The Farthest Shore (The Earthsea Cycle, Book 3)
by Ursula K. Le Guin
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Book Summary Information
Author: Ursula K. Le GuinEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2004-11-23
ISBN: 141650964X
Number of pages: 272
Publisher: Gallery Books
Book Reviews of The Farthest Shore (The Earthsea Cycle, Book 3)
Book Review: The loss of magic
Summary: 5 Stars
"The Farthest Shore" may be the best of the Earthsea books, combining subtle, evocative prose with realistic characterization and a pair of equally important, entwined plotlines. Dragons, magic, wizards, and dozens of different islands are all entwined in an intriguing contrast between the young and the old, death and life.
Arren, prince of Anlad, comes to Roke to tell the wizards there dire news: Magic is seeping out of his country, where words no longer have power and spells are forgotten. The aged Archmage, Ged Sparrowhawk, sets off with the eager, sheltered young prince to find out what is draining the "wells of wizardry."
As they cross Earthsea, they find more difficulties, places where magic is draining away, the dragons are dueling, spells and songs are forgotten, and the dead are crossing over under the influence of a mysterious figure who is at the source of it all. Great changes are in store for both Arren and Ged before they can deal with the strange forces changing Earthsea...
It's undeniable that the original trilogy of Earthsea novels were superior to Le Guin's later Earthsea works, both in literary and storytelling terms. Le Guin's writing had clearly matured somewhat from the more formal manner of "Wizard of Earthsea," as here we have better insight into Arren's thoughts and feelings. The dialogue is also less formal, as we have more jokes, teasing, and an amusing scene where Arren and his "nuncle" Ged are playing around with accents and dialects.
It is still fairly formal; however, the villain of this piece evokes greater horror than did Ged's shadow in the first book. At the same time, deep poignancy is present in such scenes as the dead looking out at the living, and the old woman hysterically crying out her true name, because "there are no secrets, and there is no truth, and there is no death."
The relationship between the young, naive Arren and the more experienced, older Sparrowhawk is the underlying thread in this novel. Though Ged, to Arren, lessons and philosophies are revealed to the reader and spelled out in a way that will leave them thinking carefully. And Le Guin provides an intriguing contrast between age and youth: Ged's experience and wisdom are necessary as Arren knows virtually nothing about what could cause the crisis, while Arren's innocence and loyalty are necessary as a counterbalance.
Ged shows a weariness in this book not present before; his reflections on death and life seem to be connected to his greater age. Arren is an essentially good young man, very realistic in that he is not a spoiled brat, but has never been given the opportunity to do anything difficult and good before in his life. The supporting characters are rarely around long, and none develop the depth of those main two; though many references are made to the previous two books, especially the second, it is not necessary to have read them to understand this.
An entrancing fantasy epic and a thought-provoking look at life and death, this book may be the most fulfilling and well-made of Le Guin's many Earthsea books.
Summary of The Farthest Shore (The Earthsea Cycle, Book 3)
Book Three of Ursula K. Le Guin's Earthsea CycleDarkness threatens to overtake Earthsea: the world and its wizards are losing their magic. Despite being wearied with age, Ged Sparrowhawk -- Archmage, wizard, and dragonlord -- embarks on a daring, treacherous journey, accompanied by Enlad's young Prince Arren, to discover the reasons behind this devastating pattern of loss. Together they will sail to the farthest reaches of their world -- even beyond the realm of death -- as they seek to restore magic to a land desperately thirsty for it.
With millions of copies sold worldwide, Ursula K. Le Guin's Earthsea Cycle has earned a treasured place on the shelves of fantasy lovers everywhere, alongside the works of such beloved authors as J. R. R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis.
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