A Wizard of Earthsea (Earthsea Cycle, Bk 1)
Author:
Genre: Science Fiction & Fantasy
Book Type: Mass Market Paperback
Author:
Genre: Science Fiction & Fantasy
Book Type: Mass Market Paperback
I can honestly say "this was terrible". This may have been the best stuff available in 1968 when it was written but I don't understand the hype.
The protagonist is a young boy, Ged, with the potential for great magical power but very impatient for it to arrive. He is supremely jealous of the other boys (especially Jasper who is slightly older and more magically experienced). Showing off Ged does some dark magic which he isn't prepared to handle endangering the entire village and himself. His situation goes downhill from there. Now he has evil forces following him and endangering everyone he comes in contact with. Ged comes off as a spoiled brat and his thoughts are proof that he thinks he's better than everyone else even though it is obvious that he may some day be a great wizard but he certainly isn't one now.
IMHO the world building leaves much to be desired. Too many islands that (as of this book) have nothing to do with the story. There are maps throughout the book but they have so much unnecessary detail that you can't even figure out where Ged is or where he is going. They are more a hindrance than a help. I found the travels from one location to another boring and kept thinking "get on with it already." Even the scene with the 9 dragons was lame. Ged basically tells the big bad dragon, who has terrorized local villages, you will not do...blah blah blah (no secrets here) and low and behold, the dragon agrees. Huh? Granted this is only a 198 page book but the greater details were in the wrong place. I think the focus should have been on Ged's training (very little of this) after all he is a wizard's apprentice. And the dragon scene could and should have been more of a challenge for a young boy (12 or 13). It just was not a believable outcome of an apprentice with such a fearsome dragon.
Definitely not an author I would read again and I'd assume any sequels would be just as bad or worse. If you're interested in a great coming-of-age tale, try The Bridei Chronicles, the first book is The Blade of Fortriu by Juliet Marillier. This is a spectacular series.
The protagonist is a young boy, Ged, with the potential for great magical power but very impatient for it to arrive. He is supremely jealous of the other boys (especially Jasper who is slightly older and more magically experienced). Showing off Ged does some dark magic which he isn't prepared to handle endangering the entire village and himself. His situation goes downhill from there. Now he has evil forces following him and endangering everyone he comes in contact with. Ged comes off as a spoiled brat and his thoughts are proof that he thinks he's better than everyone else even though it is obvious that he may some day be a great wizard but he certainly isn't one now.
IMHO the world building leaves much to be desired. Too many islands that (as of this book) have nothing to do with the story. There are maps throughout the book but they have so much unnecessary detail that you can't even figure out where Ged is or where he is going. They are more a hindrance than a help. I found the travels from one location to another boring and kept thinking "get on with it already." Even the scene with the 9 dragons was lame. Ged basically tells the big bad dragon, who has terrorized local villages, you will not do...blah blah blah (no secrets here) and low and behold, the dragon agrees. Huh? Granted this is only a 198 page book but the greater details were in the wrong place. I think the focus should have been on Ged's training (very little of this) after all he is a wizard's apprentice. And the dragon scene could and should have been more of a challenge for a young boy (12 or 13). It just was not a believable outcome of an apprentice with such a fearsome dragon.
Definitely not an author I would read again and I'd assume any sequels would be just as bad or worse. If you're interested in a great coming-of-age tale, try The Bridei Chronicles, the first book is The Blade of Fortriu by Juliet Marillier. This is a spectacular series.
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