Book Group: A Wizard of Earthsea - discussion forum
9 watchers
Feb 2018
9:30am, 12 Feb 2018
33,024 posts
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McGoohan
Imagine you're a miserable old curmudgeon. Like me. I haven't done my review yet and do need to. |
Feb 2018
11:51am, 12 Feb 2018
99,843 posts
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GregP
Were you the miserable oik that didnae give it 10? Fool. |
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Feb 2018
11:59am, 12 Feb 2018
33,029 posts
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McGoohan
Ha! I haven't voted yet. My missus has read it as well. |
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Feb 2018
12:13pm, 12 Feb 2018
33,030 posts
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McGoohan
Very well, here are my thoughts. At first I was disappointed and maybe a little peeved: Greppers had tricked me into reading a *children's* book. How dare he! Then I began to read. Intriguingly, though set in a fantasy land something about it seemed North Sea-ish, Faroese maybe, Scandinavian possibly. As such, it was oddly reminiscent of Besides the Ocean of Time. The language is 'elevated' without being over-complex and without too many 'the Dread Twibberty of Thwong' turning up. The sense of foreboding as the shadow followed Ged was very well portrayed. It felt like a morality tale but the characters and setting were still crucially important. The style is very distinct as well and really consistently handled. I got to the end and wished I'd bought the First Four Books edition so I could read what happened next. So on Saturday, at great expense, I did just that. In short, I loved it. 10/10 from me. I'll probably read everything she ever wrote now. |
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Feb 2018
12:20pm, 12 Feb 2018
99,851 posts
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GregP
Nice. YA fantasy that feels North Sea-ish? Can I point you at the Shattered Sea trilogy please? That's very wonderful too. foyles.co.uk |
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Feb 2018
12:30pm, 12 Feb 2018
99,853 posts
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GregP
Also, this: theguardian.com
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Feb 2018
5:00pm, 18 Feb 2018
1,979 posts
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DazTheSlug
Bog standard fantasy fare, raised above the norm by Le Guin's economical "stripped back" prose which makes this work both as a timeless fable and as ideal for children/teenagers. Can only give it 7/10 as fairly small in scope (focusing mainly on Ged himself) and rather dour throughout. Get the feeling that books 2 and 3 will be livelier/brighter 8+/10 affairs though. (oh, and how come in all his studying to be a wizard was he never made aware of one of the most powerful magic items on the planet, the Stone of Terrenon!?) |
Feb 2018
8:46pm, 18 Feb 2018
4,421 posts
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BanjoBax
I'm a fan of the shattered sea trilogy too, I'd agree it's more obviously northern. Le Guin's style seems somehow older classic fantasy, excellent though, am on the third book now. |
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Feb 2018
9:05pm, 18 Feb 2018
100,164 posts
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GregP
Shattered Sea? Did someone actually mention it independently of me? ~dies of delighted surprise~
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Mar 2018
9:21am, 1 Mar 2018
4,053 posts
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The Scribbler
Sorry, I realised I posted my thoughts on A Wizard of Earthsea on the main thread. The two main things that struck me were that Ged, as a central character is quite hard to like, especially for younger readers particularly after he summons the shadow. He's quite dour and bleak, but I guess that might appeal to some. The other thing was Le Guin's 'stripped back' prose, which conjures up great lands and places very quickly to move the action on. There's a lovely paragraph that I can't find now describing him arriving somewhere and the streets full of sailors, traders, fishermen etc. You don't have to describe them in detail to be able to imagine them. Compare and contrast to someone like JK Rowling who takes several chapters to get Harry Potter to his Wizarding school and then several books more to describe his adventures there. I also enjoyed all the unfinished threads and ideas for further stories. What happens to Jasper, why doesn't he complete his wizardship? Who are the strange frightened couple on the remote island. She hints at future stories to be told. I would have loved these story prompts as a child. All in all, an enjoyable read, but it didn't quite sweep me away into the world of Earthsea. |
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