A Wizard of Earthsea: A Graphic Novel

Gr 8 Up–The world of Earthsea has been widely known since Le Guin’s original publication in 1968 and paved the way for non-Tolkienian fantasy novels for decades. Fordham’s artistic vision will bring in a new generation of fans with vivid colors, dialogue-driven pages, and fast pacing. The watercolor art style gives the world a dreamlike quality, which serves to let the reader fill in some parts with their own imagination, as Le Guin originally intended in the novel. The art is rich and the bits of exposition and descriptions that Fordham has turned into textless panels let the settings sing. Justly, this adaptation portrays Ged as his proper age and with copper skin to match Le Guin’s character description from the novels, which have been obscured in other illustrative interpretations and film adaptations. The quick, light pace will keep readers turning pages, though no number of beautiful illustrations can replace Le Guin’s stunning prose. It is especially absent in the climactic scene, which ends up feeling rushed in this version. However, this is an otherwise faithful adaptation, and the interpretation of the characters, towns, and magic make this definitely worth adding to any graphic novel collection.