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The second book of the Earthsea Cycle starts off in a slightly baffling way -- not with Ged, the central character of the series, but rather with Arha, a young girl who has been chosen to become the next High Priestess of the Tombs of Atuan and spends her life performing rituals in which no one really seems to believe any more. We follow Arha around her daily tasks, and just when we're wondering where the hell Ged is, he makes an appearance, and a fascinating sparring match between the wizard and the young priestess ensues, in which Ged has to try and survive and the young girl learns the truth about those she serves and those who serve her. It's an interesting meditation on power, devotion, trust and loyalty, with the best setting of any fantasy book I've ever read*: A dark-as-night underground labyrinth which gives the book a superbly atmospheric and claustrophobic feel, not to mention a nice and ominous sense of impending doom. The best book in the series, worth a full five stars.

* with the possible exception of Neil Gaiman’s London Below, which is superb if you know London and are familiar with its underground system.