~ A Wizard of Earthsea ~
“In the terrible solitude of the winter sea Ged stood and saw the thing he feared.”
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A Wizard of Earthsea (1968) by Ursula Le Guin is the story of a brash young sorcerer whose hunger for power and knowledge unleashes a dark and unnamed shadow into the watery world of Earthsea.
This illustration is the moment in which the young sorcerer finally confronts the shadow.
"These little creatures are found only on four southern isles of the Archipelago... They are small and sleek, with broad faces, and fur dark brown or brindle, and great bright eyes. Their teeth are cruel and their temper fierce, so they are not made pets of. They have no call or cry or any voice. Ged stroked this one, and it woke and yawned, was not afraid…"
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A spot illustration of the young sorcerer's tiny animal companion, a fierce little beast called an otak. It seems to be about the size of a chipmunk, but with the temperament of a much larger creature.