The Farthest Shore (Earthsea Cycle #3)

 

The last in Sparrow's trilogy and it didn't keep up with the second novel, which I thought to be better than the first. 

So, the story revolves around magic disappearing from the world and Ged sets out to find the cause. He's convinced that the reason magic is fading is because of the islands not being reunited by one King. 
Since the events of the second novel he has become the new Archmage of Roke, but quickly decide to abandon his duties and set forth on a quest, only accompanied by a young prince without any magical talents. 
They sail the entire known world looking for clues, which will lead them to (as you can guess) the farthest shore. 

Since I wasn't so amazed by this installment, I'll let you know what I didn't like. 
Again, the lack of character development. Ged is still a mystery and his actions are rarely explained. It's almost like reading a script instead of a novel where the reader has the advantage to be able to peek inside everyone's head (at the mercy of the author of course). 
Secondly, the predictability in this novel was too high. I knew from the first 50 pages what would happen and that makes it a long long run to finish it. And certainly if you're actually right and there's no unexpected turn of events. 

So, I'm not prone to recommend these novels to a hardened fantasy buff, like myself, but if you're new to the game this might be a good start since it doesn't require much 'getting to know the world we're in'.

The Tombs of Atuan (Earthsea Cycle #2)

 

The Tombs of Atuan is the second installment of the Earthsea Cycle by Ursula K. Le Guin (not sure how to pronounce that.. )

I've already reviewed the first installment (you can get to it, using this link: Wizard of Earthsea) and I was a bit disappointed at how meagre the story actually was. 

Now, the second story in this saga has more backbone, more depth than its predecessor which was much needed. The story revolves around Tenar/Arha and her being High Priestess the nameless powers of the Earth. We follow her coming of age and the consequences of her choices. 

The story still progresses fairly quickly, Ged (the main protagonist from the first installment) is still a very on-the-surface character which lacks a certain amount of depth. To me it has the effect that I can't relate to this person and was more in sync with Tenar/Arha. 

Of course I've read A LOT of fantasy (since it's my favourite pastime) and this book feels like a fantasy book for beginners. Not a lot of backstory, not a lot of characters (who matter) and its read fairly quickly. It's more short story material than an actual novel. 

But I'm not one to give up (and the story isn't so bad, it's just lacks a bit of ripening) so I'm already begun reading the third installment. So, I'll be back in a bit.. 

A Wizard of Earthsea (Earthsea Cycle #1)

 

How can I describe my opinion about this book that has a remarkable high scoring that isn't in accordance with how it impressed itself upon me. 

Wow, reading that sentence again I feel like I'm already treading lightly as to avoid stepping onto any toes. Maybe the very sensitive ones may feel a light pressure.

But I'm not gonna lie to you. This book wasn't all that spectacular. I've read fantasy before, I've read a lot of fantasy before and not only the most popular series. I've cried and laughed and cursed and hoped while going along the travels of many wizards, witches and the like. 

But sorry.. Sparrowhawk stayed a very blank figure for me. The novel seemed rushed, not at all finished but like someone trying to tell a story in one sitting instead of keeping the audience guessing a bit. It seems like most of the novel went on inside Sparrowhawk's head and as reader you didn't have access to most of his thought, which made his actions seem all the more random and out of the blue. 

It was the authors first book, so understandably that this was a little less up to par. I've already begun in the following novel and if I can state an early opinion is that it already has more build-up tension in the first chapters than A Wizard of Earthsea had in its entirety. 

The Left Hand of Darkness

This was not what I had expected.
I've read sci-fi and fantasy for as long as I can remember, but this was still quite the revelation.

The story centers around Genly Ai.
He's a Terran and he is a missionary. He works for the Ekumen, a vast union of different planets bound together for trade and the use of knowledge.
He's been send to Gethen, a cold and desolate world on the outskirts of Ekumen's territory, inhabited by a strange bisexual species, the Gethenians.
We ride along with Genly Ai, as he is already well known in one of Gethen's cities, Kar-Hide. They've examined him, they've examined his space ship and they've come to mistrust his message.
Feeling betrayed by his most trusted companion, Estraven, he seeks refuge in a different city, Orgoreyn.
There he sees a different use of power, the power of knowledge, that ultimately leads him to be cast away.
However with the help of a true friend, he finds his way back to those who will listen.

It's quite a ethereal description, but I can't really tell you more and expect you to read it.
The story is fairly simple.
But this novel is far from being that.
Leguin has filled her pages up to the brim with philosophy, anthropology, sexology...
The Gethenians are a species that can alter their sex at need. Not voluntarily, but when paired with someone else they automatically adapt to one another.
They're sexual cycle is different from ours. As we are in heat all year round, sort of speak, they only feel that spark once a month for a few days. (Kemmer) When that happens their body responds to those in their proximity and adapt to whatever is necessary. One can father children or give birth to them, depending on the partner you've ended up with.
As Genly Ai, being a Terran, ponders over that ambiguous nature of his hosts, finding it difficult to trust them; Estraven is curious about Genly Ai's constant 'kemmer'. Could it still be as powerful as their cycle?
This is only one of the aspects that Leguin has created in this novel.

Aside from the story, aside from the indepth research from both sides on the differences between humans and Gethenians, she has constructed a history of Gethen, its myths, its tale of creation ( to name a few).

It's not easy to read, it's very philosophical and can get away with itself at times, but I stuck to it, because truth is hidden in such treasures.
Compared to a different race, how would be stand up to the test?
The Left Hand of Darkness is less about the sci-fi/fantasy, than it is about the human aspect of not only finding other species, but adapting oneself to their life as you ask the same of them .