My fingers tingle and my heart races.
A Wizard of Earthsea has one of the most interesting fantasy maps I've ever seen.
How has it taken me so long to find this book?
I'm not describing a cherished childhood memory. I'm not even talking about my introduction to Ursula Le Guin, since I've known about her for several years and read plenty of her other work, especially her award-winning short fiction.
But I didn't read A Wizard of Earth until last year.
A Wizard of Earthsea is a touching and terrifying story, one that alternates between poles of emotion at a breathtaking pace. It's familiar, as schools of wizardry are a treasured fantasy trope, yet I've never read anything quite like it.
The most magical piece of this book, in this reader's humble opinion, is that Le Guin chose the sea as her setting. Across the archipelago, young mage Ged, born in the village of Gont, flees from a shadow creature who pursues him to the edge of the world.
I followed Ged with my finger on the map, marveling at the sights and wonders. Every crossroads and turning point in Ged's journey, from the shores of Osskil to the East Reach, and all across the Ninety Isles, is incredible and full of surprises.
And all the time, I wondered, How has it taken me so long to find this book?
A Wizard of Earthsea
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