Le Guin is a writer of many strengths, and I think the Earthsea books showcase them all wonderfully. But that's only to say that it's simply good, rather than being one of the finest works of fantasy ever published, which is a description I'm fairly comfortable applying to the original trilogy. Despite an interesting and reasonably effective conclusion, this volume feels kind of slight, and I'd say this is the weakest of the novels in the series.

The sixth and final book in Le Guin's Earthsea Cycle. Many different things from among the novels and shorter stories are wrapped up here and there is a sense of finality about it all, a sense that the well travelled road is behind us. A notable lack of woman-bashing in this book makes me wonder all the more what happened with Tehanu (#4).Upon finishing I find 'The Other Wind' to be a satisactory finish to the Earthsea series. Big things afoot but it plays out, at a pretty easygoing pace. The short story/novella collection Tales From Earthsea (#5) had a more balanced way of storytelling, so I had some hopes for The Other Wind.It has turned out to be an enjoyable book - mostly as a return to many prior characters at a much later time in their lives. Tehanu (#4) was a disappointment compared to the first three novels, since Le Guin seemed to go out of her way to make it clear that the men of Earthsea are women abusers, either in manner or physically. With some mild trepidation I started the 6th book in the Earthsea series (5th novel). Still, if you are an Earthsea fan, you have to read this conclusion to the cycle. I did appreciate Tenar's coming to a more positive evaluation of her Kargish home culture and beliefs, but all the way to the point of honoring the dark powers again? It seemed at times that the characters' spiritual development was more an accessory to the author's beliefs that their own story in its own right. I didn't find Tenar and Ged's sudden final belief in reincarnation to be convincing, either. The release of the spirits from the dead seemed to be a take-off of the last volume of Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy. I also felt like it turned into a polemic against the resurrection, which I suppose may be an outgrowth of LeGuin's Taoist convictions, but if it was meant to be targeted against Christianity (I don't honestly know whether or not it is), it's so far off the mark of Christian teaching that it just seems like the proverbial straw man. I thought her early encounter with dragons and Tenar's strong mothering would have helped her seize her own power more meaningfully.

Therru was a disappointment to me maybe realistic, but I was constantly frustrated by her fear and shrinkingness. Tenar, Lebannen, and his bride from the Kargish lands make for a compelling tale of cross-cultural conflict and the odd course of love. There is much I like about this book, and much that I don't.

Ursula k le guin the other wind