These short stories add to the folklore and stories of Earthsea. They range from ancient tales of how the Wizarding School of Roke was first founded to more recent tales that fit in with the timeline of the rest of the Earthsea books. Some are parallel stories to the main books in the series that tell of other characters with similar magic and how their experiences dovetail with the main character’s stories although the characters may never meet.

The writing is excellent and the stories draw the reader into the world of Earthsea. Some of the stories are very sad and full of violence, but others are bittersweet and beautiful. The author does a wonderful job of describing a setting and a new character in a few well-chosen words that immediately connect the reader to the story.

I enjoyed these stories, and they are a wonderful addition to the Earthsea books!