All six parts of the BBC's radio dramatisation of Ursula Le Guin's first three Earthsea books are available here, though I don't know for how much longer. Hopefully access won't be restricted to those in the UK.
Between seven and fifteen days, depending on the date of broadcast, according to the webpages. Thanks for reminding me - I heard the first couple and then didn't have time to keep up as the election drew near...
I've just finished listening to the sixth and final part. I thought that the whole thing was beautifully done. Only "The Tombs of Atuan" seemed not to be quite as exciting as it should, though I'm not sure why.
Coincidentally, I had an Earthsea marathon yesterday - I listened to the first two again, and then the rest. I thought the initial episodes were the most successful, when they used the conversation between Ged and Tenar as they travelled to the sea to contrast their early lives, and the last two the least successful, as Tenar didn't have much to do except bookend Ged's narrative. But then I never was particularly fond of The Farthest Shore. I was rather sorry they didn't go on to Tehanu (except to extract Ged's return to Gont), as that would have brought the two lead characters together again.
The first book is the one I know best, but I think Atuan had the most impact on me when I first read them, and perhaps the one disadvantage of twining the two storylines was that we didn't experience the claustrophobic build-up in which I was so immersed forty-odd years ago.
Atuan is my own favourite. I seem to have a thing for stories set underground, which possibly would be of interest to a psychiatrist though I don't myself know what it denotes. And I fell in love with Tenar.
I also liked Tehanu, though many seem not to have. I enjoyed the fifth (and probably final) novel too: The Other Wind. It's a pity they couldn't have done all five books (and maybe even the collection of short stories), though that would have made it a much bigger undertaking.
The Farthest Shore was never my favourite either but, in contrast to you, I thought they did it particularly well.
One thing that has always impressed me about the books is that much of what the mature Ged says seems genuinely wise. That must be difficult to do, as I don't think that either Tolkien or Rowling quite pulled it off. Gandalf and Dumbledore come across as very clever and very powerful, certainly, but for me they don't quite have the same aura of wisdom.
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The first book is the one I know best, but I think Atuan had the most impact on me when I first read them, and perhaps the one disadvantage of twining the two storylines was that we didn't experience the claustrophobic build-up in which I was so immersed forty-odd years ago.
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I also liked Tehanu, though many seem not to have. I enjoyed the fifth (and probably final) novel too: The Other Wind. It's a pity they couldn't have done all five books (and maybe even the collection of short stories), though that would have made it a much bigger undertaking.
The Farthest Shore was never my favourite either but, in contrast to you, I thought they did it particularly well.
One thing that has always impressed me about the books is that much of what the mature Ged says seems genuinely wise. That must be difficult to do, as I don't think that either Tolkien or Rowling quite pulled it off. Gandalf and Dumbledore come across as very clever and very powerful, certainly, but for me they don't quite have the same aura of wisdom.
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