Earthsea Trilogy

Recently Studio Ghibli, through Disney, re-released the animated feature film Tales From Earthsea on DVD. Watching it I thought I would very much like to re-read Ursula Le Guin's Earthsea trilogy which, luckily my dad had stashed in our basement. There have been a few more books written based in the world of Earthsea by Ursula Le Guin including Tehanu, Tales from Earthsea (a collection of short stories), and The Other Wind. I've never read any of those ones but I'm sure they will be as enjoyable as the original trilogy that I love so much and have read many times.

A Wizard of Earthsea is the first book in the trilogy and follows the young Sparrowhawk on his journey of becoming a wizard and growing into a man. In a world where knowing the true name of any given thing allows you to control it, Sparrowhawk finds himself at a loss for the true name of a terrible dark being, a shadow, that haunts him. Filled with wizardry, dragons, and "sailing for adventure on the big blue wet thing" (as Fozzie Bear would say) it's a classic children's novel and a must read for all.

The Tombs of Atuan is the next novel, it follows a girl by the name of Tenar. She is marked at birth as the One Priestess and eventually becomes Arha, the nameless one, as she takes on the duties of the priestess. While performing her regular duties she happens across a man in the tombs, which the presence of men there is forbidden. Not only is he desecrating sacred grounds by being present he is also casting light where it has been forbidden. During a series of events Tenar learns the truth of the so called gods she has been taught to worship and honour and is eventually set free from Atuan with the help of this young man who is none other than Sparrowhawk.

Last in the trilogy is The Farthest Shore, in which Sparrowhawk has entered his prime years as a mage now archmage on the island of Roke. There is unrest amongst the islands in the Archepelagos for sorcerers and mages are forgetting the true names of things and how to work spells. Arren, the song of the ruling family of Enlad, comes to Roke to seek Sparrowhawk's help in restoring magic in the world. Along the way many strange lands and peoples are encountered and a few dragons too. A tale of caution this is, for immortality is not as beneficial as one would think. Ultimately, Sparrowhawk is able to close the door between the world of the living and the dead and saves the world from utter destruction.
Ursula K. Le Guin