A Wizard of Earthsea: A Classic Fantasy Adventure of Magic, Dragons, and a Rising Shadow (The Books of Earthsea, 1)
The first novel of Ursula K. Le Guin's must-read Books of Earthsea.
Ged was the greatest sorcerer in Earthsea, but in his youth he was the reckless Sparrowhawk. In his hunger for power and knowledge, he tampered with long-held secrets and loosed a terrible shadow upon the world.
This is the tumultuous tale of his testing, how he mastered the mighty words of power, tamed an ancient dragon, and crossed death's threshold to restore the balance.
With stories as perennial and universally beloved as The Chronicles of Narnia and The Lord of the Rings—but also unlike anything but themselves—Ursula K. Le Guin’s Earthsea novels are some of the most acclaimed and awarded works in literature. They have received accolades such as the National Book Award, a Newbery Honor, the Nebula Award, and many more honors, commemorating their enduring place in the hearts and minds of readers and the literary world alike.
Join the millions of fantasy readers who have explored these lands. As The Guardian put it: "Ursula Le Guin's world of Earthsea is a tangled skein of tiny islands cast on a vast sea. The islands' names pull at my heart like no others: Roke, Perilane, Osskil . . ."
The Books of Earthsea include:
- A Wizard of Earthsea
- The Tombs of Atuan
- The Farthest Shore
- Tehanu
- Tales from Earthsea
- The Other Wind
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Community Reviews
I'd been told before reading (or listening to) this book that LeGuin later regretted her treatment of women's magic in the first book and tried to correct that in future books. So I was prepared for some stereotypical minimization of women's magic as being only concerned with the domestic or maternal. But either I missed it or it simply wasn't as noticeable as LeGuin herself and perhaps other readers had felt it was at the time. That may be because I've since been exposed to powerful magical women in lots of other books, so I didn't feel the lack of it in this book. But I do look forward to listening to the next two books to see what happens with the female characters.
Look, adapting A Wizard of Earthsea into a graphic novel is a bold move—like trying to paint a sunset with only three colors. Fred Fordham takes a valiant stab at it, translating Ursula K. Le Guin’s deep, lyrical prose into something visual. The result? A beautifully illustrated, slightly hollow retelling of one of fantasy’s greatest classics.
The artwork? Gorgeous. Sweeping landscapes, dramatic lighting, and an overall aesthetic that captures Earthsea’s mystical vibe. But the magic of Le Guin’s storytelling—the introspective depth, the slow burn of Ged’s growth—gets a little lost in translation. The novel’s powerful themes of balance and self-discovery feel rushed, like someone hit the “abridged” button too hard. And let’s be real: if you’ve read the original, you’ll spend half your time filling in the gaps from memory.
Is this a solid introduction for new readers? Maybe. Is it a satisfying companion for longtime fans? Ehh. It’s like getting a slice of cake when you wanted the whole thing—sweet, but missing the full flavor.
Gonna continue with the series!
The characters I thought werent that developed. Story was quick and easy, it felt like a book that transitioned between children fairytale books to fantasy. I would probably have given it a 3 but it is such a foundational book and quite liberal for it's time.
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