The tales of this book explore or extend the world established by the first four Earthsea novels. Yet each stands on its own. "The Finder", a novella set a few hundred years before A wizard of Earthsea, presents a dark and troubled Archipelago and shows how some of its customs and institutions came to be. "The Bones of the Earth" features the wizards who thaught the wizard who first taught Ged and demonstrates how humility, if great enough, can contend with an earthquake. "Darkrose and Diamond" is a delightful story of young courtship, showing that wizards sometimes pursue alternative careers. "On the High Marsch" tells of the love of power - and of the power of love. "Dragonfly" shows how a determined woman can break the glass ceiling of male magedom. The collection concludes with an account of Earthsea's history, people, languages, literature, and magic. [Source : 4e de couv.].