Jane, a cat with wings, leaves the safety of her farm to explore the world, and falls into the hands of a man who keeps her prisoner and exploits her for money.
When Sparrowhawk, the Archmage of Earthsea, returns from the dark land stripped of his magic powers, he finds refuge with the aging widow Tenar and a crippled girl child who carries an unknown destiny.
A tragedy sets Gavir, a young slave, on a dangerous road to freedom and dealing with the powers he has hitherto kept secret, including the ability to see flashes of the future.
