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A Wizard of Earthsea (Book One of the Earthsea Cycle) | December 3, 2014

by Ursula K. Le Guin HMH Books for Young Readers (Sept. 2012)

Ged is the most powerful wizard in Earthsea. But he’s only a boy, all potential and no discipline. So, at age thirteen, he journeys to the island of Roke, where there is a school for wizards, to develop his craft. A foolish duel with another student unleashes an evil “shadow creature” from another realm, and Ged must destroy it or be destroyed.

Ursula K. Le Guin’s prose is concise and nuanced, each word well chosen, and the earnest tone of the novel makes Ged’s world feel real enough to touch. It’s no wonder that so many accomplished fantasy authors list the legendary Le Guin among their greatest influences. Neil Gaiman cited her one of his literary heroes at this year’s National Book Awards ceremony, where he presented Le Guin with the National Book Foundation’s Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters. In her acceptance speech, Le Guin gave a shoutout to her fellow fantasy and science fiction novelists—”writers of imagination”—whom she feels deserve more recognition than they are given.
 
If you have Tolkien fans or Harry Potter enthusiasts in your life, consider gifting them A Wizard of Earthsea this holiday season. It’s both a classic for fantasy buffs and a beautiful introduction to the genre. Any and all readers of imagination will be swept away.

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