The Other Wind

, #6

Hardcover, 246 pages

English language

Published Jan. 12, 2001 by Harcourt.

ISBN:
978-0-15-100684-7
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OCLC Number:
46777444

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(1 review)

The final book in the Earthsea Cycle.

The sorcerer Alder fears sleep. The dead are pulling him to them at night. Through him they may free themselves and invade Earthsea. Alder seeks advice from Ged, once Archmage. Ged tells him to go to Tenar, Tehanu, and the young king at Havnor. They are joined by amber-eyed Irian, a fierce dragon able to assume the shape of a woman. The threat can be confronted only in the Immanent Grove on Roke, the holiest place in the world, and there the king, hero, sage, wizard, and dragon make a last stand.

18 editions

A fine ending to a remarkable series

LeGuin's final book of Earthsea does all that I could hope. It answers all of the big questions that were left hanging in previous stories, while also ending in a way that allows the imagination to posit many divergent futures for Earthsea.

I love how Le Guin managed to introduce new protagonists in most of the books of this series, while also managing to keep the previous protagonists involved and relevant.The way that Earthsea grew and changed as the series progressed—especially the increasing presence and significance or female characters, and the questioning and complicating of the wizards of Roke—really made continuing the series feel worthwhile to me.

I thought that the crisis of this book, and its resolution, were perfect. For me, this is one of the most satisfying series closers that I've ever read.