How could these dated, predictable stories hold any sway over me? I had thought those stories were played out and only belonged in the “60’s Fantasy” sections of 2nd & Charles, pages yellow and older than I am. The distant third-person perspective and old stories about farm boys growing up to be wizards never held much interest for me. I saw a review for an Ursula Le Guin book on Twitter – I can’t remember the name, but the reviewer showed so much enthusiasm for Le Guin’s story that it really struck me: maybe I should give A Wizard of Earthsea a shot. The world has been grim enough, and I’d had quite enough of that. I couldn’t quite bring myself to dive into any of the gritty, grim, dark stories that are the current flavor of most fantasy books, even though these stories are usually some of my favorites to read. I’ve been on a bit of a reading slump for the past year, due to the pandemic and other things. Refreshing for a first-time read, nostalgic for long-time fantasy fans, A Wizard of Earthsea is no less than a brilliantly-written cornerstone of the genre. This is the tale of his testing, how he mastered the mighty words of power, tamed an ancient dragon, and crossed death’s threshold to restore the balance. Hungry for power and knowledge, Sparrowhawk tampered with long-held secrets and loosed a terrible shadow upon the world. Ged, the greatest sorcerer in all Earthsea, was called Sparrowhawk in his reckless youth.
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