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. ( )

It's books like these that make me with I had children - just so I could read to them. ( )

A great start to a new fantasy world for me. Ged's path starts at the discovering of his power. We follow him through his training to a cataclysmic event that releases an unknown horror on the world that hungers for everthing Ged is. Ged must find a way to run or fight and it is unclear which is the best decision or if Ged is even making the decisions or being driven by yet another unknown force.

This book is a story of a boy finding himself and accepting all that he is before he can become a man and fully grasp his powers. I have the next book waiting to go right now. ( )

Read it in one sitting. Loved it. ( )

I loved this book when I first read it, and I still do. Ms LeGuin has the gift of writing books for young persons that still appeal to adults. You really can't imagine magic working in any other way after reading this. ( )