A Wizard of Earthsea (The Earthsea Cycle, Book 1)

A great story that straddled the line between literary and pop much better than the shoplit I've been listening to lately. I love a yarn about some guy going to some place and having misadventures along the way, I sure do. Better yet the themes of pride and the balance with nature and each other that comes from a devotion to living well. To living with mistakes as well as coming to terms with them as we try to make it right. IDK, I have a cold.

Libby Audiobook, Recorded Books.

I enjoyed reading this. With her thoughtful writing style, the author did a wizardly job in creating the perfect mood for this slow-paced, sombre, yet hopeful adventure. I could feel Ged's unease and determination as if I had been with him.

I was enchanted by the interesting concept of magic in Earthsea. And I also liked that we accompany Ged, of whom we know from the start that he will be a great wizard, from his very beginnings of his magical journey, when he was still inexperienced and short-tempered.

The cherry on top was the world building, which was a real charm! On Ged's voyage, I often could grasp the feeling of being on the open sea, a remote island or at the edge of the world.

This was a nice, almost Tolkienesque read. I love the fact that Le Guin deliberately made the main characters non-white, because she despised the good=white, black=evil trope.

Looking forward to the next books from the cycle.

Uuuhm. I enjoyed it, and for a "men doing things while talking in a complicated way" fantasy story this is very very good. Still... I asked myself why a few times.