by Ursula K Le Guin (Author)
Scattered among poor, desolate farms, the clans of the Uplands possess gifts. Wondrous gifts: the ability--with a glance, a gesture, a word--to summon animals, bring forth fire, move the land. Fearsome gifts: They can twist a limb, chain a mind, inflict a wasting illness. The Uplanders live in constant fear that one family might unleash its gift against another. Two young people, friends since childhood, decide not to use their gifts. One, a girl, refuses to bring animals to their death in the hunt. The other, a boy, wears a blindfold lest his eyes and his anger kill. In this beautifully crafted story, Ursula K. Le Guin writes of the proud cruelty of power, of how hard it is to grow up, and of how much harder still it is to find, in the world's darkness, gifts of light. Includes a reader's guide and a sample chapter from the companion title Voices.
Format: Paperback
Pages: 286
Edition: Reprint
Publisher: Wadsworth Publishing Co Inc
Published: Apr 2006
ISBN 10: 0152051244
ISBN 13: 9780152051242
Intriguing as a coming-of-age allegory . . . rich in the earthy magic and intelligent plot twists that made the Earthsea novels classics. --Booklist (starred review)
Science-fiction icon Le Guin probes the natures of fear, power, and love in this darkly beautiful, quietly provocative novel. --Family Fun
Fantasy, artfully spun by an American master. --Parade
One can recommend this book without hesitation to teens looking for a great fantasy read that does not follow the standard quest format. --VOYA