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

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It's a hit!

The synopsis describes the story in a way that is far too similar to the famous Harry Potter series and yet, the journey that Sparrowhawk embarks o... (show more)

The synopsis describes the story in a way that is far too similar to the famous Harry Potter series and yet, the journey that Sparrowhawk embarks on is a lot more adventurous, dark and lonely. This is a tale of mysteries woven with magic and fantasy, set in a world where plain humankind like myself would both love and fear to enter into.

Not only is it a mere adventure story, but it is a story of a boy’s rediscovery of who he really is and contains morals from which we can learn from; such that a man’s strongest enemy is himself, and one needs to let go of pride and stubborn hatred to face up to and defeat his inner dark side. Only light can defeat the dark, and to have true power is to know the right place and time to use them. These are the important things I should keep in my mind as a proud to-be-lawyer. (show less)

 

 

by Cheryl Sun

No, it's a flop!

I was incredibly dissapointed with this story. It held no pizzazz, using old cliches from magical stories to fuel its plot. Magicians (well, thats ... (show more)

I was incredibly dissapointed with this story. It held no pizzazz, using old cliches from magical stories to fuel its plot. Magicians (well, thats ok on its own), shadow beasts, a journey... it seemed half-hearted in my opinion.

I understand that using magic is already a cliche in its own right but you need to reinvent it, which le Guin failed to do here. 1 star. Im disappointed. (show less)

 

 

by Nathan Dean

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  Born Duny on the isle of Gont this young boy, brought up by his father as his mother died before he was one, was born it seems with a special gift. Being a witch his aunt notices this gift one day as he repeats a spell on his goats that he over heard her say to her goats. Being no small feat to perform a spell on your own with no instruction she takes him under her wing and teaches him all she knows. As an adolescent of 12 he saves his village from raiding Kargs by fogweaving and casting a sp... (show more)

  Born Duny on the isle of Gont this young boy, brought up by his father as his mother died before he was one, was born it seems with a special gift. Being a witch his aunt notices this gift one day as he repeats a spell on his goats that he over heard her say to her goats. Being no small feat to perform a spell on your own with no instruction she takes him under her wing and teaches him all she knows. As an adolescent of 12 he saves his village from raiding Kargs by fogweaving and casting a spell of concealment. Wearing out his power he is struck deaf and dumb for days while his great feat brings him attention and his story told all over Gont. Eventually a wizard, the Mage of Re Albi known as Olgion the Silent, comes and heals Duny and offers the father to give the lad his true name at a Passage ceremony when he soon turns 13. His father consents. After a while the mage returns and the lad is named Ged and returns with Olgion to his home to learn from him. Loving the mage but unwilling to learn silently and patiently for long he chooses to to go the School of the Wise at Roke Island. There he learns begins to learn wizardry but also in jealousy lets loose an unknown evil shadow on the world set after him when he does a spell unchecked. Learning much from this he then follows his studies with great care and after earning his staff as a wizard he sets out into the world. At first he runs in fear from this shadow but later learns to run towards this evil to fight it. I absolutely loved this book. So much imagination and creation involved in every bit of Earthsea. Also, Ged is a typical youth of any world- a "know-it-all" who must learn for himself what price must be paid for the arrogance of youth. Many lessons to be learned from the book but never ever does it preach, only does it enthrall. I can't wait to read more of Earthsea and more by Ursula Le Guinn. What a fantastic storyteller she is! (show less)

   

   

  by Corey Holmes on Sep 17, 2009 at 09:04PM

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  Ben's Review of A Wizard of Earthsea
  Ged used a spell that released an evil shadow that tried to hunt him down and take over Ged's body. In this adventure Ged must stop the Shadow from taking his body, and defeat it.
  He goes through many islands of the world, cities, speaks to dragons, finds part of the ring of Erreth Akbe, and Vetch comes with him to try and defeat the Shadow.
  Fortunately, Ged is able to become the hunter of the Shadow, not the hunted, so he tries to find the Shadow's loc... (show more)

  Ben's Review of A Wizard of Earthsea
  Ged used a spell that released an evil shadow that tried to hunt him down and take over Ged's body. In this adventure Ged must stop the Shadow from taking his body, and defeat it.
  He goes through many islands of the world, cities, speaks to dragons, finds part of the ring of Erreth Akbe, and Vetch comes with him to try and defeat the Shadow.
  Fortunately, Ged is able to become the hunter of the Shadow, not the hunted, so he tries to find the Shadow's location so he can defeat it.
  Once he manages to touch the Shadow he becomes linked to it. And he knows where the Shadow is all the time.
  But, there is a problem. The Shadow can now take Ged's form and voice.
  In this story if you know something's name, you have power over it, so he learns the Shadow's name. He realizes that if it is his Shadow, it has the same name he does.
  After all his adventure he learns the Shadow's name and merges with it.
  4th graders would probably like this story because I'm a 4th garder and it was amazing to me.
  Also, grownups have an easy time reading about magic and adventure. (show less)

   

   

  by Facebook-användare on Jul 02, 2009 at 01:22AM

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