As usual some good storytelling in this one – the heroes journey is mapped out, there are some compelling characters introduced, and a lot more involving dragons. Nice!
Something was missing here for me – after the delicious lonesomeness of the previous book’s setting and main character, this one felt sort of like a shadow of Lord of the Rings. At the very beginning I felt like the author had telegraphed the whole story – there aren’t any twists along the way.
A lot of the story goes into the development of a new character, and it seemed rushed, oversimplified (and a little preachy). Maybe this book is targeted at younger readers, but I felt like after the second book that it was leaning towards a more mature audience.
One highlight for me was the interlude of the character’s stay with the people living on the open ocean. I would have loved a book concentrated on their migratory story and how they lived their lives in isolation from the rest of Earthsea.
This book is not the end of the series, but I feel like it is a good place for me to stop reading. I’m not saying I’ll never continue it, but I feel like my curiosity has been satisfied.
The next book that I am reading is called My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante.
