The author truly excels in the remarkable task of skillfully weaving together the captivating stories, profound themes, and well-developed characters from the previous books. This results in a beautiful and seamless conclusion that effectively addresses the issues that were subtly hinted at throughout the series.

Typically, the introduction of new characters towards the end of a series can be rather jarring and give the impression of being pointless. However, this is not the case here. I found myself just as deeply invested in the stories of Alder and the Kargadish Princess as I was in those of Ged and Tenar. Their tales added an extra layer of depth and interest to the overall narrative.

Alas, I'm filled with a sense of sadness now that it's all over. This series has been a wonderful journey, and I'll surely miss the world and the characters that the author has so masterfully created.

It's rare to come across a series that manages to maintain such a high level of quality and engagement from start to finish, and this one will undoubtedly remain in my memory for a long time to come.

Ged, Tenar, and Tehanu...

It is a series that ends with a smile, filled with dragons and ancient times. It was so beautiful...

Don't die without reading it!

This story takes us on a magical journey through a world of fantasy and wonder. Ged, a powerful wizard, embarks on adventures that test his skills and courage. Along the way, he meets Tenar, a strong and independent woman, and Tehanu, a young girl with a special gift.

Together, they face many challenges and overcome numerous obstacles. The relationships between the characters are complex and heartwarming, adding depth and emotion to the story.

The world-building in this series is truly remarkable. The author has created a vivid and detailed universe, complete with its own history, culture, and mythology. The dragons, in particular, are a highlight, with their majestic presence and unique personalities.

Overall, this is a must-read series for fans of fantasy. It will transport you to a world of magic and adventure, and leave you longing for more. So, don't wait any longer. Pick up a copy today and start reading!

I have a profound love for Le Guin. (See my review of The Beginning Place).

I first embarked on reading the Earthsea cycle during my undergraduate days. At that time, I could only continue my exploration as I managed to find each title at a used bookstore. However, this became increasingly difficult after the first three titles.

Thankfully, The Other Wind concludes (or perhaps continues?) the story in an extremely remarkable way. It ties up loose ends and provides a satisfying conclusion to the overall narrative.

I am now eagerly looking forward to reading the entire series again, but this time, I plan to do it back-to-back. I am excited to immerse myself in the magical world of Earthsea once more and rediscover the beauty and depth of Le Guin's writing.

It's been a month and I'm really fed up with the pentameters and trimeters. It's so hard to follow.

I have the same feelings as with the other books of the series. While I like the books, I'm not very much influenced. I think the genre doesn't suit me. I prefer works that contain more pain, sweat, tears, betrayal, and villainy.

When reading the book, I really saw that it paved the way for the subsequent writers. So I didn't read it that superficially. I internalized and digested it.

Also, generally speaking, why can't wizards do every kind of magic? No, that's beyond our power. No, that's eye-painting. Selena was doing all the magic with a giggle. I'll tell you, really.

This is not necessarily a review of only this book but rather of the whole series.

For me, what set Earthsea apart was the fact that the books managed to be captivating without any of the typical storylines that drive high fantasies, i.e Good versus Evil, fairytale romances, a super duper bad guy.

In the afterwords of her first book, the author clearly said that she found that defining right or wrong seems very limiting to her - and that has echoed throughout all the books.

Almost all the books are about journeys - about finding and reconciling with your dark side, about finding freedom (often from invisible bonds), learning to love what you are instead of what you do, learning to trust another person, and finally about shaping your destiny, rather than being defined by it.

Earthsea is not just about magic, spells or dragons (although the dragons are pretty damn amazing). It explores deeply human issues that exist in our earth - and these were handled with great honesty.

None of the characters were perfect - they were sometimes egoistic, untrusting, rigid, they had appalling things done to them, they were beaten and raped and traumatized. But in the end, everything was reconciled.

The characters' lives suddenly didn't become perfect, all problems of Earthsea wasn't magically solved - but balance was restored by making hard choices.

Like the book says in the end "We broke the world to make it whole.." This series offers a unique and profound exploration of the human condition, showing that even in a world of magic and adventure, the most important lessons are about ourselves and our relationships. It challenges our preconceived notions of good and evil and shows that the path to wholeness is often a difficult one, but one that is worth taking.

This is the conclusion of Ursula LeGuin's six-volume Earthsea cycle, or as she herself terms it, the Earthsea trilogies. The first three books have a young adult focus, while the last three are adult-oriented.

It's an extremely satisfying conclusion. Not only does it neatly wrap up the stories of the main characters in the series, but it also explains the magical foundation of Earthsea in a logical and consistent manner and then expands it in an entirely new direction. It's a very skillful piece of storytelling and world building.

The story begins with a visit to Ged, the former Archmage, by Alder, a village sorcerer who is plagued by troubling dreams. Each night, Alder is drawn against his will to 'the dry land' where the spirits of the dead are attempting to tear down the wall that separates them from the living. Meanwhile, there's trouble with the dragons. And LeGuin's dragons are as compelling as Tolkien's, being equally fascinating characters.

This is one of my 'comfort' books. I return to it whenever I want something familiar and satisfying to divert my attention for a few hours.

In terms of original, literate, and intelligent fantasy series, Earthsea is right up there with Middle Earth. And The Other Wind is LeGuin's equivalent of Return of the King.

January 2024 reread. OK. So my first book of the new year is one of my comfort books. It's bitterly cold and snowy outside. I just needed something to take me away from that harsh reality. And Ursula LeGuin's elegant prose manages to do that, every single time. It transports me into the wonderful world of Earthsea, where I can forget about the cold and snow and lose myself in the captivating story.

I have my heart gently crushed by having finished this book and this Terramar saga ❤️‍

The final tale of Earthsea is a captivating addition to the series.

Overall, when considered as a standalone story, for the majority of its length, it sits in the middle of the pack within the series. However, when evaluated as an ending that neatly ties up the story both narratively and thematically, it is truly fantastic.

I must admit that I still have a preference for Tehanu and Tombs of Atuan. Nevertheless, the way this final installment wraps everything up is remarkable. It brings a sense of closure and completeness to the overarching narrative of Earthsea.

Taking all these aspects into account, I would rate this story a solid 7.7 out of 10. It may not be the absolute best in the series, but it definitely has its own charm and significance, especially as the conclusion that brings the entire saga to a satisfying end.

This saga has also come to an end, magnificent as it has been since the very start!

I had the feeling that Ursula rushed the ending a little, as if there was a lack of complexity or perhaps it was just my subjective desire for the story to last as long as possible that was triggered in me!

So many wonderful characters, magnificent and brave women and men, that the heart simply cannot help but leap with pride when entering their world!

Gede, Tenar, Tehanu and all the others, you shine with your magic and fire, perhaps stronger than ever and I hope that your story of the struggle of good against evil will reach many more people, precisely when they need it the most!

And Ursula definitely remains in a high position on the list of my favorite authors

Molt commoguda amb el final d'aquesta història i d'uns personatges tan meravellosos. M'ha agradat moltíssim poder-me acomiadar de tots ells amb una història tan reconfortant. Aquest tipus de història és especial perquè t'aixamplen l'esperit. És com un raig de llum que penetra en les nostres vides i ens fa recordar que sempre hi ha esperança, encara que les coses puguin semblar difícils. Els personatges en aquesta història són molt realistes i fets a mida per encantar-nos. Han aconseguit aconseguir que ens envolguem en la seva història i que sentim totes les seves emocions. També ens han ensenyat moltes coses sobre l'amor, la amistat i la perseverança. També m'ha fet pensar que tots tenim la possibilitat de ser millor i de aconseguir les nostres somnis. És només començar i no rendir-se mai.

Looking back, it's a stroke of luck that I randomly started with volume 4 out of 6. Volumes 1 - 3 take place in a world practically without women. Volumes 2 and 3 have a relatively dull plot. The stories in volume 5 are partly very good, but one will probably only understand them in context. And in volume 6, although I was pleased to meet some old acquaintances again, the plot mainly consists of people discussing obscure theological questions that somehow have to do with the afterlife. I think one shouldn't put one's characters in a situation where they only talk chapter by chapter. A side problem: Here again, someone gets an adorable pet that then disrupts the storytelling so much (what does he do with the cat during his audience with the king? etc.) that it is soon disposed of again. However, one has to give Ursula K. Le Guin credit for addressing all such problems and not simply making the cats disappear from the plot. The author's afterwords in all volumes are interesting.

This series has its pros and cons. The inconsistent quality of the plots can be a bit of a drawback, but the author's handling of certain issues and the interesting afterwords make up for it to some extent. It's a series that offers a unique reading experience, with each volume presenting its own set of challenges and rewards. Whether one enjoys it or not may depend on personal preferences for the genre and the style of storytelling.

Overall, while it may not be a perfect series, it does have enough redeeming qualities to make it worth exploring for those interested in science fiction or fantasy literature.

I can't claim that this, the final Earthsea book, ascended to the poetic pinnacles of its predecessors. Neither did its wisdom strike me to the very core as the others had done.

However, as is always the case, I remain in a state of awe when it comes to the late, great Ursula K. Le Guin's remarkable ability to grapple with the profound questions of life and death. Moreover, her exploration of humanity's fixation on power over these two forces is truly remarkable.

It has been an absurdly busy period, which led to my spending weeks to complete a relatively thin volume. Now, it's time to move on to the next one.