CW: child abuse, sexual harassment, alcohol, sexism

The Finder - 4.5 stars

Darkrose and Diamond - 3.5 stars

The Bones of the Earth - 3.75 stars

On the High Marsh - 4.25

Dragonfly - 4 stars

"A Description of Earthsea" - no rating but it does aggressively give Tolkien "On Hobbits" lol

The ratings provided offer a snapshot of different works. The Finder stands out with a high 4.5 stars, perhaps indicating its excellence in various aspects. Darkrose and Diamond, with 3.5 stars, may have some strengths but also room for improvement. The Bones of the Earth at 3.75 stars shows a solid performance. On the High Marsh with 4.25 stars is likely to be a captivating read. Dragonfly, rated 4 stars, also has its charm.

Interestingly, "A Description of Earthsea" has no rating but the comment about aggressively giving Tolkien "On Hobbits" adds an element of humor. And her final comments are always so beautiful, perhaps adding a touch of elegance and thoughtfulness to the overall assessment.

Overall, these ratings and comments give readers an idea of what to expect from these works and the unique perspective of the reviewer.

The extremely fascinating and necessary background stories beautifully revealed the world in which Earthsea exists. I remembered a lot from the follower, less from others. Perhaps it was still the favorite - Saukko, Tiira, Medra. It's wonderful and the women's group in Käden is interesting and at least for me, in a way, satisfying: there is magic in women too. The lead content was as disgusting as I remembered, and the first moments of Roke School were as interesting.

Tummaruusu and Timantti as well as Yläsuolla were pleasant to read, but there were more sweet treats of earthliness than fascinating or necessary. The Earth's cores would fall into the same category, but Ogion's familiarity from other books added more interest and in a way seemed to open up more about Ged and Tenar as well, to which Ogion's influence was of course great.

The Wolf Hunting was a different kind compared to the other novellas, more like a preview of The Tombs of Atuan than a historical description piece. The sense of change and in a way the knowledge of something greater were present in a great way throughout the novella. Arren is a fascinating character, and in the novella, the relationship between magic and gender was interestingly and sharply brought up, questioning the traditions of wizards. It skillfully anticipated the events of The Tombs of Atuan regarding both the dry land and the dragons. Oh, the dragons! Especially regarding them, this fit perfectly between Tehanu and The Tombs of Atuan, but it also works as a single novella.

A special mention for the preface, which perfectly defends fantasy literature and reveals its role, provides a glimpse into the relationship between the author and Earthsea, and at the same time, the knowledge that Earthsea is Le Guin's creation - and another level where Le Guin has found Earthsea and managed to dig into the archives that exist within it. Perfect!

It was a rather inefficient reading experience for me. Since I read the other 4 books of the series over a period of 5 years, throughout this book, I was constantly trying to remember something. Despite this inefficiency, I really liked the stories. My long-term goal is to read the entire series from beginning to end without interruption.

I found that the gap between reading the previous books and this one made it a bit challenging to recall all the details. However, as I delved deeper into the book, the engaging nature of the stories started to draw me in. The characters and their adventures were interesting and kept me hooked.

Although the process of trying to remember things slowed me down at times, I still managed to enjoy the overall experience. I look forward to achieving my goal of reading the series continuously in the future, which I believe will enhance my understanding and enjoyment of the entire story arc.

**"Cuentos de Terramar" by Ursula K. Le Guin: A Magical Anthology**

"Cuentos de Terramar" is the fifth installment in the wonderful fantasy saga of Ursula K. Le Guin. This book is composed of five tales that allow us to better know the history of the magical world of Terramar.

4 ★★★★

1. El Descubridor 4.5★ It fantastically immerses us in the rich prose of Ursula. This story reminded me a lot of the first book. Here we meet a boy, Nutria, and we accompany him on his journey to become a mage and find freedom, that is, find the place to which he belongs. Las palabras y los nombres verdaderos still have a very special meaning, they are a source of power. I think it was the ideal story to start the book.

  "Había perdido algo, lo había perdido para siempre, lo había perdido cuando lo había encontrado."

2. Rosaoscura y Diamante 3.5★ It tells us a simple and beautiful love story. Our protagonist must learn to follow what his heart dictates, to choose what makes him happy. It was interesting to read Ursula with a romance.

3. Los huesos de la tierra 4★ It is a short story about Dulse, master of Ogion, master of Ged, which tells us what really happened with the earthquake in Puerto de Gont (an event that is mentioned in the first book of Terramar and that gave Ogion the fame of a mage). It has been the shortest story, very beautiful and meaningful.

4. En el gran pantano 4★ This story has been a warm embrace to the heart, it felt so beautiful. Ursula's writing style is very beautiful. This story is starred by another mage, and at the end my dear Halcón appears.

5. Dragónvolador 4.5★ I loved it. This story follows the plot thread that the fourth book left, and at the same time, a little of the four previous stories. The story of a woman who breaks barriers, who has come to change the rules about magic in Terramar. ¡Magnífico!

At the end, the book also offers us a more detailed description of Terramar: its towns, languages, history and magic. La historia gives us a great summary of everything that has happened since the creation of the archipelago, it is perfect to refresh the memory and be able to fill those gaps that may exist about the history of Terramar. The only thing that doesn't completely convince me is the way Le Guin exposes the differences between the magic of men and women.

And I already seem like a scratched record, but I'll say it again: ¡Qué increíbles las introducciones de Ursula K. Le Guin! It makes you feel like she is with you, with a soft and melodious voice, telling you anecdotes about the time when she wrote the book. I am amazed.

The book earns its very deserved 4 stars.

"Do you trust me, Dragonfly?"


"Yes."


"Will you trust me entirely, wholly - knowing that the risk I take for you is greater even than your risk in this venture?"


"Yes."


"Then you must tell me the word you will speak to the Doorkeeper."


She stared. "But I thought you'd tell it to me - the password."


"The password he will ask you for is your true name."


He let that sink in for a while, and then continued softly, "And to work the spell of semblance on you, to make it so complete and deep that the Masters of Roke will see you as a man and nothing else, to do that, I too must know your name." He paused again. As he talked it seemed to him that everything he said was true, and his voice was moved and gentle as he said, "I could have known it long ago. But I chose not to use those arts. I wanted you to trust me enough to tell me your name yourself."


She was looking down at her hands, clasped now on her knees. In the faint reddish glow of the cabin lantern her lashes cast very delicate, long shadows on her cheeks. She looked up, straight at him. "My name is Irian," she said.


He smiled. She did not smile. He said nothing. In fact he was at a loss. If he had known it would be this easy, he could have had her name and with it the power to make her do whatever he wanted, days ago, weeks ago, with a mere pretense at this crazy scheme - without giving up his salary and his precarious respectability, without this sea voyage, without having to go all the way to Roke for it! For he saw the whole plan now was folly. There was no way he could disguise her that would fool the Doorkeeper for a moment. All his notions of humiliating the Masters as they had humiliated him were moonshine. Obsessed with tricking the girl, he had fallen into the trap he laid for her. Bitterly he recognised that he was always believing his own lies, caught in nets he had elaborately woven. Having once made a fool of himself on Roke, he had come back to do it all over again. A great, desolate anger swelled up in him. There was no good, no good in anything.


"What's wrong?" she asked. The gentleness of her deep, husky voice unmanned him, and he hid his face in his hands, fighting against the shame of tears.


She put her hand on his knee. It was the first time she had ever touched him. He endured it, the warmth and weight of her touch that he wasted so much time wanting. He wanted to hurt her, to shock her out of her terrible, ignorant kindness, but what he said when he finally spoke was, "I only wanted to make love to you."


"You did?"


"Did you think I was one of their eunuchs? That I'd castrate myself with spells so I could be holy? Why do you think I don't have a staff? Why do you think I'm not at the school? Did you believe everything I said?"


"Yes," she said. "I'm sorry." Her hand was still on his knee. She said, "We can make love if you want."


He sat up, sat still. "What are you?" he said to her at last.


"I don't know. It's why I wanted to come to Roke. To find out."


He broke free, stood up, stooping; neither of them could stand up straight in the low cabin. Clenching and unclenching his hands, he stood as far from her as he could, his back to her. "You won't find out. It's all lies, shams. Old men playing games with words. I wouldn't play their games, so I left. Do you know what I did?" He turned, showing his teeth in a rictus of triumph. "I got a girl, a town girl, to come to my room. My cell. My little stone celibate cell. It had a window looking out on a back street. No spells - you can't make spells with all their magic going on. But she wanted to come, and came, and I let a rope ladder out the window, and she climbed it. And we were at it when the old men came in! I showed 'em! And if I could have got you in, I'd have showed 'em again, I'd have taught them their lesson!"


"Well, I'll try," she said. He stared. "Not for the same reasons as you," she said, "but I still want to. And we came all this way. And you know my name."


It was true. He knew her name: Irian. It was like a coal of fire, a burning ember in his mind. His thought could not hold it. His knowledge could not use it. His tongue could not say it. She looked up at him, her sharp, strong face softened by the shadowy lantern light. "If it was only to make love you brought me here, Ivory," she said, "we can do that. If you still want to."


Wordless at first, he simply shook his head. After a while he was able to laugh. "I think we've gone on past... that possibility..." She looked at him without regret, or reproach, or shame. "Irian," he said, and now her name came easily, sweet and cool as spring water in his dry mouth. "Irian, here's what you must do to enter the Great House..."


He left her at the corner of the street, a narrow, dull, somehow sly-looking street that slanted up between featureless walls to a wooden door in a higher wall. He had put his spell on her, and she looked like a man, though she did not feel like one. She and Ivory took each other in their arms, because after all they had been friends, companions, and he had done all this for her. "Courage!" he said, and let her go. She walked up the street and stood before the door. She looked back then, but he was gone. She knocked. After a while she heard the latch rattle. The door opened. A middle-aged man stood there. "What can I do for you?" he said. He did not smile, but his voice was pleasant. "You can let me into the Great House, sir." "Do you know the way in?" His almond-shaped eyes were attentive, yet seemed to look at her from miles or years away. "This is the way in, sir." "Do you know whose name you must tell me before I let you in?" "My own, sir. It is Irian." "Is it?" he said. That gave her pause. She stood silent. "It's the name the witch Rose of my village on Way gave me, in the spring under Iris Hill," she said at last, standing up and speaking truth. The Doorkeeper looked at her for what seemed a long time. "Then it is your name," he said. "But maybe not all your name. I think you have another." "I don't know it, sir." After another long time she said, "Maybe I can learn it here, sir." The Doorkeeper bowed his head a little. A very faint smile made crescent curves in his cheeks. He stood aside. "Come in, daughter," he said. She stepped across the threshold of the Great House. Ivory's spell of semblance dropped away like a cobweb. She was and looked herself.



4 1/4 stars

These stories, when compared to the first four Earthsea books, fell short in both plot and writing. They simply weren't as compelling.

Moreover, several of the stories seemed overly preoccupied with showing that women hold more significance in Earthsea than what was indicated in the first three books. This was particularly evident in the last story, "Dragonfly."

Both this story and the first one, "The Finder," gave the impression that the author was attempting to retrofit women into the Earthsea narratives as an afterthought. I, for one, didn't have an issue with their near absence in the first three books. As a result, their belated addition in these stories didn't pique my interest much.

While the stories are generally entertaining, the women-equality themes in "Dragonfly" overshadowed the rest of the narrative. Additionally, most of the material presented in it had already been covered, and perhaps even better, in the fourth Earthsea novel, Tehanu.

Re-read to celebrate my 500th review on my blog. Here it is:

Today, I am filled with a sense of accomplishment as I reach the milestone of my 500th review on my blog. It's a journey that has been filled with countless hours of reading, analyzing, and sharing my thoughts with you all.

The link I want to share with you today is https://reiszwolf.wordpress.com/2020/.... This particular review holds a special place in my heart as it is about a novella that I have truly enjoyed.

I encourage you to click on the link and explore the review. Maybe it will introduce you to a new book or inspire you to re-read one of your favorites. Let's continue this literary adventure together!

  Before bright Éa was, before Segoy
bade the islands be,
the wind of dawn blew on the sea.

8/10

Ursula Le Guin returns to the classic fantasy series a decade after the publication of the last novel, Tehanu. At that time, she thought she had reached the end of her character's tales. But after being asked to write more stories, she decided to explore her fantastical world from its past to its present time. In Tales from Earthsea, the fifth book of the Earthsea Cycle, she delves into the Archives of Earthsea. The book contains five stories and an essay, taking us on a journey through the lives of warlords, kings, dragons, wizards, witches, and gifted children. It also explores themes of history and knowledge, love and sacrifice, and magic and change. The collection is a magical treasure trove.



The Finder


Set 300 years before the novels, this story takes us to a dark and troubled time. The Book of the Dark tells of a time when warlords ruled through slavery, wizards sold their skills, and all magic was considered black. Otter, born to a boatwright and a farm woman, has learned to hide his gift of magic. But when his destiny leads him back to his homeland, he finds himself in a hunt for his life. A wicked wizard wants to catch him and use him for his evil ends. Otter must find a way to escape and return to the world of the living.



Darkrose and Diamond


Diamond, the son of a rich merchant, has a love for music. But his manifestation of a talent for magic brings him close to the witch's daughter, Rose. Their relationship is put to the test when Diamond's father sends him away. Will they be able to overcome the obstacles and stay together? This story is a beautiful exploration of love and sacrifice.



The Bones of the Earth


Dulse, an old wizard, lives in the mountains of Gont. When a strange event occurs on the island, he must use his knowledge and skills to stop it. This short story tells the story of Ogion's teacher and how Ogion gained his reputation. It shows the impact of magic, whether used for good or evil purposes.



On the High Marsh


Irioth, a traveller, arrives in the village of High Marsh on the island of Semel. His strange talent with the cattle makes him the main topic of discussion among the villagers. When another traveller comes looking for him and offers him a second chance, Irioth must make a decision that could change his life forever. This story explores themes of pride, greed, guilt, and redemption.



Dragonfly


Dragonfly, the heiress of Iria, grows up from her father's housekeeper. She has a deep desire to discover who she is and travels to Roke to learn from the wizards. But her presence in the Great House stirs up trouble, and she finds herself in the midst of a dispute. Can she find a way to resolve it and discover her true self? This story takes place a few years after the end of Tehanu and bridges the fourth novel with the next one, The Other Wind.



A Description of Earthsea


This essay chronicles the history of Earthsea, including its peoples, lands, creatures, languages, cultures, and magic. It provides a brief overview of the Beginning, the Years of the Kings, the Dark Time, and the Founding of Roke. It is a valuable addition to the collection, enriching our understanding of the world of Earthsea.


In conclusion, Tales from Earthsea is a wonderful addition to the Earthsea Cycle. Ursula Le Guin has once again created a magical world full of adventure, mystery, and wonder. The stories and the essay provide new insights into the history and culture of Earthsea, while also preparing us for the final end of the series.

Well, I truly enjoyed these short stories.

They were quite good and offered me a bit more in-depth detail about the world and the characters that dwell within it.

It was fascinating to read about the backstories of certain events.

However, I must admit that I wasn't as fully invested in them as I had hoped.

It wasn't that the stories were bad at all. On the contrary, they were well-written.

Rather, I simply found myself not caring too deeply about the characters.

Although the tales themselves had their merits, the lack of a strong emotional connection to the characters prevented me from being completely engaged.

I'm not going to review each short story individually. Instead, what I will say is that I really like Earthsea as a world.

Overall, I would rate this collection a 6/10.

It had its strengths, such as the interesting world-building and well-written stories, but the lack of character investment held it back a bit for me.

Nevertheless, I look forward to exploring more of the Earthsea universe in the future.

Ursula Le Guin is an outstanding writer, and the 'Earthsea' series of books is truly worthy of being read.

I'm not the typical audience for fantasy or sci-fi, but I do have a deep appreciation and great admiration for the quality of Le Guin's writing.

These short stories, set at different times throughout the history of her fictional world, often refer to an event that is only briefly mentioned in the other books.

We also encounter some of the characters from the five main books in these tales.

It even includes the story 'Dragonfly', which serves as a bridge between 'Tehanu' (the 4th book) and 'The Other Wind' (the 6th book).

I read 'Tales of Earthsea' as my conclusion, and I can't say that I had any real difficulty with 'The Other Wind' because of this.

Although I still believe that the original three books are the best, the entire series is most definitely worth reading.

It offers a rich and immersive world, filled with complex characters and thought-provoking themes.

Le Guin's writing style is engaging and accessible, making it suitable for both fans of the genre and those who are new to it.

Whether you're looking for adventure, mystery, or simply a good story, the 'Earthsea' series has something to offer.

So, if you haven't already, I highly recommend giving it a try.

I read this collection with great pleasure and tenderness. It's quite a contrast to The Farthest Shore, which was a real letdown. Ursula's return to this world she created is truly wonderful. She keeps doing the work of repairing and evolving it. What seemed fixed and conservative in A Wizard of Earthsea, like misogyny and certain ways of ruling, studying, and teaching, now, with a shifting perspective, are revealed as means to accrue power and control, and to oppress. The world is now so much more complicated and nuanced, although I didn't enjoy the ending of 'The World of Earthsea' as much as it felt a bit dull. The last tale gives hope that balance will be sought again, as 300 years of men holding all the power and fighting over it is just too much.

However, it's a bit annoying that most of these stories once again have male protagonists. Even though the prose is lovely and we get glimpses into the women and the nuances of gender and sexism in the world, I often wanted to see things from the women's perspective. In the history at the end, it's interesting that the only mention of non-hetero relationships is about some magical women pledging 'witch-troth' with each other. Earthsea seems a bit too straight for my taste!
The Finder, the origin story of the Roke school through Otter's eyes, was interesting, but I really wished I could have been in Ember's perspective all along. Darkrose and Diamond was cute, with Diamond's dilemma of choosing between being an Earthsea capitalist like his father, a Roke intellectual for more status, or following his bliss. But I found Darkrose more intriguing. The Bones of the Earth had a great atmosphere, but it felt a bit forgettable for me. On the High Marsh felt like a re-tread of the story in Tehanu, but Ursula's afterword about how the presence of animals decenters humans in our stories was lovely and true. Dragonfly was my favorite of the collection. It was most connected to Tehanu in spirit and had a woman protagonist. Dragonfly was a joy to follow, and there was more reckoning with the sexism of the Roke school and tension in her relationship with Ivory. I loved how the other stories set a foundation for this one, adding so much nuance to the previous books, the world, and the magic. I'm really excited for The Other Wind!

Tales from Earthsea is the fifth volume of Ursula K. Le Guin's Earthsea cycle, also known in French as the Terremer cycle.

After four novels, this volume has the particularity of being a collection of short stories. It was published in 2001 and contains five stories: three unpublished at the time of the collection's publication, and two that had already been published in 1998 and 1999. From the preface, Ursula K. Le Guin presents her intention: to fill in some "gaps" in her universe to link Tehanu, the fourth volume, and The Other Wind, the last novel of the cycle, which was not yet published at that time. The author thus explores periods and geographical spaces not yet explored in the first four volumes and takes the opportunity to explain some elements mentioned but never made explicit in the previous novels.

The five stories that make up the collection are:

- The Finder, which features a young mage who participated in the founding of the School of Magic on the island of Roke.

- Darkrose and Diamond, about a thwarted love story between the daughter of a witch and the son of a rich merchant.

- The Bones of Earth, which allows us to discover the youth of Ogion, Ged's mentor, especially during the famous earthquake episode that made him famous.

- On the High Marsh, about a mysterious sorcerer taking refuge in a village where the livestock is struck by a terrible epidemic.

- Dragonfly, which truly links Tehanu and the last novel of the cycle.

As often with short story collections, the reading pleasure can vary from one story to another, but overall I really liked these, perhaps with a special mention for The Finder, a long story that tells us more about the history of magic and the School of Roke.

The book ends with a chapter where the author more or less presents her "bible" of the Earthsea universe, as she details the populations, the languages, and especially the myths and the history of her universe. We learn a little more about the dragons and the link they have with humans, a link that we have suspected since the previous volume will be important for the sequel.

Now all that remains for me is to dive into The Other Wind, the last volume of the cycle. I'll talk to you about it very soon!