Ken Medena 55 pages
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15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Classic "Chronicles",
This review is from: Songs for the Turning (Paperback)
Lloyd Alexander's "Chronicles of Prydain" have become a classic staple of fantasy literature, a few rungs below "Lord of the Rings." In this volume, all six books in his series are brought together, showing all of Prydain's beauty, richness, humor and sorrow as one big book.
"The Book of Three" opens with Assistant Pig-Keeper Taran yearning for adventure -- and getting more than he bargains for when he chases the pig into the woods, and is nearly run down by a sinister horned rider. Soon he teams up with a wandering king-minstrel, a sharp-tongued princess and a furry creature called Gurgi to save Prydain from the power of the Horned King. "The Black Cauldron" has Taran and the others setting out to destroy Arawn Deathlord's evil cauldron, which turns dead men into unkillable zombies. But other forces are after the cauldron, including three peculiar witches who insist on trading something for the cauldron. What is worse, the company faces treachery from someone in their own camp... "The Castle of Llyr" ties up some loose ends from the first book, as Princess Eilonwy is sent to the isle of Mona to become a fine lady. But she has barely arrived when she is kidnapped by a minion of the evil enchantress Achren, her "aunt." Taran sets out to save her, but must team up with the young man who wishes to marry Eilonwy -- even though Taran is rapidly falling in love with her. "Taran Wanderer" has Taran setting out to discover his past, since he feels he can't ask Eilonwy to marry him if he is lowborn. With only Gurgi at his side, he encounters evil wizards, malevolent bandits, and finally learns that his father just might be a shepherd... until a new revelation leads him to learn of his true worth. "The High King" wraps up the saga, with Taran returning home. But no sooner has he arrived than he learns that noble Prince Gwydion has been half-killed -- and the magical sword Dyrnwyn has been stolen by Arawn Deathlord. Now the heroes set out one and for all to attack Arawn's stronghold and get back the sword -- but how can they defeat a deathless army and a shapeshifting enemy? Finally, "The Foundling" fills in a few of the gaps with short stories that illustrate the backstory of the Prydain novels. Among the stories are the tragic history of Dyrnwyn, how the wizard Dallben was reared by the three witches (and where he got the Book of Three), and the love story of Eilonwy's parents. Take two parts "Lord of the Rings," add a bit more humor and comedy, and stir in some Welsh mythology. That pretty much sums up the Prydain Chronicles, which is one of the rare series that is meant for kids, but is as rich an experience for adults. Even better, if they know the origins of the old legends and myths. In a sense, the whole series is a coming-of-age story, where Taran learns wisdom, maturity, loss and love. Oh yeah, and that that Chinese curse about interesting times is quite correct. Princess Eilonwy and the bard-king Fflewddur Fflam add a bit of comic relief, but they are also strong characters in their own right, as is the fuzzy sidekick Gurgi, who goes from being an annoyance to a loyal and lovable friend. "The Chronicles of Prydain" are fantasy at its best, mingling myth and legend with a fast-paced plot and endearingly quirky characters. Definitely not something to miss.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Books,
This review is from: Songs for the Turning (Paperback)
I loved these books I thought the characters were wonderful smart and true to life. The plot is thrilling and hooks you in. The setting is haunting and delightful. I reccomend them to all who are looking for a good exciting read!
5.0 out of 5 stars
Deserves to be Better Known,
By
This review is from: Songs for the Turning (Paperback)
This series is one of the best I've ever read in my life, and most people don't even know it exists (unless they've seen that Disney movie I never saw, THE BLACK CAULDRON, named after the second book). It deserves to be named a classic, a piece of high literature. Eilonwy was simply hilarious (but brave and proud, too) Fflewddur Fflam was -- perfect, Gurgi was adorable, and Taran went from ridiculously overeager to self-denying and accepting of fates he didn't deserve.
Favorite line: "Pig-boy!" Eilonwy cried indignantly. "Don't ever speak of yourself that way, Taran of Caer Dallben. No matter what has happened, you're not a pig-boy; you're an Assistant Pig-Keeper! That's honor in itself! Not that they don't mean the same thing, when you come right down to it," she said, "but one is proud and the other isn't. Since you have a choice, take the proud one!" P.S. I recently saw the Black Cauldron. Good kids movie as it goes, but nothing compared to the true greatness of the Prydain Chronicles. I always thought Taran's name was pronounced TARE-an, not TAR-an, anyway. And Eilonwy wouldn't be hiding and crying for Taran to save her from the Horned King's henchmen -- she'd be grabbing a sword and fighting, all the while lecturing them on how it wasn't nice to attack them like that. :-) Rating: Masterpiece
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