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  • The Tombs of Atuan

  • The Second Book of Earthsea
  • By: Ursula K. Le Guin
  • Narrated by: Aysha Kala
  • Length: 5 hrs and 41 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (585 ratings)
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The Tombs of Atuan cover art

The Tombs of Atuan

By: Ursula K. Le Guin
Narrated by: Aysha Kala
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Summary

In this second novel in the Earthsea series, Tenar is chosen as high priestess to the ancient and nameless Powers of the Earth, and everything is taken from her - home, family, possessions, even her name. She is now known only as Arha, the Eaten One, and guards the shadowy, labyrinthine Tombs of Atuan.

Then a wizard, Ged Sparrowhawk, comes to steal the tombs' greatest hidden treasure, the Ring of Erreth-Akbe. Tenar's duty is to protect the ring, but Ged possesses the light of magic and tales of a world that Tenar has never known. Will Tenar risk everything to escape from the darkness that has become her domain?

©1970 Ursula K. Le Guin (P)2019 Orion Publishing Group

Critic reviews

"[This] trilogy made me look at the world in a new way, imbued everything with a magic that was so much deeper than the magic I'd encountered before then. This was a magic of words, a magic of true speaking." (Neil Gaiman)

"Drink this magic up. Drown in it. Dream it." (David Mitchell)

What listeners say about The Tombs of Atuan

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

I love Le Guin - the voice just didn't fit to me.

I love Le Guin and have read the Earthsea series many times. The readers voice when in the characters of the Priestess and Wizard just didn't fit to me -but as a narrator she did build atmosphere.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
  • M
  • 17-10-19

Why a different narrator?

It's lovely, I'm loving this series but A) why get a different narrator for the second part of the trilogy when the other narrator had done the first and the third? I'm not sure why this is the case. And B) perfectly nice reading but there are no accents or different voices as with the other narrator which was disappointing!

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Difficult to get into

It’s the casting and directors fault, but the actress lacks the depth to her voice and the story telling quality needed for good narration. She doesn’t command the story and everything is very sing song and airy, even when talking about quite dark subject matter. There is no differentiation or characterisation between protagonists, which makes the story hard to follow.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Not as good as book one, and narrator dull

Not as good as book one, it often dragged. The narrator was dull and the accents seemed wrong

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

In the Darkness Live the Nameless Ones

Out of all Le Guin's Earthsea novels The Tombs of Atuan is probably the slowest and (if I recall correctly) the only one where Sparrowhawk isn't the main protagonist. That being said the story of Tenar, a young girl taken from her home as a toddler, raised as the reincarnation of the ancient priestess of the tombs is engaging and wonderful.
This novel, much like its predecessor, is a wonderful character study. Shining light on the loneliness and isolation of a child separated from all family and raised to be a High Priestess. I'll not say anymore about the story as I want everyone to experience it for themselves.
The choice of narrator for this Audible release was genius. Aysha Kala sounds just right as the young Tenar and gives the book a life my inner middle-aged white dude simply cannot manage.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

I loved these earth sea stories as a young teen, and they have stood the test of time. Deep emotion with great characters.

I loved the narrators voice and she reads beautifully. I don't like the narrator to use accents to characters as this runs against the authors description (or my imagination).

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

surely one of the best books ever written

reading as an adult new to this series I found this in line with the quality of Le Guin's books for older readers in its understanding and painting of real people with deep, deep emotions, within a setting that is brimming with gothic horror, old powers and the use and misuse of power and myth... a testament to the entire craft of writing

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Beautiful narrative

Sympathetic and delightful performance of a wonderful book. It’s necessary to fully understand the Earthsea world.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Great story, well told

The story is a classic; poised and masterly. Leaving a lot up to the reader to consider and ponder on. The narrator was great - captured the main character’s complex motives beautifully.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

My favourite

My favourite of the Earthsea books, always find myself coming back to it, excellent reading 🙂

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