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4.04 AVERAGE
4.04 AVERAGE
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
inspiring
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
beautifully descriptive, adventurous, lots of dragon content.
I have to agree this is the weakest so far, but still a good read.
Although I just love Ged so much I may be biased ^^'
Although I just love Ged so much I may be biased ^^'
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I didn't enjoy this book as much as the first two in the series. The Farthest Shore shares many of the same strengths as them: amazing settings and imagery, beautifully written prose, and thought-provoking themes and dialogue. In fact, I would say that the imagery of this book was better than the other two, especially past the halfway point. The rafts, the dragon run, and finally the were all just so cool! I also just love Le Guin's depiction of dragons in this series, and you see the most of them here.
However, I found Le Guin's almost poetic writing to be a bit of a hindrance in The Farthest Shore. I sometimes found it difficult to follow what exactly was happening. There were a few moments that just baffled me because things seemed to contradict what had happened earlier, so I had to go back several pages to try to figure out what Le Guin actually meant.
Another flaw with this book was some of the characters. Ged, who plays an important role in the other two books, was great here. However, I found it hard to care for the main character of this book, Arren. I simply could not relate to him as well as Ged in the first book, or Tenar in the second. He does sometimes have his own complicated internal conflicts, sure, but they seemed so much more superficial than those of the earlier books. I also just did not understand this book's antagonist. In the first two books, the biggest enemies were the main characters themselves. In The Farthest Shore, the villain is someone/something else. But as was the case for Arren, I felt that the antagonist of this book was not very well-developed.
Spoiler
Mountains of PainHowever, I found Le Guin's almost poetic writing to be a bit of a hindrance in The Farthest Shore. I sometimes found it difficult to follow what exactly was happening. There were a few moments that just baffled me because things seemed to contradict what had happened earlier, so I had to go back several pages to try to figure out what Le Guin actually meant.
Another flaw with this book was some of the characters. Ged, who plays an important role in the other two books, was great here. However, I found it hard to care for the main character of this book, Arren. I simply could not relate to him as well as Ged in the first book, or Tenar in the second. He does sometimes have his own complicated internal conflicts, sure, but they seemed so much more superficial than those of the earlier books. I also just did not understand this book's antagonist. In the first two books, the biggest enemies were the main characters themselves. In The Farthest Shore, the villain is someone/something else. But as was the case for Arren, I felt that the antagonist of this book was not very well-developed.
A continuing draw of the Earthsea cycle for me has been the excellent world-building. The setting of the first two books and now of The Farthest Shore, has all been in the same world, with more focus on certain islands and lands in each book. And there is always the connection of the sea— of land, sea, air, and fire, as all elements come together in balance to create nature. In fact, this installment to the cycle seems to place the most focus on the importance of balance, though it has certainly been a strong theme through the first two books as well. Finding the balance is something Ged had to learn the hard way, at a young age. Now, Sparrow-hawk seeks to pass this knowledge on to a young man, Arren, his sole companion on a journey to save the world.
Arren first comes to Ged with news of people in Enlad loosing the words of the old language, which is what enables the use of wizardry. However it is soon discovered that this art is not the only thing being drained away, but hope and motivation as well. On their journey to find the cause of this darkness, the two men travel through many lands. Arren has never left Enlad, and as he sees new places, meets new people, and most of all as he learns from Ged, he grows tremendously as a person in a very short period of time. There were definitely growing pains involved, it certainly wasn’t all smooth sailing, but the difficult way is the way that has something to teach you and the ability to change you.
I was particularly fond of the descriptions of each new community and land the travelers came upon. I also enjoyed seeing how much, once again, the storyline centers around the consequences of actions that Ged has made over his lifetime. And of course just as there are actions and consequences, there is good and bad, and dark and light, and so there are the good and the bad consequences and the need to accept both in order to have either, and to live the whole.
I once again took forever reading an Ursula K Le Guin book, because to truly take it all in, it must be done slowly. And even then, I am positive there are some themes and connections and symbolism I have missed. The Farthest Shore greatly parallels Wizard of Earthsea, with the exception that Ged has already taken his life-changing journey and on this one he is taking along Arren to experience a similar journey as to the one that transformed him so long ago. I was very glad to return to a style more like the first book, because though I loved the second one, I found it to have a much slower pace.
I would certainly, and do quite often, recommend both this book and the two before it of the Earthsea Cycle. Le Guin once agains takes us deeper into this beautiful world, and into the minds of such poignant characters. I cannot wait to continue on with the next book of the cycle, Tehanu.
Arren first comes to Ged with news of people in Enlad loosing the words of the old language, which is what enables the use of wizardry. However it is soon discovered that this art is not the only thing being drained away, but hope and motivation as well. On their journey to find the cause of this darkness, the two men travel through many lands. Arren has never left Enlad, and as he sees new places, meets new people, and most of all as he learns from Ged, he grows tremendously as a person in a very short period of time. There were definitely growing pains involved, it certainly wasn’t all smooth sailing, but the difficult way is the way that has something to teach you and the ability to change you.
I was particularly fond of the descriptions of each new community and land the travelers came upon. I also enjoyed seeing how much, once again, the storyline centers around the consequences of actions that Ged has made over his lifetime. And of course just as there are actions and consequences, there is good and bad, and dark and light, and so there are the good and the bad consequences and the need to accept both in order to have either, and to live the whole.
I once again took forever reading an Ursula K Le Guin book, because to truly take it all in, it must be done slowly. And even then, I am positive there are some themes and connections and symbolism I have missed. The Farthest Shore greatly parallels Wizard of Earthsea, with the exception that Ged has already taken his life-changing journey and on this one he is taking along Arren to experience a similar journey as to the one that transformed him so long ago. I was very glad to return to a style more like the first book, because though I loved the second one, I found it to have a much slower pace.
I would certainly, and do quite often, recommend both this book and the two before it of the Earthsea Cycle. Le Guin once agains takes us deeper into this beautiful world, and into the minds of such poignant characters. I cannot wait to continue on with the next book of the cycle, Tehanu.
A masterpiece.
I've been pondering what to say about this book for 10 days now and I'm still speechless. A pure masterpiece. The farthest shore deals with unbelievably human emotions, the fear of death, acceptance, duty, and doing only what one must do.
This is the book where Earthsea became real to me. A world as real and important to me as Middle Earth. Ged and Lebannen's journey to the edge of the world and across the wall had me weeping.
Seeing the fruition of Sparrowhawk's long life, his full power as the archmage of all Earthsea, leading a fiercely loyal boy in a fight to save a world gone mad, a world with magic seeping out of it, is breathtaking. The islands they explore, and the true fear and ignorance the villain inspires simply by appealing to the basest of all human fears. The fear of dying. It asks the question of what one would give up to live forever, and if, in giving up what matters most, that eternal life is even still living.
I particularly loved watching Arren's love and amazement at Ged widen and soften as he realizes that Ged is just a man, a man of great power yes. But Arren sees that Ged is not great because of his power, but because of what he chooses to do and not do, what he holds dear.
Le Guin is a titan that understands what it means to be human in ways rarely seen.
I've been pondering what to say about this book for 10 days now and I'm still speechless. A pure masterpiece. The farthest shore deals with unbelievably human emotions, the fear of death, acceptance, duty, and doing only what one must do.
This is the book where Earthsea became real to me. A world as real and important to me as Middle Earth. Ged and Lebannen's journey to the edge of the world and across the wall had me weeping.
Seeing the fruition of Sparrowhawk's long life, his full power as the archmage of all Earthsea, leading a fiercely loyal boy in a fight to save a world gone mad, a world with magic seeping out of it, is breathtaking. The islands they explore, and the true fear and ignorance the villain inspires simply by appealing to the basest of all human fears. The fear of dying. It asks the question of what one would give up to live forever, and if, in giving up what matters most, that eternal life is even still living.
I particularly loved watching Arren's love and amazement at Ged widen and soften as he realizes that Ged is just a man, a man of great power yes. But Arren sees that Ged is not great because of his power, but because of what he chooses to do and not do, what he holds dear.
Le Guin is a titan that understands what it means to be human in ways rarely seen.