A Wizard Of Earthsea (book 1 of Earthsea) by Ursula LeGuin
01/01/2005 . Source: Donna Jones 
pub: Puffin. 202 page enlarged paperback. Price: £ 5.99 (UK), $10.99 (CAN). ISBN: 0-140-30477-0. Buy from Amazon US - Buy from Amazon UK
nb: US titles may only be available from Amazon US, and UK titles from Amazon UK. check out website: www.penguin.com
In the small dwelling of Ten Alders, a young boy finds his path mapped out as goatherd or bellows-boy. He isn't like any of the other children of his village and finds a solace in his aunt, a witch woman who shows him how to call the beasts to his side with their name.
Ten Alders is savaged by invaders and it is the boy, known only as Duny, who saves it with weaving his practised magics. He falls into a magically-induced catatonia which he is helped out of by a travelling mage, Ogion.
Duny finally gets his true name, Ged, from the mage he owes his life to and decides to go with him to learn the ways of the wizard. But all goes horribly wrong and Ogion decides that Ged needs to make his own choices in life and his own mistakes and asks him if he would like to go to the School for Wizards.
Eventually, Ged's pride and power-lust get him into serious trouble and he accidentally unleashes a terrible shadow-beast from the Other Place which takes up stalking the young wizard. This is the age-old story of pride coming before a fall.
This book is a reprint of the original that was published over thirty-five years ago. While the style of writing is showing its age a little, the fundamental story holds true and timeless in its depiction of life in Earthsea.
I have managed never to read this book before and have to admit that it seems to be the pedigree bloodline of all our modern fantasy greats. There is a feeling about it that you've been here before, but in the same instance it's more like meeting an old friend rather than rehashing a clichéd movie.
The character of Duny/Ged/Sparrowhawk, he's known by many names, is the archetypal teenager. Too old to be a child, too young to be wise and that holds true throughout the book. The teaching he receives at the time doesn't necessarily affect him until he is wise enough to accept the lessons.
Sparrowhawk has many adventures during his tale, a battle with a family of dragons and a run-in with an old nuisance we have met before. All the while though he is either running away from the shadow-beast or hiding himself in what he thinks is a safe place.
This title has the feel of popular fables in the way it is written and it has the impression of a story passed down through the ages. I found the style of writing in the narrative an odd one, only for the fact that most books written in recent years shy away from the narrative style. For its time, this book was groundbreaking and for now it is a fond reminder of where we came from and why we got here.
Some children may find the book hard to read since it is hardly the normal book style they would be used to. But I heartily recommend you read it at some point in your life, especially if you love the fantasy genre and want to understand where its roots really go!
Donna Jones |
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