But should you read them in the order they were written, or the order the events actually happen?
For a , most experts recommend Publication Order . Why? Because Tales from Earthsea (which contains the prequels) expects you to know who Ged is. Reading "The Finder" first might be confusing because it references future events.
Ged is now the Archmage of Roke, but he is weary. The world is sick: spells are failing, dragons are retreating, and a strange, colorless lethargy is stealing the joy from everyone. A young, sheltered prince named Arren arrives to beg for help.
Before listing the books, it is important to understand the structure. The series began as a classic "coming-of-age" trilogy (often called the "First Trilogy"). Decades later, Le Guin returned to Earthsea with a more mature, darker, and feminist perspective in the "Second Trilogy."