A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin

        This week I read A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin. The story follows a young boy named Ged, called the Sparrowhawk, who shows signs of great power as a young age. The story details how Ged learns magic and overcomes his first obstacle on the path to greatness.

        I had been meaning to read this one for awhile since it pops up on many “top fantasy” lists, but I have to admit I was pretty disappointed. The book starts out rather promising, but I quickly lost interest.

Things I liked about A Wizard of Earthsea:

• The chapters in which Ged is on the island of Roke learning magic are interesting. In the world of Earthsea, magic is essentially the power of knowing things’ true names. Knowing a thing’s true name enables a magician to transform or control it. Much of a wizard’s training is comprised of learning the true names of as many things as he can.
• The world itself seems interesting, even if it isn’t fully elaborated. One thing in particular that I liked was the inclusion of some of the Gontish rituals. For instance, there is a naming ceremony that is described that serves as a rite of passage into adulthood. This new name is meant to be shared only with intimate friends, considering the power of names.

Things I disliked about the book:

• The reader is told from the very first pages that Ged will become an Archmage and do a bunch of great things…so why should I keep reading?
• Although Le Guin has created an interesting world, she doesn’t give her characters much to do! Ged is a bit of a loner and rarely interacts with other people. When he does, he is quick to take offense because he is prickly and proud. This leads Ged to challenge an older sorcerer to a magic display, which is expressly forbidden as it doesn’t serve Equilibrium. When the magic goes awry, Ged calls an evil shadow creature into the world that he spends the rest of the book either fleeing from or chasing in order to vanquish it. He goes on some side quests that don’t relate to the central plot of the book, and I was left wondering why Le Guin included these adventures. At these times the plot felt haphazard and spontaneous, which was probably because Le Guin made much of the story up as she went along, as she tells the reader in the Afterword. I could tell!
• I didn’t like or identify with Ged. He is prideful, arrogant, and paranoid, and has few redeeming qualities. He overhears his mentor mention his great potential early on, and it ruins him. Ever after he thinks he’s hot stuff and this leads him into a world of trouble. Although he becomes more humble, it’s because his self-confidence is completely shattered. Ged is not likeable at either of these stages, and the book ends rather abruptly after he “becomes whole” again.
• None of the characters were ever really developed or given motives or depth. Ged’s only friend, Vetch, only rides along on the adventure and doesn’t contribute. Ged’s rival, Jasper, exasperates him because he has good manners and summarily disappears after he pisses Ged off enough that he challenges him to a magic duel, never to be heard from again.
• There aren’t almost any women in this book, and the few women who are shown are either trophy wives or wicked enchantresses. In fact, as early as page 6 of the novel, the author mentions “There is a saying on Gont, Weak as woman’s magic, and there was another saying, Wicked as woman’s magic.” Ged’s aunt, a witch, is said to know “nothing of the Balance and the Pattern which the true wizard knows and serves, and which keep him from using his spells unless real need demands.” This aunt is the only female character aside from an evil enchantress that is given any depth. For a book hailed as being so revolutionary in its inclusion of people of color, I’m pretty surprised that the cast of characters is so exclusively male (especially considering the author is a woman!).
• I was able to predict how Ged would resolve his dilemma around halfway through the book, and was waiting impatiently for him to figure it out. The plot is too simple and predictable, and it never really gains momentum. Granted, this is a book written for adolescents, but I’ve read plenty of “Young Adult” fiction that was gripping despite being relatively simple.

        Overall, I was pretty bored reading this. It was a struggle to push through. I do not intend to read the rest of the Earthsea books.