The Sword and Laser discussion

I get that it is a classic, but it seems so...boring. It offers nither action nor mystery (at least in the first 40 or so pages) and Ged seems like a douche to me. Could ou give me some good reasons not to Lem it?

I am no stranger to books with a slower pace but at least they give you something in the first two Chapters that let you ask a question about something that isn't answered right away.

I actually am interested in this, too.

A few years ago I tried to listen to the audiobook of A Wizard of Earthsea, but couldn't get into it. It could have been the narrator, but I seem to remember that it felt slow. But it's one of those classics that always comes up in "must read" type lists, so...

Because it's light years better than the movie. However, I find it fairly painful. The language is abstruse and hard to read, there is no sense of anything "happening". There's a lot of really good Le Guin, I just don't think Earthsea belongs in that category. Try "The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas" instead. Far shorter and far better written.

Always wondered about the same question. I've come along this book so often but was never really tempted to buy it.

We actually read that in my English/ lit class in 8th, or 9th grade, along with To Kill a Mocking Bird, and Lord of the Flies. That was almost 25 years ago, so I don't remember the writing style, but I remember having a lengthy discussion about how to pronounce "Ged";-). IIRC we also dug into the magic system, and how a lot of the world building (not called that at the time) was metaphorical. I could see doing a similar treatment with a Harry Potter book nowadays. I didn't go on to read the rest of the Earthsea series, so it couldn't of been something I found too interesting.

Well, I really liked it. I thought the second book (The Tombs of Atuan) was a great deal better, however--it's one of my favourites in a way "a Wizard of Earthsea" isn't. The first tends to sweep too much detail into too little space, and it can be hard to parse what's going on without a great deal of effort.

I liked the original trilogy, didn't much like the follow-on book written like 20 years later. Also didn't like Tombs of Atuan as much as the other two.

Trying to figure out why... I've noticed that my favorite Neil Gaiman stuff is when he goes mythic. I think Earthsea is the same; it goes mythic, Hero's Journey, symbolic. In thinking about it, Sabriel has a similar feel, if that helps anyone.

For the record, Le Guin says Ged has a hard G, not like Jed.

I read and fell deeply in love with The Wizard of Earthsea when I was a teenager so I cannot speak objectively about its merits or the lack thereof. I guess I would say that Ged was an easy protagonist to project myself into, that the world felt completely realized, that enough happened throughout the plot to keep me engrossed, and that the book never felt like disposable fluff.

That said, if you hate the book after two chapters, I would say it's just not your book and you should Lem it. I don't think the things you dislike will change enough for you to end up really liking it.

This may be relevant to your interests: 10 Reasons Why Le Guin's Earthsea Books Can Still Change Your Life via io9

Just for the record I don't hate it, I just didn't see the point. Thank you Dara this did help. I might give it an other try next time I run out of picks of the month.

I haven't read Earthsea myself but I saw this thread the other day and then saw that io9 article posted today and had to share. Glad it helped! :-)

Dracul wrote: "Just for the record I don't hate it, I just didn't see the point. Thank you Dara this did help. I might give it an other try next time I run out of picks of the month."

"Meh" is a perfectly good opinion, y'know.

That was really helpful, Dara. I'm always on the fence about reading those older classics myself.
Therefore the article was really encouraging to give this series a spin.

One reason to read the series is that it is one of the only if not the only book with black characters in fantasy.

Kevin wrote: "One reason to read the series is that it is one of the only if not the only book with black characters in fantasy."

I just spent three minutes trying to think of one example with which to assail you.

Dammit.

The Imaro books by Charles Saunders come to mind. And most (if not all) of Nalo Hopkinson's fantasy work.

There are loads of fantasy books out there now with black characters such as Zoo City, Redemption in Indigo etc but this was far less common when the series was written and it is still the exception rather than the rule.

Wizard of Earthsea fits a lot into its small number of pages. The hero we see from a small boy to a young man just within the first book and his character changes over that time. The young guy gets trained as a wizard and goes to wizard school has become very common but, though it pre-existed Wizard of Earthsea was far less common when the book was written. It does not take long for the action to develop but these books are as much about character as plot so if you want something that is 100% action oriented then this series is perhaps not for you.

There is real tension in the last 40% or so of the book which is in my view well worth reaching and reading. I love the books and have read them several times. I do like the later books in the series more but that does not detract from my enjoyment of the first book.

Firstname wrote: "Kevin wrote: "One reason to read the series is that it is one of the only if not the only book with black characters in fantasy."

I just spent three minutes trying to think of one example with whi..."

Control point
Who fears death (and everything else by the author I believe)
The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms and sequels
The Killing Moon and sequel
Three Parts Dead
Throne of the Crescent Moon (At least one is black I think, can't recall exactly. Might be they're all Arab.)
God's War and sequels (fantasy pretending to be sci-fi more than pure fantasy)

Those are just the ones I've read, and I don't especially go looking for them.

You'll notice they're all recent books though.

The Wheel of Time books have black characters too.

I read the Earthsea books in my teens once but they didn't grab me, tried to read them again after watching part of the horrible miniseries and just couldn't get into them. Not sure why, I think none of the characters really clicked with me except the dragon.

Then Earthsea is probably one of the first book in the genre to have black main characters.

Easily one of my favorite fictional worlds, and she never lost the magic of the world with too many sequels. I first read them in my early teens and loved them, so I was shocked when I re-read them a few years ago that I still loved them the same. Her writing isn't for everyone, especially if you've gotten used to hyper-violent action packed fantasy. It's slow, rich, meditative, and to me completely enchanting. I guess I'm not saying anything new here but I just wanted to throw my hat into the opinion pile.

I really liked everything, including this, that I've read by LeGuin.

It is NOT fast-paced action-packed writing. Nor should it be. It's not junk food, it's a 3 course meal.

Firstname wrote: "Kevin wrote: "One reason to read the series is that it is one of the only if not the only book with black characters in fantasy."

I just spent three minutes trying to think of one example with which to assail you.

Dammit. "

Anything by Octavia Butler.

Blade.

Samuel Delaney.

Trike wrote: "Firstname wrote: "Kevin wrote: "One reason to read the series is that it is one of the only if not the only book with black characters in fantasy."

I just spent three minutes trying to think of on..."

Still haven't seen Blade, still don't care. I also think it's a bit of a 'gimme' to name the only two really well-known black authors.

In that vein, you missed Nalo Hopkinson. But why is it primarily black writers writing black characters? Lots of women write male main characters, and certainly the black authors named above included white characters. I used to think it meant white people fervently hoping that black people won't exist in their future.

Early "Man Conquers Space" '60's reading didn't help. Woman were either furniture or nonexistent. Thank Bob for Judith Merril, Joanna Russ, and Kate Wilhelm

Oh yeah, Neil Gaiman, Anansi Boys. Fat Charlie the architect walked into the room...

Justine Larbalestier makes a point of having non-white protagonists. They had a white model originally on the cover of Liar, and it created a HUGE uproar; they changed it before it was published. IIRC, her parents worked with Australian aborigines, so she grew up with non-whites.

C.E. Murphy's Joanne Walker is half Native American and half Irish, I think (Murphy lives in Ireland, last I heard). I read the first of a series of hers with gargoyles, and the protag was nonwhite.

The Petaybee books of Anne McCaffrey and Elizabeth Ann Scarborough have Eskimo (Inuit? not sure) and Irish characters. McCaffrey was living in Ireland and Scarborough in Alaska at the time.

There's always Patricia Briggs' Mercy Thompson, who's half Native American, in a complicated sort of way. (view spoiler)[I mean, does Coyote count as Native American or as Pre-Columbian or what? And it isn't exactly Coyote, and it isn't exactly NOT Coyote. (hide spoiler)]

So there are a few here and there...

Trike wrote: "Firstname wrote: "Kevin wrote: "One reason to read the series is that it is one of the only if not the only book with black characters in fantasy."

I just spent three minutes trying to think of on..."

A number of Wolfe and Gaiman novels feature African characters.

I'm going to finish Wizard but I don't really have any desire to go and read the rest of the series.

Personally I think they're brilliant, but not if you're looking for slam bang physical action and fast pacing. Thanks all, for the reminder. I'm overdue for another read of them.

I'm excited that the first book is the February pick!

I also noted that Audible has a different version of the book now, one narrated by Rob Inglis (if I remember correctly, he also did recent audio versions of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings). The version I tried to listen to years ago was narrated by Harlan Ellison (LeGuin is also credited as a narrator, not sure if she was just for the intro or something...), however that version is no longer available to purchase from Audible.

Kenneth wrote: "Trike wrote: "Firstname wrote: "Kevin wrote: "One reason to read the series is that it is one of the only if not the only book with black characters in fantasy."

I just spent three minutes trying ..."

I'm still learning to like Wolfe.

Personally gonna pass on this one. Too bad though, this is the third month in a row that I've had no interest in the pick.

I don't understand why someone would just pass without at least checking out this relatively short book. It's not particularly challenging, yet the writing is still gorgeous and engaging once you fall into it's rhythms. It's not just historically important in the fantasy genre but it's also still a relevant and enjoyable read. It also has one of the more interesting systems of magic, where things really feel like they have consequences, and the mis-use of said system really drives the plot.