It was Tolkien who said, in the Hobbit, that good times go quickly for the people involved and make dull telling. Unfortunately this is true and good times don't make compelling stories. The' lived happily ever after' is usually the end and not the beginning!
This last of the original trilogy of Earthsea books nicely demonstrates the truth that trouble makes for a good tale, and things are troubled in the Archipelago. There is also a darkness to this book that reflects the darkness in the heart of the author and shows that a writer will reveal themselves when they write, and so they should. I always very much enjoy this book but it isn't so comfortable reading as the author also holds up a mirror to our own heart.
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