Fortunately for us, in both cases, we have their work, through which we still have their love and wisdom. Another voice that can make sense of the world has gone out. Losing her at this time is as sad as it was to lose Leonard Cohen. Eight days ago, aged 88, at her home in Portland, Oregon. I didn't know, when I began this particular post, that Ursula Le Guin had just died. "It is a rare and great pleasure to find a fantasist writing not only with the accuracy of language that is essential to fantasy-making, but with true music in the words as well." Which means a lot, coming from a writer whose very book titles are little word riffs ( The Left Hand of Darkness, The Word for World is Forest) , and who wrote A Wizard of Earthsea - not just my favourite "wizard student" story (putting Harry Potter to shame), but also a novel I've read aloud to friends, and children of friends, and a "story of service" which I will always return to. Le Guin, a favourite writer, storyteller, and poet (whose name is a poem itself), who had this to say: It didn't hurt that singing its back cover praise was Ursula K. My friend, when I asked about it, spoke of Patrick Rothfuss in a "he's the real deal" tone of voice which made my book sense tingle. This wasn't the generic fantasy it might be mistaken for at first glance. As happens with the best books, I didn't know this one or its author even existed until I saw it on a friend's shelf.
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