Explores further the magical world of Earthsea through five tales of events which occur before or after the time of the original novels, as well as an essay on the people, languages, history and magic of the place.
Sparrowhawk, the Archmage of Earthsea, returns from the dark land stripped of his magic powers and finds refuge with the aging widow Tenar and a crippled girl child who carries an unknown destiny.
Alder, a sorcerer and pot mender who is being haunted by dreams in which his dead wife breaches the barrier between the living and the dead, joins with Tenar and Tenahu in an effort to mend and save Earthsea.
