Tim's Reviews > The Tombs of Atuan

2/19/21 - I'm editing my review. It may seem odd to edit a review for a book I read over two years ago without a reread, but I've noticed whenever I talk fantasy with my friends, I use this book as an example of perfect world building. It's one of those rare novels that the more I think about it the more perfect it becomes. I have no strong desire to revisit the first or third book, but this one may actually go on my favorites shelf.
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If you read my review of the previous novel, A Wizard of Earthsea, you will know I was not enamored with it. You will note that I did not say it was bad, far from it. I respected the hell out of that book for many of the things it did, but I did not personally care much for it. I went ahead and read the second book because I felt like, to a certain extent, I must be missing something. I think it is no exaggeration to say that Earthsea is one of the most loved Fantasy series, having clearly inspired many works and having endured strong since the late 60s. What was it that captured imaginations but did no more than gently tap mine? Was it the younger reader aspect? Was this a series that one needed to read at a young age and then let nostalgia keep fresh?

It is at times like this that I actually hate that our star rating is listed before the review, as anyone with a casual glance can say, “Yes Tim, enough with the dramatics, we can see the four (now FIVE) stars. Tell us why you liked this one better.” *Sigh* Star ratings just have no flare for the dramatic.

Yes, I liked this one better. A lot better. Where I respected the first book, I couldn’t say that I found it enjoyable. This one I can say both. This one is something of a masterpiece in my eyes. This one corrects literally every issue I had with the last. Here we get to know our characters more personally; we are let into their lives rather than kept at a distance. There is far more development than “I was an arrogant kid and then grew up” (yes, I know that’s a slight exaggeration… but not much of one). Here I actually really cared about what was going on.

The book is short, at only 212 pages in my edition. This works both in its favor and against it. On one hand, the story, if we really get down to it, could be summed up in a few sentences. Really, not much goes on from a plot assessment. In fact, if we only focus on plot, the book could have ended something like 20 pages earlier from a traditional narrative perspective. I will even confess that as I read the last two chapters, I had a metaphoric raised eyebrow wondering why the hell we were getting essentially an extended epilogue. Was this really needed?

Oh, my… yes, yes it was. The first book was a hero’s journey. A lesson learned, darkness vanquished, let’s go home triumphant. This one is almost entirely an internal struggle with a fantasy story happening around it. This is the story of someone who has literally lost everything, including her name, and seeing if she’s willing to lose what little security she has for, not the guarantee, but the mere possibility of something better. This is an emotional story, and one presented in a “young adult” friendly fashion, while letting those of us who are older see the darker side, the story told from the shadows and between the lines. The ending section, in my opinion, is what heightens the entire story aspect and raises it to that minor masterpiece status.

Now, ignoring this, I would still say I liked this book better, even if it didn’t have the emotional impact (though I assure you, I’m so very glad it did). Why? World building. The world of the previous novel was interesting, but with the second book Le Guin cemented herself as one of the best in terms of world building. She expands upon concepts mentioned in the previous book and plays with them in interesting ways. This one takes place on a different island, in a different country and as such we see a completely different perspective. We see the world through other eyes with a vastly altered view from the previous book. The world is built up in so many interesting, but small ways, such as the rituals in the temple performed, but never fully explained, as much of the reasons for them have been lost to time. I complained in my last review that the book seemed almost like a textbook, too distanced, now I almost feel like I would happily read a full history of the world presented here.

And that my friends, is the highest compliment I can give a fantasy novel in terms of world building.

5/5 stars and my highest possible recommendation.