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	Ursula K Le Guin Earthsea Stories Stories of the Ekumen Other Stories Further Info Ursula's website A Message About Messages


	Earthsea Stories About Earthsea A Wizard Of Earthsea The Tombs Of Atuan The Farthest Shore Tehanu Tales From Earthsea The Other Wind About Earthsea These are without a doubt my favourite reads ever. The world and peoples that Ursula has created are wonderful. If you've never read fantasy before, then have an open mind and allow the stories to tell themselves. They are quite wonderful. Although written as children's books, the Earthsea stories have great depth to them, and are worth reading no matter what your age. If you read the original Earthsea stories as a child, read them again as an adult. And then follow them up with "Tehanu", "Tales Of Earthsea" and "The Other Wind". If you didn't read them as a child then it's never too late to begin - check your local library. And have an open mind - dragons do exist! A Wizard Of Earthsea One of the greatest fantasy stories ever written, and Ursula is the greatest writer that i have ever read. I don't think i'll ever get fed up reading this book (3 times now). A Wizard Of Earthsea begins the story of Sparrowhawk, Earthsea's greatest ever wizard. The Tombs Of Atuan The second book in the Earthsea stories, and for me, the best. Our hero, Sparrowhawk having been given one half of the Ring of Erreth-Akbe in the first book now goes in search of the other half - in the dark Tombs of Atuan. Scared of the dark? The Farthest Shore The third book in the Earthsea stories. Originally the last book in what became the Earthsea Trilogy, but Ursula later wrote "Tehanu", and it then became the Earthsea Quartet. Sparrowhawk is now the Archmage of Earthsea, but all the magic is disappearing from the world. Can he seal the breech? Tehanu The fourth book in the Earthsea stories. Another great book in the series. This was written many years after the trilogy above and became the last book in the Earthsea Quartet. But years after this Ursula wrote a few more Earthsea stories. Tales From Earthsea Not only does this book contain 5 more Earthsea stories, but also a description of Earthsea. It certainly fills in a few missing pieces of the Earthsea jigsaw. The last of the short stories is "Dragonfly", which covers the gap between Tehanu and the next Earthsea novel "The Other Wind". So it's well worth a read before moving onto that. The Other Wind Probably the last book in the Earthsea saga. Though i hope not. Finally, we get to know what it's all been about. I think there's some great metaphors and messages in the Earthsea books - especially about death and dying, and our acceptance or non acceptance of it. Our modern society and religions teach people to cling to life, to fight against death as though there were something to be won. The folly of fools! Only when you learn to die, will you learn to live. That for me is the main message behind the Earthsea stories.


	Stories of the Ekumen About the Ekumen Rocannon's World Planet of Exile City of Illusions The Left Hand Of Darkness The Dispossessed Four Ways To Forgiveness Birthday of the World & Other Stories About the Ekumen These stories are probably what Ursula is most famous for. The planet Hain is home to the Ekumen. A group of "Historians" who travel between the planets colonised by humans over millions of years. Rocannon's World The story that introduces us to the Ekumen or The League and what they're about. Rocannon is a League Mobile who comes to the planet Fomalhaut II and is stranded alone when The League's enemy destroy his ship and his coleagues. The enemy is also attacking the native peoples, and Rocannon sets out with a small band of the locals to find and destroy them. A great little adventure and a great intro into the Ekumen. Planet of Exile A whole group of League people have exiled themselves on a far flung planet. Also on the planet are other humans who view the outsiders with hostility and suspicion even when their own existence is threatened. A wonderful story of two completely different societies coming together in order to survive, and learning to live together and help each other. City of Illusions I think this maybe the only story of Ursula's written about Earth, albeit the Earth of a long distant future. A man with cat like eyes and an empty mind emerges from deep forest into the clearing of Zove's house. The people there decide to take him in and teach him as they would a child and he's given the name Falk. Eventually, after 6 years, Zove sends Falk on his way to find out who he really is and to meet his destiny. A wonderful story, where the reader is taken along on Falk's journey, not really knowing what is real and what isn't, who to trust and who not to. The Left Hand Of Darkness Genly Ai is the mobile sent to see if the Gethenians wish to join the Ekumen. The world of Gethen, known to the Ekumen simply as Winter, is in the grip of an ice age. The Gethenians themselves are androgenes who only show sex at the height of their sexual cycle known as Kemmer. This is an interesting look at how society could be if we were all in the same boat, sex wise, and therefore gives one a new perspective when considering our own dual sex societies. It's also a great story, thought provoking, beautifully written and, as usual with Ursula's books, well worth reading. The Dispossessed A wonderful look at what it must be like to be an anarchist in a so called anarchist society. As usual with Ursula, a great story with plenty of food for thought. Four Ways To Forgiveness Ursula at her best in this collection of four intertwined short stories about freedom and forgiveness. Birthday of the World & Other Stories 8 short stories, 6 of which are from various worlds of the Ekumen. As always, thought provoking and beautiful stuff!


	Other Stories Not all of Ursula's stories are about Earthsea or the Ekumen... Gifts Voices Gifts Although mainly renowned for her sci-fi writing, Ursula is just as brilliant with the fantasy genre as anyone who has read the Earthsea books will know. The Upland Clans each have a gift, a magical gift. This is a story about two children who refuse to, or can't, use theirs as their Clan's would have them use it. Ok, it's a children's book, just like the Earthsea ones were, but that doesn't mean they aren't good reading. Books written in simple language can be much more magical as the reader doesn't have to keep thinking about the words - which makes fantasy stories all the better if they're written like this. Voices I'm kinda of the thought that this book would be better read before Gifts. Although it's set after Gifts i would be more inclined to point people to read this book first and then catch up with what happened before afterwards. Voices is a great book, and if you're going to read only one of this series, please read this one!