drpiotrowski 's review for:

The Farthest Shore by Ursula K. Le Guin

4.0

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The third in the Earthsea series, and the last that can be seen as a YA text, sees a middle-aged Ged on a quest with an adolescent prince, Arren. On the surface, this is a story about finding out why magic is fading out across Earthsea. This story is really about Arren’s journey into adulthood by facing death while the older mentor must accept his impending mortality. The evil wizard Cob seeks to avoid death, and by so doing destroys himself. Le Guin argues that death is part of life, and while not to be sought out, must be accepted when it comes, because aging and mortality are key parts of being human. Part of growing up is understanding and accepting the dynamic nature of life, ending in death, while not giving in to despair. Cob represents greed and anxiety, of needing to hold on, to control, and to accumulate more. Ged represents the courage to let go, to give, and to accept what comes. Arren represents the need for leaders to be wise. The lesson is that the master of death is the one who is not afraid to die, and that the most powerful is the one not afraid to use up all of their power for the greater good.

I’m left wondering just how much Le Guin didn’t like being ripped off for Harry Potter.