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Il mago | 
pickI feel like this trilogy is the most “me” book I *haven‘t* read. While I more respected than enjoyed this first introduction to the world of Earthsea and the hero Ged, I‘m holding off judgment until I finish the series. As for this first book, I enjoyed the Star Wars Jedi vibe, Jungian psychology, and linguistic magic system.
“The world is in balance, in Equilibrium. A wizard‘s power of Changing and of Summoning can shake the balance of the world. It is dangerous, that power. It is most perilous. It must follow knowledge, and serve need. To light a candle is to cast a shadow . . .”
“But it does not change the thing. To change this rock into a jewel, you must change its true name. And to do that, my son, even to so small a scrap of the world, is to change the world.”
“By the Illusion-Change you can make it look like a diamond—or a flower or a fly or an eye or a flame—” The rock flickered from shape to shape as he named them, and returned to rock. “But that is mere seeming. Illusion fools the beholder‘s senses; it makes him see and hear and feel that the thing is changed.“
so-so12 year old me would have LOVED this book. Honestly, I don‘t know how it escaped her. 41 year old me was bored. The writing is beautiful, but maybe I‘m just no longer interested in coming of age stories? I dunno. Meh.
pick⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5)
I know I read this is junior high, unfortunately I have practically zero memories of that time, so this re-read felt like a new read with occasional flashes of deja vu. It was a solid, entertaining journey, with good world-building. I wish there had been more female representation, however.
"The island of Gont, a single mountain that lifts its peak a mile above the storm-racked Northeast Sea, is a land famous for wizards."
#firstlinefridays #awizardofearthsea #ursulakleguin
pickI don‘t know why it took me so long to read this one. I found this to be a wonderful fantasy with a beautiful underlying message: there‘s power in finding out who we truly are, and no greater magic than being wholly ourselves. Le Guin‘s prose is almost poetic, the descriptions awe-inspiring. I loved the world-building and the characters, especially the MC‘s character arc. Definitely getting myself the next book in the series!
“A man would know the end he goes to, but he cannot know it if he does not turn, and return to his beginning, and hold that beginning in his being.”
panI don't know if it was the book itself or the narrator, but I struggled to stay awake while listening to this. It was boring beyond belief. I can't even tell you what happened in it because I couldn't pay attention or follow what was happening.
I feel like I‘m finally out of my reading slump and I‘ve been craving some fantasy. This one has been waiting for a loooong time for me to pick it up off my shelf.
“As he read it, puzzling out the runes and symbols one by one, a horror came over him. His eyes were fixed, and he could not lift them till he had finished reading all the spell. Then raising his head he saw it was dark in the house.“
This book would be great for 3rd graders and they would easily be able to appreciate all the aspects of the book. I also believe that because really anything can happen in this book it also allows for children to expand their imagination and gain a different perspective. Allowing students to dive into speculative fiction only helps them see the world in a different way.
pickThis book shows aspects of fantasy with the use of powers and magic that cannot be taken away and the book will still be the same. The idea that spells are used within everyday actions and that more than one character can use them makes this book speculative fiction. The main character goes on a quest to rid himself of a shadow that has been following him since he was a little boy.
“His life is told of in the Deed of Ged and in many songs, but this is a tale of the time before his fame, before the songs were made.“ This quote introduces the story and foreshadows that Ged becomes famous.
This book is wonderfully written and can be used for young adults to adults. This book talks about fighting a shadow which can be turned into a lesson to kids that you should always stand up for yourself.
pickA Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K Le Guin. Fantasy Fiction. This book is similar to Harry Potter as it talks about wizarding school and it is a coming of age story as well. This book is fantasy fiction because it talks about magical powers and wizards.
“You must not change one thing, one pebble, one grain of sand, until you know what good and evil will follow on that act. The world is in balance, in Equilibrium. A wizard‘s power of Changing and of Summoning can shake the balance of the world. It is dangerous, that power.”
A Wizard of Earthsea is a fantasy novel. Fantasy novels are a great genre to have in your classroom because these novels ignite imagination and transport the students to new worlds. They also help promote creativity, critical thinking, and empathy as students engage with the text.
so-soA Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin is a speculative fictional novel that was published in 1968. Ged, a young magician who was born in a village on the island of Gont, is the protagonist of the novel, which is set in the made-up archipelago of Earthsea. He exhibits amazing strength while still a young child and enrolls at a school for wizardry, but his snarky personality causes him to clash with a classmate.
And the truth is that as a man's real power grows and his knowledge widens, ever the way he can follow grows narrower.
This book is part of a series written by Ursula K. Le Guin. It is a coming-of-age novel that could be read in grades 7-9. It would be a good lit circle book to mix in with other genres students could read.
so-soA Wizard of Earthsea is a coming-of-age fantasy about one of the greatest sorcerers in all of Earthsea. But he did not start out that way, he was a power-hungry young boy who searched for power and knowledge. He stumbled upon dark secrets and unknown ancient dragons as he was trying to restore the balance to Earthsea. This is a chapter book, that is part of a series.
pickI've been meaning to read this for a while. I enjoyed it, but I feel like if I had read it when I was younger, I
would have enjoyed it more. Mostly, I loved the talking dragon 🐉
#Authoramonth @Soubhiville
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panI found this reallly boring. Fantasy isn‘t something I generally read and it‘s YA to boot so I‘m not the intended audience but it was so slow yet packed with adventure and it all just felt meh. I tried to get invested in it and I (skimread) to the end but would have bailed if it wasn‘t for #authoramonth.
bailedMy first “Bail.“ I tried the tagged book, I tried her short stories, I even tried her nonfiction. I did not like any of them. I guess I'm a science fiction fan when it comes to books like F451, and I'm a fantasy fan when in Hogwarts or the shire, but I couldn't get into these at all. 🤷♀️
Hoping I'll like Maggie O'Farrell for July.
@Soubvihille
so-soI decided to try the first book in the Earthsea series for my #AuthorAMonth in June. I've read The Dispossessed and some of Le Guin's short stories and liked them a lot. This fantasy, quest, however, didn't really pull me in. @Soubhiville
bailedI don‘t know if the writing is the problem here, but that narrator is certainly a problem & it‘s not holding my attention at 25% so I‘m going to keep it moving.
I have 1 other I‘m going to try from her for #AuthorAMonth
@Soubhiville
so-soMy plan was to read the entire trilogy for #AuthorAMonth but I‘m choosing to stop after the first. This falls somewhere between Harry Potter & Lord of the Rings - I can appreciate the writing (& the heavy handed symbolism) but the style puts me to sleep.
Full disclosure: Fantasy is not my thing. I‘m glad that #AuthorAMonth encouraged me to pick this up since it‘s considered a classic and one of those “books that everyone should read.” And I can appreciate the beauty of the writing—really, I can. But honestly? This book kind of bored me. Maybe it‘s because it‘s a middle-grade young-man-coming-of-age story and I‘m a middle-aged woman eyeing the retirement years? Thank goodness it was short. ✔️
pickLast read this as a child. And I didn't remember much of it except for the ending. It's written very differently to modern children's stories, more like a myth retelling. Anyway it's a quick read and a great adventure.
#Movie2BookRecs @Klou
Prompt: Oz: The Great and Powerful
#Scarathlon2022 @StayCurious
#TeamMonsterMash
pickI‘m reading the omnibus for #BookSpin but my SFFBC challenge is the first three books individually so I might as well review them as such. I enjoyed this and Le Guin is a master storyteller but the ending did feel a bit abrupt. I enjoyed watching as Ged grew as not only a practitioner but as a person.
#CatsOfLitsy
Did I go a little overboard with the fiction sale on BookOutlet? Depends on your description of overboard… (yeah, I did…)
Other than a few auto-buy author new releases, I won‘t be doing any more shopping for me until after the holidays.
pick⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️(4)
Reads like classic mythology. Didn't expect that.
2nd book read for #AwesomeAugustReadathon @Andrew65
pickI finished book 1 of The Books of Earthsea series today. I really loved it. It turns out books about wizards, and wizard schools, have been around a long time. I love that many of the settings are small islands and fishing villages. The magic is interesting and the world building is excellent. I'm looking forward to seeing what the next book brings.
pickRead this when I was 12 and am rereading it 26 years later. Still touches me so much, the journey of this young chap who learns to harness wisdom about his power, how and when to wield it... How he faces his fears and the darkness he unleashes - so classic and beautiful. And I was pleasantly surprised at living this book as if I had never read it! (I have my memory to thank for this ;) )
pickI‘ve heard a lot of about Earthsea in the past and I‘ve loved Le Guin‘s work for years so it was always just a matter of time. Nevertheless, I loved meeting Ged and hearing of his adventures.
