The Book of Three (The Chronicles of Prydain Book 1) (Paperback)

~ (Author) "Taran wanted to make a sword; but Coll, charged with the practical side of his education, decided on horseshoes..." (more)
Key Phrases: oracular pig, tender head, white pig, Hen Wen, Horned King, Caer Dallben (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

The tale of Taran, assistant pig keeper, has been entertaining young readers for generations. Set in the mythical land of Prydain (which bears a more than passing resemblance to Wales), Lloyd Alexander's book draws together the elements of the hero's journey from unformed boy to courageous young man. Taran grumbles with frustration at home in the hamlet Caer Dallben; he yearns to go into battle like his hero, Prince Gwydion. Before the story is over, he has met his hero and fought the evil leader who threatens the peace of Prydain: the Horned King.

What brings the tale of Taran to life is Alexander's skillful use of humor, and the way he personalizes the mythology he has so clearly studied. Taran isn't a stick figure; in fact, the author makes a point of mocking him just at the moments when he's acting the most highhanded and heroic. When he and the young girl Eilonwy flee the castle of the wicked queen Achren, Taran emotes, "'Spiral Castle has brought me only grief; I have no wish to see it again.' 'What has it brought the rest of us?' Eilonway asked. 'You make it sound as though we were just sitting around having a splendid time while you moan and take on.'" By the end, Alexander has spun a rousing hero's tale and created a compelling coming-of-age story. Readers will sigh with relief when they realize The Book of Three is only the first of the chronicles of Prydain. --Claire Dederer --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"A very funny adventure tale set in an imaginary kingdom... The writing is sophisticated."--Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
-- Review --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Paperback: 190 pages
• Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. BYR Paperbacks (May 16, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0805080481
• ISBN-13: 978-0805080483
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 4.7 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (245 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #13,455 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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• This is item 1 in The Chronicles of Prydain Series.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

129 of 132 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I have never forgotten the land of Prydain, December 10, 1999

By	CT music fan "ctmusicfan" (Stamford, CT United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Book of Three (Prydain Chronicles) (Paperback)

There are books that you don't want to see come to an end.

There are books that rattle in your brain, heart and soul, and stay with you, never to be forgotten.

Lloyd Alexander's magnificent series falls into these categories. I first read them at the age of 13 and have just read them again at 35. This series was the first that I did not want to see end. It's what got me started on reading Tolkien, Lewis, Donaldson, Piers Anthony, Dune, and others. I'm glad to see so many people love these books as well.

And why not? The characters are dynamic, engaging and more real than the average fantasy ones. The stories move along nicely with few if any slow moments. The classic elements of good and evil are all here with some twists.

There were some aspects that I was too young to appreciate the first time. One was the humor, most noticeable in The Book of Three, as we see some of the characters getting to first know each other. The other aspect was the theme/message that the way of the warrior is not the only path to nobility, honor, and courage (or to adulthood). There is as much honor in taking care of a garden as there is in being a warrior, to very loosely paraphrase one of the characters. In this day and age, when so much of the culture says be the biggest, baddest, toughest, strongest, richest etc person who destroys or gobbles up things, the message of taking care of one's garden, creating something of beauty be it a woven cloak or a clay pot, or honoring a friend's request is refreshing and not heard enough.

To the other reviewers who feel Alexander borrowed characters and motifs heavily from Tolkien, these have been part of literature and mythology for a long time. Long BEFORE Tolkien. If Dallben is Gandalf, well, Gandalf is Merlin. And Merlin was borrowed from other myths or folktales. Alexander borrowed some from The Mabinogen, the Welsh treasury of mythology. Tolkien borrowed from Beowulf and other English sources. These stories have been recreated or recast for ages. Sure, there are similarities but then this is a genre where dwarves, wizards, and enchanted objects are the norm. But assistant Pig-Keepers, frustrated ex-giants who whine about their lack of stature, a traveling bard with a second job as a King, or a trio of witches with an unusual, unpredicable sense of logic who switch identities daily(they deserve a book of their own!)? Hardly. And where have you ever seen a character quite like Fflewdur Flam? (Well, maybe in Dickens or Mark Helprin's A Winter's Tale)

For the kids (or adults) who love Harry Potter: you've got till July before the 4th book is out. There are no Quidditch matches but Taran may remind you of Harry and Dallben may remind you of Dumbledore. Check these five books out. (But avoid the inaccurate animated version of The Black Cauldron)

I've read the Lord of the Rings twice and for a long time considered it the best book I'd ever read. But it doesn't hold quite the special spot in my heart that the Prydain books do. And at least Lloyd Alexander spared us his version of those boringly long elf or dwarf songs and poems.

102 of 104 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great start to one of the great fantasy series, November 28, 1999

By	Neil Roseman (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Book of Three (The Chronicles of Prydain) (Hardcover)

I read this book for the first time about 30 years ago, when I was 10 years old. Recently I re-read the entire series, and was enchanted again.

The tale of Taran and friends has everything a great children's book should: adventure, danger, good, evil, love and death. And, there is lots of humor, too, which you don't always find in similar clasics. The writing is great throughout -- this is not Goosebumps -- and the child who has the privilege of reading the Chronicles will surely be changed. The story, based on Welsh legends, subtly explores the great mysteries of life, and teaches lessons about bravery, honesty, compassion and devotion, without ever being preachy or obvious.

These books belong on the same shelf as the L'Engle Time trilogy, Susan Cooper's Dark is Rising Sequence, the Narnia Books and a small number of others.

Buy this for a favorite kid (maybe one that has gotten hooked on reading through "Harry Potter"), but get it for yourself, too.

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant fantasy, February 1, 2001

By	Calliope Sky (NJ USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Book of Three (Prydain Chronicles) (Paperback)

I have often jokingly told people to read this before reading JRR Tolkein because it's "Hobbit"-lite. But my jest is with all affection. "The Book of Three" is the first of five books (not including the 6th of short stories) involving the fantasy world of Prydain. Lloyd Alexander borrows heavily from Gaelic and Welsh mythology to create the tale of Taran, Assistant Pig-keeper for the enchanter Dallben. In this book we are introduced to Taran, a boy on the cusp of manhood eager to take part in the adventures of the world. Dark forces under the direction of Awran, the Death-Lord threaten the lives of all in Prydain, and none is more feared that the gruesom "Horned King". After leaping "headfirst into a thorn bush" young Taran finds himself face to face with this dreaded champion of darkness who has come from Annuvuin in search of Hen-wen, the oracular pig under Taran's charge. I won't spoil any more of the story except to say that this book introduces many of the characters that appear later on in the rest of the series: the stubborn and lovely Princess Eilonwy, the king-who-wants-to-be-a-bard Fflewder Flam, the cantankerous Doli of the fairfolk, Coll- the warrior turned farmer, and more. Lloyd Alexander's fantasy tale, in my opinion, rivals that of Tolkein as a richly crafted work with wonderful images and a deep understanding and appreciation for the thoughts and feelings of a young man like Taran. The text is easy to read, and the story flows smoothly along. Each book can stand alone, but together create a magnificant epic tapestry. The names of the characters are a little hard to get used to, but not impossible. This is the kind of book you can read out loud at bed-time to young childern. The plot is engaging enough for the little ones and deep enough for adults to appreciate. I recommend this book to just about anyone, and especially for children who are old enough to be reading completely on their own and have reached that point where they are "into" adventures. The best thing about this book (and the series) is that what little violence there is is not glorified, there is no gratuitous sex, and there are morals espoused without sounding preachy. And its the kind of story that girls and boys can enjoy and its perfect for pre-teens and early teens. As the books progress, young teens can "grow" along with Taran, and understand some of his angst. All around, a most excellent novel, and only the begining of a fantastic story...