailed so lovingly in "A Wizard of Earthsea," younger readers may be puzzled at first by the extremely different scope of the second book in the "Earthsea" tetralogy, "The Tombs of Atuan," which restricts almost all of its narrative to the title site. (The map in some editions of the labyrinth under the tombs seems almost to parody the indispenable maps of Earthsea in the first book in the series.) The hero of the first book, Ged, doesn't even appear until well into the narrative: while Ged was a wanderer, this book is about a young woman, originally named Tenar, who has been since infancy marked out as the most important religious figure in the largest political power in earthsea at the time of the book's events, but who is nonetheless restricted to a dreary life of ritual serving the Nameless Ones in a desolate shrine. You'd think Le Guin couldn't pull off such a purposeful reversal of scale and tone after the stunning achievement of the first book, but she does, and the respectful (and non-romantic) relationship between Tenar and Ged is deftly limned, as are Tenar's revelations about the nature of the gods she serves. It's not a book for everyone, given its decidely dismal atmosphere, but it is nonetheless accomplished with brilliant skill.
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Summary: Contemplative coming of age story with a new heroine.
Review: In the second volume of LeGuin's "Earthsea Trilogy", the wizard Sparrowhawk (Ged) returns, but only in the latter half of the book. The story first centers around Tenar, who at the tender age of five is taken from her parents to the Place of the Tombs in the deserts of Atuan and renamed Arha, "the Eaten One". Born on the same day that the head priestess of the cult worshipping the Nameless Ones died, she is designated to be the cult's new leader. Much of the first part of the novel is introspective, revolving around Arha's loneliness and her days in the darkness of the tombs. Imprisoned by the cult, as she matures she struggles with the legitimacy of the cult which revolves around her, and her own identity. It's a journey from the darkness of her oppressive religion to the light of freedom and truth.At this point Ged arrives, but only as a supporting character. Ged is on a quest to obtain the other half of a magic amulet. Together, he and Arha complete the quest and make the journey to a new beginning. But the novel's real focus is Arha, and her journey from bondage to freedom, from childhood to adulthood. Unlike much other fantasy, LeGuin's books don't revolve around cheap and flashy displays of trivial magic. In "The Tombs of Atuan" at least, the magic falls to the background, for the telling of a serious tale about a girl's journey to womanhood. Even though it's part of a series, this is a story that functions independently in its own right. Those looking for Harry Potter type fantasy adventure and fun will be disappointed, but for fans of serious fantasy and characterization this is not to be missed. It's no wonder that this title won the Newberry Award. -GODLY GADFLY
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Summary: A worthy sequel to an extraordinary book
Review: So often a followup to a great book just can't live up to its predecessor. The Tombs of Atuan does not suffer from this all to common ailment of sequels. As in the first book, storytelling is front and center in this second book of the Earthsea Trilogy. Ms. Le Guin follows up on themes of the first book and expands upon them through the story of Tenar, a young priestess imprisoned by an ancient religion and the customs and responsibilities surrounding it and Ged, the Arch-Mage, who must help her even as she helps him.
Please read this series. You will not be disappointed.
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Summary: A Tale with and Interesting Twist
Review: In this novel, the 2nd of Le Guin's Earthsea series, readers meet Tenar, the priestess of the "Nameless Ones" who guards the catacombs of the Tombs of Atuan. Sparrowhawk, on his journey to locate and obtain a priceless ring filled with power becomes lost in a tangle of catacombs. Only Tenar who takes pitty on him, knows the passageways, and only she can lead Sparrowhawk out and show him the way to the ring he seeks. A very unforgetable tale that is just as wonderful as the first in the series.
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Summary: A contemporary fantasy novel
Review: The most interesting thing about Earthsea, as this great addition to the series shows, is that it is believable and totally alien at the same time. The dying cult that reigns over Atuan's dark temples reads as if it were an actual forgotten culture on the fringes of civilization, and the story of the rebirth of "Arha" is introduced with all the air of a ritual with forgotten roots in superstition. The characters of /Tombs of Atuan/ don't act like they're reciting a script; Arha, despite being the revered priestess of her temple, has her own character flaws, and even the heroic Ged falls into a trap nearly as soon as we meet him. If you need a good story for your preteen (or even teen)'s library, without a blatant moral or predictable events, I recommend /The Tombs of Atuan/. It's an excellent contemporary fantasy novel, and draws off of modern philosophy rather than Victorian ideals.
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Summary: Not as good as the first book,but good at the end .
Review: Le Guin put to much detail into the religon .She also made it boring.But the end was good.
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Summary: The Nameless, ones have awoken
Review: The tombs of Atuan are as mysterious as they are deadly. From the room of chains to the treasury. This book is a little slow getting started but once you begin to understand the struggle between the powers of old and Artha's desire to do good you can't stop reading. the book really gets interesting with the introduction of Ged or Sparrowhawk a wizard seeking for the ring of a long dead wizard. The book twists and turns. It has an excellent ending however it is not as good as the first and third book in the triolgy.
Overall I strongly recomed this exceptional piece of literature
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Summary: THis book is fasonating
Review: The book The Tombs of Atuan by Ursula K. Le Guin was a sequel to the book The Wizard of Earthsea. To me this book had so many great things about it but it also had many bad things. An example of a bad part would have to be the first 60 pages of the book. They were soooo boring! The Words were hard to follow and it wasn't very exciting because nothing happened during those pages. An example of a good part of the book would be that the rest of the book after the first 60 pages was really great. It was very entertaining and made you always wanting to keep on reading it. The story also made you keep thinking to yourself of what might happen next or what was going to become to Ged.
I think the theme of this story was "even though you don't know someone very well doesn't mean you cant trust them." I think this is the theme because when Tenar finds the thief and brings him into the painted room she doesn't trust him at first, but when she talks and talks with him more and more she finds out that she might be able to trust this stranger. Only knowing Ged for a week or so and saying that she would go with him back to Havnor to me shows that she does. "I must lock the door but when I come back I will trust you. You know that you can't leave... that you must not try? I am their vengeance, I do their will but if I fail them... if you fail my trust... then they will avenge themselves..." pg. 115 is a good example of the theme.
I recommend and encourage this book to others that like magic and adventure in a story. This book is a thrilling tale that will leave you wanting to read more and more. For those people that like short books here is your chance to finish it in one day if you really like it. I encourage the readers that haven't read the Wizard of Earthsea to read that book before this one because I don't think it would make much sense when you skip to this book.
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Summary: The Tombs of Atuan
Review: In Earthsea, mages, wizards, and sorcerers roam among its many islands. Just by knowing the true name of a certian person or thing, you have the ability to have complete control over it. Arha is the One Priestess reborn. At the age of five, she is taken from her home and becomes the One Priestess. By fourteen, she has completed her training and now has all the priestesses under her except for a select few. One day, on a venture into the pitch-black labyrinth Tombs of Atuan, she encounters Sparrohawk, a wizard who has come to steal the treasure in the Tomb. This treasure is almost impossible to steal. It is said that only Arha, the One Priestess, can go in the tomb which holds it. Even though she should kill Sparrowhawk, Arha lets him live. He is a mystery to her, a figure full of intrigue. As Arha takes risks to keep Sparrohawk alive, she and he become closer. She learns of the treasure he wants, and how she is a key to getting it... This book is short in length, no one can argue that. However, I was amazed at the way Ms. Leguin compacted all her ideas into such a small book without ruining it any. Someone could write a thousand pages, and it probably wouldn't hold as much meaning as this one little book. This is a great book, and I strongly recommend it. It's sequel's are: *The Farthest Shore* and *Tehanu* If you haven't read *The Wizard of Earthsea*, which is the story of Ged's(Sparrowhawk's) early years, I suggest you go read it. It's an amazing prequel.
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Summary: A dark tale of religion and personal conflict
Review: "The Tombs of Atuan," by Ursula K. LeGuin, is the second book in the author's fantasy series set in the world of Earthsea. This volume tells the story of a young girl who is taken as a child to be the priestess of the ancient cult of the Nameless Ones. But her world is shaken up when her underground tunnels are visited by an unexpected intruder: Ged, the wizard-hero of the first Earthsea book. I didn't think that "Tombs" was as much fun as "A Wizard of Earthsea," the first book in the series; there is less magic, less color, and less adventure. Much of the story is gloomy and dark, like its setting. Still, it's a compelling story. There are a number of significant themes and motifs: imprisonment, enslavement, personal loss, religious faith, supernatural power, and ancient mystery. Particularly intriguing is LeGuin's portrayal of conflict between two strong female characters.
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