Until now I’ve only read Le Guin’s science fiction work, and have wanted to give her fantasy series Earthsea a try for a while.

I really enjoyed this first installment. The societies that the protagonist ventures through felt lived-in in a way that feels missing from some other high fantasy like the Lord of the Rings.

The way that magic and the sorcerers and witches who perform it are weaved into the world was really well done. “Sorcerer” is a vocation like any other, although one that’s highly valued in many places. Sorcerers and witches often fill in the role of high technology, whether that’s powered vehicles or medicine.

The magic system itself felt like it had its own internal logic, But enough mystery was left for there to be places for Le Guin to fill in the blanks in future novels without backing herself in a corner.

Beyond the top-level genre, A Wizard of Earthsea is a coming of age story, which are always enjoyable in their own way. Even if the “twist” was a bit predictable, the worldbuilding was top-notch, and I’m excited to pick up the second book in the series!