Fantasy Book Review: A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin
First published in 1968, A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin has long been considered a fantasy classic. This fantasy book deserves the praise it has often received. The fantasy world, Earthsea, created by the author is rich in detail. As the reader, you can almost smell the fishy odor at the dock of every village and the salty tang of the sea. The magical system revealed by Le Guin is convincingly real as well, and the way in which the wizards, witches, and sorcerers fit into the society feels natural and logical.
A Wizard of Earthsea tells the story of Ged from his childhood to his maturity as a wizard. The son of a grim blacksmith, Ged possesses a natural talent for magic, which is first developed under the guidance of his village witch. When his village is attacked by marauders, he proves his power by helping to defend his village with a confusing mist that gives the villagers the upper hand.
With his power so evident, Ged is proud to a flaw. He wants to show off his power and impress people. When a wizard named Ogion comes to take on Ged as an apprentice, the union does not last long because Ged is impatient for knowledge. With Ogion’s blessing, Ged moves onto a wizard school on the enchanted
Le Guin displays significant strengths as a writer in this fantasy book. The narrative flows gracefully with an old style tone that makes you feel like you are listening to a storyteller recount a legend by firelight. A Wizard of Earthsea, although a short novel, packs plenty of action into every page. Something is always going on and the story progresses without any delay or drag.
The development of Ged’s character is deftly done. At first, I did not find Ged likable, but I was not supposed to because he was overtaken with pride. But after Ged is horribly injured by the shadow he summons, his regret for his foolish pride is genuine, and I could relate to it. Most anyone has made a mistake because of the desire to show off, and, in severe situations, lessons learned from such incidents are life-changing as it was for Ged, who became much wiser after his mistake.
The entire fabric of A Wizard of Earthsea is tightly woven and the texture of the environment comes through in every phrase of the fantasy book. You can almost see the homespun cloth upon the simple villagers and fisher folk that Ged encounters during his travels, and you can experience the awe of the common people whenever they see a wizard.
Le Guin also includes clever and creative twists throughout the story. For a time, Ged has a pet animal called an Otak, and the affection between the wizard and the pet allow the reader to feel alongside the character because many people can relate to the furry comfort of a dear pet. In another episode, Ged encounters two strange old people cast away upon a small island where they have lived for many years. Their pitiful existence upon their island prison is shocking to contemplate and their punishment so thorough they cannot even accept Ged’s offer to take them to land because they have been apart from society too long to go back.
Any weaknesses within this fantasy book are minor. In my opinion, despite the fact that the world is called Earthsea, the story had more descriptions of boats on the open sea than was needed. The ending of the story is a bit anticlimactic as well although meaningful in how it relates to Ged’s character.
Overall, A Wizard of Earthsea is a splendid fantasy book. For readers of fantasy books who like multiple characters and subplots, it may not satisfy because it is very much a story focused on a single character, but even so, all fantasy readers will love Ged’s battle with the Dragon of Pendor. My review rating for this fantasy book is an enthusiastic five wizard staffs.