The Books of Earthsea
The Complete Illustrated Edition
All six Earthsea books in one illustrated volume: A Wizard of Earthsea, The Tombs of Atuan, The Farthest Shore, Tehanu, Tales from Earthsea and The Other Wind. Le Guin’s archipelago runs on true names and on the cost of using power, and the later books go back and argue with the earlier ones about who was left out of them. Illustrated by Charles Vess, with Le Guin’s own introductions and afterwords.
Recommended by 1 Person
Christopher Paolini
The setting is unique. It’s a world where the land masses are split up into all these tiny islands and archipelagos, and there are various interesting societies and magics throughout. It strikes hard. I’ve heard from a couple of modern readers that they had difficulty with the narration at first, until they understood what Le Guin was doing. But it is absolutely worth sticking with it, and I love it dearly.
Interview · January 2026
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