A superb four-part fantasy, comparable with the work of Tolkien and C.S. Lewis, the "Earthsea" books follow the fortunes of the wizard Ged from his childhood to an age where magic is giving way to evil. As a young dragonlord, Ged, whose use-name is Sparrowhawk, is sent to the island of Roke to learn the true way of magic. A natural magician, Ged becomes an Archmage and helps the High Priestess Tenar escape from the labyrinth of darkness. But as the years pass, true magic and ancient ways are forced to submit to the powers of evil and death. Read more
B**N
Amazing, beautiful, profound books
I'd recommend reading these four books, then the author's translation of the Tao Te Ching, then these four books again. The main character is, in my mind, the purest of heroes, even more so than Aragorn or Frodo. These books are the antithesis of the semi-pornography that seems to be the industry standard of contemporary epic fantasy, even though the author's world contains villains and powerful evil. Parents and teachers and librarians should feel good when their 12 year olds read these books.In some ways the elder Sparrowhawk reminds me old Kvoth, in the world of the brilliant author Patrick Rothfuss, but Sparrowhawk would never have spent three hours, much less three days, telling his story. I'm so glad Ursula LeGuin did!
M**D
One of my favorite fantasy series
One of my favorite fantasy series. Written for young adults so the language is easy to follow. I first read these 40 years ago and I still love the storyline and the concepts Ursula uses. I would rate these PG.I like having a version with all of the books in one printing.
B**N
Fantasy world with depth.
This was less cut and paste fantasy and more of an anthropological masterpiece with a fully developed world and characters that actually grow as the book goes on. I didn't much care for Ged as the story started. He seemed arrogant and childish but it worked so well as he grows and learns from the mistakes that haunt him across the breadth of the world. Having all 4 of the Earthsea books in one package means I can fully immerse myself without having to wait or even pick up another book.As for the book itself the quality is great, the maps are all included and the print is readable which was my problem with the last Library of America book I read. Worth the price versus paying for each book separately and it is a series I strongly recommend to fantasy reading enthusiasts.
J**B
Five Stars
Looking to read great fantasy - this is it.
N**.
It's Le Guin, of course it's good!
Le Guin has been one of my favorite authors for some time.
M**C
It's a great series
Kind of shocking, given the resurgence in fantasy lit, that it's actually not easy to find decent copies of this set (to read, not to collects, easier to find collectibles), especially as this is about as good as it gets.the downside of this is that it's a big book, and while the four separately all fit easily into a back pocket for the subway, this has to be carried. that said, very glad i found it, wonderful to revisit this classic.
A**R
Nice and compact
Got it for a gift since I enjoyed reading the first 3 books years ago. It is a nice space saved to all three plus one books in one binding and its not too huge.
K**N
Deep and wide
Beautiful musical language. Believable interesting characters that grow with the story. A world that sweeps me away and compells me to return often.
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