![]() ![]() There are some very dark themes in this book, having to do with the acceptance of death, that didn't resonate with me. The book is dark, the characters fairly two dimensional, the antagonist vague and non-menacing, and the pace rather plodding until the very end. I'm surprised to say that I did not really enjoy this volume of Earthsea. Taken altogether, I rate 'The Farthest Shore' 9.5 stars out of 10.Įarthsea, minus the charm of the first two volumes Although reading the other books in the series might help enrich the experience, this entry also has significant standalone merit (you don’t absolutely need to read the other books to enjoy this one). The writing from Ursula LeGuin is beautiful, the performance from Rob Inglis is peerless, and the attention to quality standards is meticulous (it's comfortable to listen to this audiobook for hours on end). This is the strongest of the Earthsea cycle so far. Inglis is correctly celebrated as one of the best narrators in the business. ![]() I sped the recording to 1.10X to good effect. His pacing is a little slow, but it's not an overwhelming problem. Furthermore, Inglis' voice-acting skills are particularly notable in this book - every one of dozens of characters is instantly recognizable and brought to life. His tone, timbre, and cadence are incredible and his resonant voice makes the listener feel as though a favorite uncle is reading a bedtime story. Based on the subject matter, this book is clearly aimed at a teenaged audience, but regardless of where you're coming from, this qualifies as legitimate "Literature". LeGuin paces that plot nicely, displays unsurpassed imagination, and is a genuine wordsmith - not a single word is misplaced. Some well-loved aspects of the first two books are preserved (incorporating a rich Fantasy setting - islands and archipelagos populated with unique cultures, dragons, gods & evil forces and a "coming-of-age" paradigm - exploring the maturing of a young character struggling with responsibilities), but this book also offers a simple, classic plot: find the source of evil and stop it. This episode in the 'Original' Earthsea Trilogy follows a more conventional quest format: Sparrowhawk enlists the young Prince Arren on a mission to discover why magic, wisdom, and empathy are leaving the world. ![]()
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