It's difficult to approach reviewing something like A Wizard of Earthsea since it is considered a classic of fantasy literature and who am I to critique something which was remained as popular and well-loved as this book.

That said, the vital point of reading this novel today is context. One must remember that this novel was written almost half a century ago when fantasy novels weren't published like they are today. There was no Harry Potter nor Patrick Rothfuss and the "gifted boy wizard going to wizarding school and facing difficulties" theme hadn't yet been done to death.

While keeping this in mind you realize that despite the novel's short page count, it is likely that the story and characters have more impact upon you than any others you've read about in a long while. This story resonates within you something great and wonderful. That is the making of a classic. I really enjoyed reading this story and would definitely recommend it to others. I shall definitely read the sequels in time once I have let this story incubate within me some more. ( )

I started this thinking 'yawn', same old boy wizard goes exploring crap. And then it hit me. This was an incredible story. While, in my mind the plot could have been extended, it was obvious that if that had occured it would have lost the readerbase in 12-15 yeear olds. But even with the rather short portrayal of the plot, I was blown away by its actual content.

Furthermore, the characters are portrayed with a deftness of touch that belies Le Guin's anthropological education, and the characterisics portrayed by the different nautical races is well executed, if, like I said above, slightly lacking in depth.

Quick to read, but with long, episodic chapters, it is, quite rightly, a classic. Much better than the majority of fantasy I've read. In fact, so good I might have to bypass a few books in order to read the sequal, The Tombs of Atuan.

A must read for anyone remotely interested in fantasy. 4.5* ( )

Fantasy book about the beginnings of the wizard Ged who faces a dragon and must face a deathly shadow he released while still a prideful youth. This is just the tip of the iceberg for Ged's story and the writing was wonderful and I loved the new world, earthsea, the author has created. Wonderfully told story; the plot was believeable and was very interesting. ( )

Le Guin has drawn on a number of mythologies to create the first book in her Earthsea series. She is fully willing to shatter accepted norms in fantasy, and does it adeptly. Hopefully the rest of the series will be just as excellent. ( )

I had a false start before reading this book and liking it. I've read a fair amount of fantasy, even epic fantasy, written between 1968 and the present, and thus it is hard for me to summon interest in a magically gifted boy being trained as a wizard. That's not Le Guin's fault at all. The male-centered plot and setting elements one could more plausibly complain about, but since I've read she later became aware of those troublesome gender issues and took action, I'm not inclined to squawk.

When I tried to read Wizard of Earthsea before, I hadn't read any Le Guin at all, so when I got bogged down in the boy-wizard plot points, I just let the book fall away. Now, however, I've read and enjoyed Lavinia and The Left Hand of Darkness, I realized I needed to give her most famous fantasy more of a chance.

And I liked it. Yes, I'm still tired of boy-wizards, and wizard-schools and I couldn't completely enjoy those sections, but once I got past that I fell into the story. I liked that Ged actually learned from his mistake, which made him not only much more mature but a relatable character. I enjoyed the dragon section, the part which makes me comfortable labeling this 'epic' fantasy. I love oceans and nautical stories, so I liked those elements of the setting, and the way that the island nature of the world really affected the way its people live, think and behave. Le Guin's anthropological background really does come through in her writing.

This book genuinely was not about the accumulation of power - on a subtextual and thematic level as well as superficially in the teachings of the wise old men. I liked the friendship with Vetch, the folkloric feel of the journey section, and the fact that most of the people in Earthsea, including the main characters, aren't white.

Lastly, one of the things I really value about this book is its brevity and focus. It has a story to tell and that's what it does, the writing tight as a bellied sail and the plot driving it forward like a magewind. ( )