I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

A Wizard of Earthsea: A Graphic Novel by Ursula K. Le Guin and illustrated by Fred Fordham is an adaptation of Le Guin’s beloved fantasy classic. As Ged learns magic, he is shown to be both powerful and foolhardy. It is only through making mistakes that he can understand why his masters value patience and learning before leaping into action.

Like many long-time fantasy fans, I am familiar with Le Guin's critique of the adaptations of her work, particularly the constant white-washing of characters she fully intended to be characters of color. As such, I was cautious when requesting this but had to see for myself so I could warn or encourage other fantasy fans appropriately. Le Guin's son, Theo Downes-Le Guin, makes it clear in the preface that this was an important sticking point for him as well. Fred Fordham does not betray Le Guin's vision. Almost every character on the page is a character of color and the world does feel like one full of seafaring islands.

There are pages where the art, which has an animation-like quality, is allowed to speak for itself and there is no dialogue or prose. The prose itself is used where appropriate to either flesh out the world or to include Le Guin's narrative voice for the lessons Ged has learned. It's not the close, intimate POV many modern readers might have become used to, but it is the style Le Guin wrote in and could introduce new readers to her voice.

The color palette is full of earth tones and isn't afraid to use darker shades. The style is less cartoon-y and more what I would expect from an art house animation studio I think. The imagery does leap off the page and it does feel like it could very easily be made into an animated film.

I would recommend this to readers of Le Guin's work, fans of the Earthsea series, and those looking for an introduction to one of the bedrocks of American fantasy

A Wizard of Earthsea: A Graphic Novel has some of the best illustrations I have ever seen in a graphic novel. They are realistic and colorful. I have never read the novel version of A Wizard of Earthsea, and I think I would have enjoyed this graphic novel more if I was familiar with the story.

I received an ARC from HarperCollins Children's Books | Clarion Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.