A Wizard of Earthsea

Ursula K. Le Guin 1968 Buy from Amazon.com

A Wizard of Earthsea is the classic fantasy novel by Ursula K. Le Guin. It has delighted readers since it’s publication in 1968 with it’s story of magic and personal growth, and remains a favourite of mine since I first read it as a child.

A Wizard of Earthsea describes the adventures of Ged, a boy from an obscure village on the Isle of Gont. When raiders come to his village, he weaves a spell to bring down fog, confusing them and saving the village. This draws the attention of Ogion the Wizard, who takes the boy as an apprentice after giving him his name.

A person’s name is their most closely held secret, it can be used to gain power over them, and so people have two names, their true name that is given to them by one of power, and their use-name. Ged’s use-name is Sparrowhawk, for the birds of prey that he calls from the sky. He yearns to learn all the things he has heard that Wizards can do, but he has no patience and no understanding of the balance needed to practice the craft safely.

In his pride, he unleashes a creature of darkness on the world, which attacks him, leaving him scarred across the face, and doubting himself. He learns now for the sake of defending himself against this creature, and hoping to destroy it.

In many ways, this is almost the archetype of fantasy fiction, the boy from humble beginnings, the fall from pride, the concept of good and evil, and balance. Yet it is told with a directness and simplicity that is often missing from other fantasy.

The story is really about Ged learning and understanding about the consequences of his actions, and discovering the true nature of the creature he battles. When he learns what it is, he learns the greatest lesson of his life.

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