[.ca] A Wizard of Earthsea (ISBN 0553383043)

From Amazon.com:
Often compared to Tolkien's Middle-earth or Lewis's Narnia, Ursula K. Le Guin's Earthsea is a stunning fantasy world that grabs quickly at our hearts, pulling us deeply into its imaginary realms. Four books (A Wizard of Earthsea, The Tombs of Atuan, The Farthest Shore, and Tehanu) tell the whole Earthsea cycle--a tale about a reckless, awkward boy named Sparrowhawk who becomes a wizard's apprentice after the wizard reveals Sparrowhawk's true name. The boy comes to realize that his fate may be far more important than he ever dreamed possible. Le Guin challenges her readers to think about the power of language, how in the act of naming the world around us we actually create that world. Teens, especially, will be inspired by the way Le Guin allows her characters to evolve and grow into their own powers. In this first book, A Wizard of Earthsea readers will witness Sparrowhawk's moving rite of passage--when he discovers his true name and becomes a young man. Great challenges await Sparrowhawk, including an almost deadly battle with a sinister creature, a monster that may be his own shadow.

book is great, but 'ware the "library binding"...:
I purchased the library binding as I wanted to give it as a gift in hardcover. Sadly, quality is sinking in this country, bit by bit...the paper is dingy, dim recycled newsprint, almost Soviet in quality, and will probably yellow in a few years. Avoid the library binding. I returned it. The book, of course, is great.

amazing:
I have loved this book since i first read it in grade 7, and I have read it several times since then. Whomever gave this book less than a four and/or compared it to Harry Potter only reads what is popular and cliche.

Stick with Harry Potter:
When I first heard about Harry Potter, I immediately thought that the plot was expropriated from the Earthsea Trilogy (as it was called back then0> I was bored to tears by Earthsea and so resisted Harry Potter until I read book one. LeGin on her best day couldn't hold a candle to J.K. Rowling. Save your money and your time and read the Harry Potter books.

One of my favourtie books. The best series I've read in awhile.:
This is a good series. Its original, interesting, has a good story and is quite enjoyable. It is often compared to Lord of the Rings and Narnia but this series stands on its own pretty well. I've been a fan of this series for about awhile now but I've only read the trilogy so I hopefully will read the others soon. I think earthsea is a very cool world and I think it's just as cool as Middle Earth or Narina. Earthsea is a world \omuch like Middle Earth\c that's made up of thousands of small islands. I've always found that idea very cool. Many races of humans, dragons and wizards inhabit it. I think it's a pretty cool world to set a story in but I do think it needs more creatures. I think the main character \oan adolescent wizard named Ged\c is likable and isn't too much like other characters in other series. The whole trilogy follows Ged from a teenager to an old man and shows what wizards grow up like. I think that is very interesting. This book is the first part of Geds life long journey and tells of how he tries to summon a dead person only to unleash a terrible shadow creature on the world. So overall this series is really well done and has a good story. I have only two complaints. It lacks creatures. I think the dragons and the little Otak creatures are cool but I think Earthsea could use more races, animals and creatures. My last complaint is there is only five Earthsea books in all. I wish Ursula Le Guin would write more! It's an awesome world and she could write a hundred other books set in Earthsea. So if you're looking for cool fantasy adventures try this. I personally think it rocks so give it a try. PS: I hope Ursula Le Quin writes more books of Earthsea \owith more creatures of coarse\c and that a director like Peter Jackson. Andrew Adamson or Guillermo Del Toro turns these books into a movie. The miniseries was ok but not very loyal to the books.

A fantasy treasure:
The 'Earthsea' books have to rank among the best written in the fantasy genre. The plot of 'A Wizard Of Earthsea' is deceptively simple, Le Guin's spare beautiful prose evoking the time-honoured themes of the age-old struggle between light and darkness, pride's fall and courage in the face of fear. I used this book as a junior high novel for years, and added the sequels to the classroom library when students just had to know 'what comes next'.