Author: Ursula Le Guin
Score: 8/10
Year: 1979* (trilogy first published in 1979 but the parts comprised in it are from 1968, 71 & 74)
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN 0140050930
Pages : 478 (this review for pages 301-477 The farthest shore)
The farthest shore sees Ged/Sparrowhawk take up Arren, 17 year old, prince of Enland, as a companion on the most perilous journey, to the farthest shore, the farthest isle of Earthsea.
As the author took another 18 years to release a fourth book, at this point in time, The farthest shore closed then-known Earthsea trilogy.
The story is set a few decades after the Tombs of Atuan's events ; this third part of the series has a much more flourished composition than the previous, but somewhat lesser than the first part.
Once more, there are a lot of philosophical and existential subjects, continuing the threads set in the previous instalments, pertaining to death of the body and of the person's, through identity crisis and moulding, shaping and growing in the face of adversity.
I really love Le Guin's characterisation of Ged/Sparrowhawk as a very different kind of hero - not in the usual brutality than most male characters get, but in a calm approach to his destiny, in a mix of certainties and doubts ; and though he is a very complex person, he yearns for the simplicity of living in his childhood, birth mountains, surrounded by nature - instead of his current job of Archmage.
Ged's companion is a prince, and for once, doesn't have to study wizardry, nor is he any other kind of apprentice. Instead, he has to learn Life, and to overcome fears. Much like The Hobbits in Tolkien's universe, Arren's lack of wizarding gift sets him in apparent weakness, in the face of all the dangers and magic thrown at him and Ged on their various journeys.
I find that as he learns to let go of his self-doubt, he is driven in the same way as Sam Gamgee toward's Frodo Baggins : that of an absolute friendship and companionship, positively challenged in their individual and common paths, with a beautiful relationship.
Once again, this is a coming-of-age, a Bildungsroman as it is called in literary critic. Ged has matured over this trilogy, coming from his impetuous, unthinking youth where he commits severe mistakes in un-balancing the world, to a more poised and reflective personality.
I like that this third part in the series closes one story-arc for one character, and how the open-end can either be the end, or a new beginning. There are some interesting parallels with A wizard of Earthsea, which had started this series a few years prior, but I'll let you discover how this evolution is concluded.
I found that the descriptions of landscapes and environments were richer in the Farthest Shore, than in the Tombs of Atuan, and loved the journeys took place not underground but a lot of it in the open sea - even more so than the first book. I understand that that Le Guin didn't create a veg-friendly world, so there are some bits that I disliked less, such as homes and tools made from whale bones, and mentioning of whaling in this fantasy-set Earthsea, through some people Ged and his companion meet - but though unpleasant, these are realistic aspects for these particular people, and so I have to accept that through words, no real animals were hurt.
On the other hand, Le Guin does promote Taoism, through the philosophy of Balance in the world, and repeated throughout the series - just as much as the existential subjects.
In contrasts to the other two parts, this one asks "is it really important to know all the words and hold power over things and people, or can we ever relinquish this power, if we had it in the first place?" the answers to these are quite interesting in this novel, where identity and names are lost, due to an unknown threat...
All in all, in order, I loved best book 1, 3 & finally 2. I'll read other books and mark a pause until I can find books 4-6, to discover them much later - thought it won't take 18 years, I hope!
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