The Farthest Shore
is loaded with even more of the same beautiful writing that I so enjoyed in A Wizard of Earthsea and The Tombs of Atuan. Sparrowhawk, the
great wizard and now the Archmage of Roke, has become aged, uniquely
experienced and wise over the many years not covered by any of these novels. A
greater problem than ever is brought before him: a problem with the function of
magic and wizardry itself.
Sparrowhawk and a young prince travel long distances and to
many exotic places. (My favorite is a floating civilization of people who live their
entire lives on rafts far from any land.) The travelers consort with dragons,
and face death many times and in many forms. As always, Sparrowhawk’s great
abilities with magic must be the key to victory, but it is his bravery, self-control,
intelligence and wisdom, along with those of his companion, that even make that
possible.
The imagery and narrative style are really the most
enjoyable aspects of this novel for me, even as they were in the other Earthsea
novels. I think I’d love to read about a trip to the grocery store if it was written
like this. The book is short but the journey of which it tells is long and
hard. The descriptions are often dreamy, but still somehow lucid and richly
detailed. There is a deep history in Earthsea from which to draw and a worthy
future to protect.
I just love these books, and I’m sorry I did not read them
earlier. LeGuin has created such a wonderful world full of fantastic places,
relatable characters, bittersweet memories and powerful magic. I’d love to read
the Earthsea trilogy again, but, alas, I have so many other books I should have
read by now.
A Year of Books I Should Have Read by Now
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