Ursula K. LeGuin's renowned series follows the lives of characters on the magic-rich world of Earthsea, an oceanic planet with islands scattered across its surface. The central character is Ged, the "greatest Archmage" ever to live, along with the formidable woman Tenar, and the prince (and future king) Arren. Other characters and plots weave their way around these characters, to create a visual world full of magic, culture, and legend.

The fourth book in the series, Tehanu, won the 1990 Nebula Award for Best Novel.