The Farthest Shore

Earthsea, Book 3

By: Ursula K. Le Guin

Narrated by: Kobna Holdbrook-Smith

Length: 8 hrs and 9 mins

Publisher's Summary

The third book of Earthsea in a beautiful hardback edition. Complete the collection with A Wizard of Earthsea, The Tombs of Atuan and Tehanu.

Darkness threatens to overtake Earthsea: the world and its wizards are losing their magic. Despite being wearied with age, Ged Sparrowhawk - Archmage, wizard, and dragonlord - embarks on a daring, treacherous journey, accompanied by Enlad's young Prince Arren, to discover the reasons behind this devastating pattern of loss. Together they will sail to the farthest reaches of their world - even beyond the realm of death - as they seek to restore magic to a land desperately thirsty for it.

©2019 Ursula K. Le Guin (P)2019 Orion Publishing Group

Critic Reviews

"[This] trilogy made me look at the world in a new way, imbued everything with a magic that was so much deeper than the magic I'd encountered before then. This was a magic of words, a magic of true speaking." (Neil Gaiman)

"Drink this magic up. Drown in it. Dream it." (David Mitchell) 

One of the greatest Fantasy Stories written.

Fantasy lovers must have read/listened to this book series. A typical heroic story of a wizard from young and naive to wise and powerful.

Great how here the series takes a different perspective and tells the story of another character who takes an enormously important role in the Earthsea chronicles

Highly recommend this version, the narrator gives the story a wonderful sparkle and interpretation.

Prose, plot and powerful performance

Le Guin was an artist who wrote 📚- If you just want a simple story told with just enough skill to mystify you without overwhelming the fantasy palate with unnecessary elements, Le Guin's first three Earthsea book is for you. Especially The Farthest Shore, which is more "mature" than the first two and enriched with gorgeous passages. Her style is brilliant. The Narrator KHS was a bit too whispery for the Archmage at times, which is not so bad as to send it back but buyer beware, you might turn it up to hear Ged only to cringe at Aaron's childish voice. Narrator could improve in terms of dynamics but he has an awesome voice perfect for storytelling 👏🏻

Keeps getting better!

Earthsea must of been the inspiration for so many other books. I thought I'd skipped a book at first as it starts off with new characters and I couldn't see how it follows on from the last book. Before long the story falls into place leaving me thinking "Arr I see what's happening now" can't wait to listen to book 4

A Classic superbly read.

A Classic superbly read. There is really no need to say anything more is there?

A masterpiece.

A different calibre of writing.... trounces contemporary writing. Philosophy, humanity, darkness, magic. Narrator did an amazing job too!

Beautiful

Can only describe this book as beautiful. A true classic, with a performance to match

too many explanations

too many explanations they keep going on and on. it didn't need it. maybe in the 60s but not in the 21st century not really loved it but dit like it. I noticed where R.R. Martin got his ideas. there seems to be a sort of rolling on of ideas from Lord of the Rings ,Earthsea and then Game of thrones

Simply beautiful

A wonderful story, perfectly read by Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, who captures Sparrowhawk's wisdom and humility, making equal parts mystical and relatable, as he should be.

Great story

Brilliant story and fitting culmination of the earthsea cycle.
Narration is OK, some of the accent and voice choices are utterly horrendous and ruined sections of the book. Really bizarre that no one stopped him at the time.

Awesome

A fabulous reading of this marvellous story, a real childhood favourite. highly recommend this reader.

May be the best in the series

Ged, now middle-aged, well-travelled and well-renowned, accompanies the the young prince Arran on a quest to investigate a dark brooding force that is engulfing the world. Through rich dialogue, Ged acts as a philosophical guide both to Arran and the reader. Thoughts are on responsibility/duty, the limited nature of life and balance. The Farthest Shore may be the best in the series so far. From the first book to the second there was a real shift in style; that is from lonely venturing across numerous locations to a geographically constrained plot with a focus on world building. We're back to that original style but The Farthest Shore is more mature and feels like a more complete and more traditional fantasy tale. Despite the style shift, some worldbuilding does take place. We're introduced to an intriguing people 'The Children of the Open Sea', a sea-dwelling culture the likes of which hasn't really been explored before in the genre. Moreover, dragons feature quite heavily and not just in passing but as individual characters. It has to be said that Ursula K. Le Guin really knew how to write a solid ending and it's no different here. It's atmospheric, symbolic, contemplative and complete.

Kobna is amazing

The story is awesome, as to be expected from le Guin but Kobna is the real star - I wish he narrated all of the Earthsea series, go team holdbrook- smith.