Earthsea

[Demons_eye]

Worth the read? I herd about it a few times but could not find it till now. I have all ready strated 2 other books (myth by robert asprin and another). But they both have like 14 books. Should I put them down and start earthsea or is it not even worth it?

[Tengu_temp]

The pace of all three books is very slow, but they are worth the read for the mystical atmosphere they possess alone.

Fourth book? There's no fourth book. Don't lie to me.

[Demons_eye]

forgive me but I am not in on those jokes yet. Really no forth book or its just bad in your thinking?

[Tengu_temp]

Tehanu is a fanfic. Just a fanfic, not a part of the continuity. So what if it was also written by the author? Still just a fanfic, as everyone will tell you.

Seriously though, it's a bad book - it was written many years later, and in the meantime Le Guin's talent shrunk a bit and she became a crazy, warring feminist of the bad kind... and both of these show. Don't read it, the third book has a definite ending anyway.

[Morty]

The first three books are a decent read and definetly worth it. I couldn't get myself to really start reading the fourth one, I don't really know why.

[Winterwind]

I fully agree with my Polish colleagues. The first three books are both classics any fantasy fan should have read and great reads in their own right, the fourth one is a pure waste of time.

[Emperor Tippy]

I found the first three alright, the 4th is written by a nut job.

[Morty]

Alright, now I want to read Tehanu to see if it's really this bad...

[Emperor Tippy]

Alright, now I want to read Tehanu to see if it's really this bad...

It is. She goes nuts.

[Fri]

Hah, man. Now I really have to read the fourth book. What posessed the author on the fourth book this time?

This thread strangely reminds me on Ender Game and Orson Scott Card. You know, where people said we ought to have the movie before Card turn completely nuts (some say we already too late).

edit: huh, wikipedia said that Tehanu won the nebula award that year. Amusing.

[Winterwind]

I was half my current age when I last read it, but just for the record... as I remember it, Tehanu was not only totally nuts, not only jawdroppingly boring, it was also severly depressing. I wouldn't recommend it even for people who get kicks out of B-movies.

[WarriorTribble]

Huh, how a quiet introspective book primarily about gender differences can be considered nuts I'll never know...

[Cespenar]

Damn, now you made me want to re-read Tehanu. :P

Really though, despite the fact that I love aftermaths, this one was just done wrong.

[Kojiro Kakita]

I thought there were 5 books.

Didn't The OTHER WIND, count as the 5th book since it took place after Tehanu)

[redcodekevin]

I thought there were 5 books.

Didn't The OTHER WIND, count as the 5th book since it took place after Tehanu)

It also seemed a little weird to me that everyone spoke of only four books. Yes, The Other Wind takes place some years after Tehanu. And it does look more like part of the saga.

[Ivius]

I've read the first two books, and I will agree that the pace is very slow. But they really are fantastic once you take everything in.

[Tragic_Comedian]

Read the books and stay as BLOODY FAR AWAY from the movie as possible.

[WarriorTribble]

Read the books and stay as BLOODY FAR AWAY from the movie as possible.The anime movie, the one done by sci-fi network, or both?

[Tragic_Comedian]

The anime movie, the one done by sci-fi network, or both?

There's an anime movie?

[Tengu_temp]

The anime movie, the one done by sci-fi network, or both?

The life-action movie is godawful.

I haven't seen the anime, but from what I've heard it's good. Hey, it was made by Miyazaki after all.

[zeratul]

I've read the first two and they're great. Aragon seemed to rip this one off a bit too actually so add that to the list. I've heard the fourth one is good after you reread it a few times and it sinks in more but that the first time it's really weird. The short stories I've heard are great.

[RTGoodman]

I can't comment on the whole series, but I know that A Wizard of Earthsea was really enjoyable, but apparently not for everyone. We read it in my Modern Fantasy class and I liked it, but it seemed like about half the class didn't. I have The Tombs of Atuan and The Farthest Shore but haven't gotten around to reading them.

Of course, at least a couple of those people that DIDN'T like Wizard of Earthsea were also boobs that through The Hobbit, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, Dragonsbane, and various things by Neil Gaiman were all terrible and that the Wheel of Time series or a certain teen romance vampire-type series are the only modern fantasy works worth reading, if that tells you anything.)

[WarriorTribble]

There's an anime movie?Yes it's called Tales from Earthsea (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tales_from_Earthsea_(film)). I probably should watch it sometime or another...

[Morty]

I haven't seen the anime movie, though I've heard it's good. I have, however, seen parts of the live action movie, and it made my brain bleed. For example: They switched Ged's names: instead of being called Sparrowhawk from birth and getting Ged as his true name, he was called Ged from the beginning and his true name was Sparrowhawk.

[Cespenar]

I haven't seen the anime, but from what I've heard it's good. Hey, it was made by Miyazaki after all.

Wasn't it the son, and not the father?

[Eerie]

First three books are terrific, one of my favorite.

Fourth and fifth are meh. In "The Other Wind" she changed the death land for some reason...

LeGuin have better books about gender. "The Left Hand of Darkness" is arguably the best thing she wrote.

[Closet_Skeleton]

Wasn't it the son, and not the father?

Yeah, it wasn't done by the regular Miyazaki and I haven't heard any good things about it myself.

[Tengu_temp]

LeGuin have better books about gender. "The Left Hand of Darkness" is arguably the best thing she wrote.

Agreed. It's one of the best sci-fi books I've ever read.

[Oslecamo]

D&D 3.X casting all the way baby.

The magic users there uses polymorph, hold monster and other stuff like that.

On a more serious note, really worth reading. Very detailed world, developed characters and interesting original plot.

[Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll]

We were working on an Earthsea d20 a while ago.

[Vael Nir]

Agreed. It's one of the best sci-fi books I've ever read.

Thirded. It's so well told... poor Estraven.:smallfrown:

[Demons_eye]

Well I just finshed the 3 books. My libary dosent have the other two so I will hold that for another day. All great books, I loved the ending and the movie wasnt half bad. Thanks for the in sight everyone.