What reading level is The Farthest Shore (The Earthsea Cycle, Book 3)?

The Farthest Shore (The Earthsea Cycle, Book 3) by Ursula K. Le Guin is at a Level 6-7 reading level. Recommended for Upper Grades readers (Ages 13+).

What age is The Farthest Shore (The Earthsea Cycle, Book 3) appropriate for?

The Farthest Shore (The Earthsea Cycle, Book 3) is recommended for Ages 13+. HootRating: 11ME (Moderate — Emotional). Content flags: Fantasy Violence, Physical Danger, Fear & Anxiety, Loss & Grief.

What genre is The Farthest Shore (The Earthsea Cycle, Book 3)?

The Farthest Shore (The Earthsea Cycle, Book 3) is fiction — Fiction. Part of the Earthsea series.

Does The Farthest Shore (The Earthsea Cycle, Book 3) have any content warnings?

The Farthest Shore (The Earthsea Cycle, Book 3) has a HootRating of 11ME (Moderate — Emotional). Content flags include: Fantasy Violence, Physical Danger, Fear & Anxiety, Loss & Grief. On HootRated, every book is rated across four dimensions — emotional, physical, social, and thematic — to help parents make informed choices.

How many pages is The Farthest Shore (The Earthsea Cycle, Book 3)?

The Farthest Shore (The Earthsea Cycle, Book 3) by Ursula K. Le Guin is 223 pages (approximately 60,591 words).

Reviewed by HootRated editorial · Last updated May 18, 2026

The Farthest Shore (The Earthsea Cycle, Book 3)

Ursula K. Le Guin

The Farthest Shore (The Earthsea Cycle, Book 3)

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by Ursula K. Le Guin

Earthsea

Reading Level 6-7 11ME Ages 13+ Balanced Read

The text is written at a 6th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for teens (ages 13+), and the content has moderate intensity with some emotionally heavy themes.

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About This Book

A seasoned wizard named Sparrowhawk embarks on a perilous voyage across the magical lands of Earthsea to uncover the source of a dark force unsettling the world. Along the way, he faces challenges that test his courage and wisdom in this gripping tale of adventure and mystery.

Themes

MagicAdventure Coming of Age Fantasy World-Building

Quick Assessment

This is a Level 6-7 book with moderate content intensity. Content themes include fantasy violence, physical danger, fear & anxiety. Written for readers ages 13+.

Why we rated The Farthest Shore (The Earthsea Cycle, Book 3) 11ME

The Farthest Shore (The Earthsea Cycle, Book 3) is written at a Level 6-7 reading level across 223 pages (approximately 60,591 words). Strong independent readers around grade 7.1 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, The Farthest Shore (The Earthsea Cycle, Book 3) works for readers up to grade 8.1.

Read aloud, The Farthest Shore (The Earthsea Cycle, Book 3) runs about 6.7 hours — long enough to span several bedtime sessions.

We rate The Farthest Shore (The Earthsea Cycle, Book 3) as 11ME ("Moderate — Emotional") because the content sits in the "Moderate" range — moderate conflict that may involve loss, scary scenes, or interpersonal stakes. The strongest signals come from emotional weight, physical peril — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.

Specific content flags noted by reviewers: Fantasy Violence, Physical Danger, Fear & Anxiety, Loss & Grief.

Thematically, The Farthest Shore (The Earthsea Cycle, Book 3) explores magic, adventure, coming of age, and fantasy world-building — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.

Good fit for

✓ Children in the Ages 13+ range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
✓ Readers who like a steady plot with enough momentum to keep pages turning.
✓ Readers ready to talk through themes after they finish — there's enough substance for a meaningful conversation.
✓ Kids drawn to stories about magic, adventure, coming of age.
✓ Readers who fall hard for one book and want a long series to live in — there are 5 more books in the Earthsea series.

Maybe not for

! Readers who get easily upset by emotional or moderately dark scenes — the conflict here is real, not just background flavor.
! Children who are sensitive to violence, even when handled at age-appropriate levels.
! Children currently coping with grief — the themes may hit close to home.