The Earthsea Cycle - Full Series Review

an iconic, genre-defining (and genre-defying) masterpiece

THE ISLAND OF GONT, A single mountain that lifts its peak a mile above the storm-racked Northeast Sea, is a land famous for wizards…

Ursula K. Le Guin’s Earthsea Cycle, published between 1968 and 2001, is one of the most influential and critically acclaimed fantasy series of all time, and for good reason. Le Guin not only helped shape the entire genre, but her work also defied many of the tropes and expectations associated with fantasy, creating a world and characters that feel unique and fresh even two decades after the last book released.

As a life-long fantasy reader, Earthsea has always been on the back of my mind. Just like Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, which I admit I haven’t read yet, Earthsea is one of those series that you know you have to read at some point. I tried reading it back in high school, but I was a different person then, obsessed with hard magic systems and judgmental of what I considered “pretentious” prose, so I didn’t really get A Wizard of Earthsea and put off reading the rest. Looking back, that was for the best. I think now, a little bit older and (hopefully) a little more mature, I’m able to truly appreciate this wonderful series. This time, I took my time reading each book, letting myself be transported to this world of wizards, dragons and goatherds. I fell in love with every character and with every piece of this world, and I want to share that love with others. Without further ado, here’s my review of the entire series. This review contains spoilers, but I will try to keep them to the minimum.