Ursula K LeGuin - Other Wind, The (Earthsea Book 5) - 6

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Darb
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Ursula K LeGuin - Other Wind, The (Earthsea Book 5) - 6

Post by Darb »

Other Wind, The /A Wizard Of Earthsea /5

Although I'm a big fan of the first three books of the Earthsea series, I think that this latest book (as was the case with Tehanu), was both overrated and underwhelming. It weighed in at just over 200 pages, which is somewhat anemic, and the book plods along at a slow pace ... and is unfortunately somewhat dreary and predictable.

IMHO, this series should have remained the trilogy that the author first envisioned it as ... books 4 and 5 are just anemic tack-on stories that lack the magesty and wonder of the original three books. There's neither wonder, nor savor, in these latest offerings. I found book 5 to be somewhat more satisfying than book 4, but that's not saying much, because I didn't really care for book 4.

Kudos to the authoress for typing up a philosophical loose end ...
Spoiler: show
... regarding the concept of death and afterlife in her world ...
... but she could, and should, have covered the same material by combining books 4&5, pulling a plot comb through it, and getting the combined book down to 300 pages.

Enjoyability = 6

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Last edited by Darb on Thu Sep 08, 2005 2:14 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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wolfspirit
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Post by wolfspirit »

I'm rather glad I didn't buy this one then. Tales was good, as they were shorter, expolratory stories in the history of Earthsea, and didn't touch the main plot line at all (most were great short stories to be read without any understanding of the series).

LeGuin suffers from "Robert Jordan Syndrome" with her series', with too many books with not enough going on at times. Or else she is like McCaffrey, extending series beyond their normal conculsion.

wolfspirit
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Evaine
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Post by Evaine »

At least Ursula le Guin's follow ups aren't an inch and a half thick, like Robert Jordan's.
(and I wouldn't agree with Tehanu being anaemic, considering what happens to the child).
when the floppy-eared Spaniel of Luck sniffs at your turn-ups it helps if you have a collar and piece of string in your pocket.
Terry Pratchett on taking opportunities in writing.
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Darb
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Post by Darb »

I wouldn't agree with Tehanu being anaemic, considering what happens to the child
What happened to the child is not anemic per se ... but then again, that one plot element is basically the only thing that really happens in all of book 4 - the rest is mostly filler, IMNSHO.

If she'd used the same tight, terse prose she'd used for books 1-3, she could *easily* have covered all the material of books 4&5 in one book, rather than two.

- $0.02
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