The Tombs of Atuan Audiobook By Ursula K. Le Guin cover art

The Tombs of Atuan

The Earthsea Cycle, Book 2

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The Tombs of Atuan

By: Ursula K. Le Guin
Narrated by: Rob Inglis
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A bold young wizard enters the labyrinth of the sacred Tombs of Atuan to steal the magical ring of Erreth-Akbe. Instead, he finds an unhappy priestess in need of a hero to save her.©1970 Ursula K. Le Guin (P)1994 Recorded Books, LLC Fantasy Witches & Wizards Epic Thought-Provoking

Critic reviews

  • Winner, Newbery Honor, 1972

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Science fiction is a genre as diverse as you can imagine. There are stories that take place in deep space, often depicting teams exploring or running away from something; stories that focus on life at the most cellular level, such as a pandemic tale; and stories that take place in times that feel similar to our own. Depicting themes of existentialism, philosophy, hubris, and personal and historical trauma, sci-fi has a cadre of topics and moods.

Powerful Narrative • Feminist Perspective • Unique Worldbuilding • Philosophical Themes • Rich Voice • Expressive Tone

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It is rich with allusions to Tolkien, Christian theology, and, I think specifically Catholic teaching. I do not know the author’s religion, but this is what I think. It begins darkly and slowly but rewards the reader’s patience with joy and beauty in the end. I first read it as a teenager but had forgotten it completely.

A deeply spiritual tale

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The story centers mainly on one location and the main protagonist along with only a few more persons, but it is well done. Is gives a bit of background to one of the side-stories in book 1. The narrator, Inglis, is great as always.

Simplistic but Well Written Story

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I still love this series of books, written deceptively simply, with such nuggets of character that I can listen and David the excellent narration

I love understated nuance

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I first found this story because I love the reader. I thoroughly enjoyed his reading of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. I found LeGuin’s writing to be similar but without all the added poetry and songs. This series is a delightful adventure. Enjoy entering the land and waters of the Earthsea.

In the vein of Tolkien

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I find Ursula Le Guin's writing style to be so evocative and the world to feel so living. It is a joy to read her classic works and see where fantasy grew out from.

get lost in the writing.

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