Tales from Earthsea

"A writer of depth who recognizes that not all fantasy venues are created equal...Le Guin's combination of opaque simplicity and transparent complexity, the quotidian and the miraculous, as well as her sharp and subtle characterizations, make for stories that stand shoulder to shoulder with ancient archetypal fairy tales and fables." --The Washington Post Book World "In the canon of great adult fantasy literature, right next to Tolkien...If you've had enough of Harry Potter-style kid-wizardry, Le Guin offers a powerful tonic. These tales are intense, moving, engaging and best of all, character-driven: Le Guin knows people, wizards or not." --The Boulder Daily Camera "Tales from Earthsea...has poetry and true magic. Furthermore, it has a great writer's love of an imaginary land that once existed only in her mind and now exists as a treasure in the real world for all lovers of fantasy, today and tomorrow and forever." --The Orlando Sentinel "Earthsea's magic serves as a metaphor for the writer's own sorcery...there is no hint of by-the-numbers allegory here. This book should appeal to two entirely different sets of readers. Those familiar with the earlier Earthsea books will rejoice in the way Le Guin fills in some of the chronological blanks. Readers coming upon Earthsea for the first time will find stories about strong characters facing decisions that, while they arise from purely personal conflicts, always have the potential to affect the fate of the world...Memorable." --The New York Times Book Review "Takes readers back into the past of the author's imaginary universe to relate the founding of a school of magic...and the story of a young wizard who became a legend...This volume not only stands alone but also serves as an introduction to new readers. Strong work from a master storyteller; highly recommended." --Library Journal "Long before Harry Potter ever set foot in Hogwarts...there was a school for wizards in a place call