The Farthest Shore

Ursula Le Guin

1973

By now, Ged is an old man, and Archmage in the House of Wizardry on Roke. Things look good on the surface: the Rune of Peace had been restored to the Archipelago and people should have been getting on together. But the heir to the princedom of Enlad brought serious news to the Archmage: the spring rites could not be completed for those responsible for Chanting the songs claimed they had forgotten the meanings of the words.

As the Masters of Roke discussed their options, they found that whole reaches of the Archipelago were hidden to their Seeking. Ged decided that he's had enough of sitting around behind the walls and wards of Roke and he would go out to investigate personally what was going on.

As Ged and Arren of Enlad made their way through the islands of the Archipelago, they found that the rot had gone deep. Even the Raft People, who only came ashore once a year, and who felt this was none of their business found that the Long Dance failed them but it was the silencing of the dragons that most cruelly wrenched at Ged. Like dumb beasts they were as Lookfar sailed the Dragon Run to far Selidor to find what horror was leaching the magic from the World.

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All three books are also available as part of The Earthsea Quartet.

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