First Printing. Octavo (17.75cm); original pictorial card wrappers; yellow-orange edge-staining; [10],11-205 + [3]pp ads. Signed by Le Guin on the title page, beneath the signatures of cover artists Leo & Diane Dillon. Light wear to extremities, hint of sunning to spine, with some tanning to inner cover edges, and an early owner's name faintly stamped on upper edge of textblock; Very Good+. An attractive copy of Le Guin's fourth published novel, and the first to bring her critical acclaim after the release of the three novels in her Hainish Cycle. "Predicted to become a great Archmage, proud and willful Ged attends the School for Wizards on Roke where, goaded by an older student, he calls back Elfarran from the dead and thereby looses the Shadow, which first haunts him and then is hunted by him. This first part of the Earthsea Trilogy.has become a classic presentation of both coming of age and light-dark conflict because of its almost perfect blend of atmosphere, style, setting and theme" (Barron, Fantasy Literature 4B-98). Uncommon signed especially by cover artists Leo and Diane Dillon.