The second in the Earthsea cycle by Ursula K. LeGuin is titled The Tombs of Atuan. This is another tale from the island world of Earthsea, which stands alone, but the enjoyment is enhanced if you have read the first book. It takes place several years after A Wizard of Earthsea, and co-stars Ged from the first book.
Tenar is taken from her family as a six year old girl, selected to be renamed Arha and rule as the High Priestess of the "Nameless Ones" on the island of Atuan, as she is believed to be the reincarnation of the last High Priestess. Lonely, with only a eunuch and a young maiden as friends, she learns over the years of her duties and observes the machinations of her two caretakers Thar and Kossil, who vie for power. For the Nameless Ones demand constant reverence yet provide very little. Under the castle-like temples into which no man can set foot, is an unlit labyrinth of tunnels crossing and recrossing, leading many levels down to the treasury of the tombs where it is forbidden for anyone but Arha to venture.
When she turns fifteen, she meets Ged who has appeared to her in the darkened maze and is curious enough to not kill him right away. He is in search of the second half of a magical talisman of peace, the long lost Ring of Erreth-Akbe (he found the first half in Wizard). Ged tells her of the history of the islands of Earthsea with its cities and dragons, and her eyes are open to a new way of living.
Once it is known Ged is alive in the forbidden tombs, Kossil summons all her power and trickery to outsmart Arha in the service of the powerful Nameless Ones. Arha must decide whom she serves and why, and what she will make her of future.
While not as magical or filled with spells as Wizard, Atuan is a well rounded and solid adventure. The scenario of the lonely castle above the labyrinthine maze, always unlit so you have to count each turn and stone or risk an eternal trap with no exit is scary and enticing. As Arha sees the plan for her life, and realizes she has a chance to shape her own destiny, the world of Earthsea opens up. Again, it is a novel about awakening to your personal power and well told.
Written in 1971, it remains a timeless classic and highly recommended. Like Wizard it is relatively short, and both simple enough for young readers to enjoy, while still offering a terrific fantasy tale, rich with meaning for adults. The Earthsea trilogy deserves its place right up there with The Lord of The Rings and Harry Potter.
1971 / Hardcover / 119 pages
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