Ursula Le Guin 2

I thought I’d get round to commenting on Ursula LeGuin’s other three books in the Earthsea series. For years no one thought that there would be any more. The Farthest Shore seemed to end the way you’d expect a ‘final book’ in a series would end. No particular loose ends left.

Still, many years later suddenly there was another book in the series – Tehanu. That time around, it was supposed to be the very last book in the series. In this book, as I mentioned before, the question of the women’s position in Earthsea society is addressed in more detail.

Tenar from The Tombs of Atuan appears in this book again. Now she’s older and as a widow she’s more or less invisible. She is thrown out of her house by her son who returns unexpectedly after many years of absence at sea. An old wizard has left her his house so she moves there to live on her own.

She’s learned from this wizard so she’s quite a good healer and one day she’s called out to see to a little girl who’s been badly burnt. It turns out she’s also been sexually assaulted and abandoned by her family. Actually, the men who assaulted her seem to have been members of her family, but really, her origins are quite different.

Tehanu – the little girl – survives and stays with Tenar, but is very shy and quiet.

I realize that I don’t remember the whole story very well. It’s been a while since I last read it. I do know that Tenar is cursed and so is Ged, who comes to live with her, after he’s lost his powers. Unfortunately, that means he can’t help Tenar.

Help comes from an unexpected source. In the end, Tenar and Ged learn about Tehanu’s true nature.

The next book – Tales from Earthsea – is a collection of stories, as the name implies. One story is longer than the others and it’s about a girl who wants to break the male monopoly for studies in magic. She’s not allowed to, but by then, everything in the world seems to have changed drastically. You get the impression more is to come. A major revolution.

That’s what you get in the very last book – The Other Wind. There you get an explanation of where the dragons went – though there were at least some when Ged became a Dragon Master, meaning someone the dragons will talk to.

As I mentioned before, Ged’s culture is based on magic – other cultures may be too, in Earthsea, but theirs is special in one important way. It’s connected to their gruesome afterlife. A long time ago, a pact was made, but now that isn’t working anymore. Besides, who would want to face that sort of afterlife?

I’m not going to get into many details about this book. Read it yourself. What I can tell you is that this one is even darker and more ‘grownup’ than the other books put together, with the exception of Tehanu. I can’t imagine reading that at the age of 11 or so. Six-year-old girls raped because they’re different… It’s the stuff that nightmares are made of, and this book is pretty nightmarish too.

Like I mentioned before, even Ged is afraid of the afterlife. This time, he doesn’t have any hopes of getting out alive or even with his soul intact.

I can tell you that I hate books with unhappy endings and I can recommend this book, so draw your own conclusions. 🙂

Normally, when a series gets to be long – more than three or four books – I tend to be very suspicious. Fortunately, my fears were not realized. I definitely don’t regret reading this series of books, and I know I will keep re-reading it over the years. Anyone who likes well written fantasy should be able to appreciate the Earthsea series.

Just a word of warning. As I’ve mentioned a few times, some of the books are really dark and tragic. Despite that, I wouldn’t say they’re depressing.

I couldn’t stop reading, because I cared so much about Ged and Tenar and Tehanu and wanted to know what happened to them. Ursula LeGuin can be very happy about her achievement. I know I would be if it had been me. If you haven’t read these books yet, you have something to look forward to. Go on. I envy you. 🙂