The Other Wind closes out the Earthsea cycle perfectly, in the way that one of the wizards at describes his life as "learning to choose when their are no alternatives."

Decades after the events of Tehanu, the world is at peace, but on the cusp of some dramatic change. Dragons have been seen flying in the west, threatening human islands. The Kargs have overthrown their God-Kings and returned to a conventional warlord, who may seek peace. Lebennen is a good king, yet without wife and heir. And a sorcerer, a common mender called Alder, journeys to Gont to seek Ged's advice on the topic of his troubling dreams.

Alder dreams about his dead wife, which is common enough, but he dreams of seeing her at the wall that separates the land of the living from the land of the dead. He dreams that she touched him. And since then, every night the dead appear and ask him to free them, with what consequence he does not know.

The plot ambles around Earthsea, mostly around Alder and Tenar, who has been asked for advice by King Lebennen on the myriad shadows falling over his kingdom. The tone is cozy, like a favorite pair of slippers. These characters are old friends and though we feel the chill winds of change, there is a fundamental agreement to accept it.

The end of the book lurches very suddenly towards unravelling the grand mysteries of the setting: magic, dragons, true names, and crimes so old they have almost passed out of myth. The pacing is uneven, but the ride is stately, thoughtful, heartbreaking.