The Chronicles of Prydain (The Five Books of Prydain

My fiance and I recently acquired 3 of these geckos from Phillipe himself and this book has been a great counterpart to our caretaking them. It has a TON of pictures and is super informative. We love reading about the actual trips to NC to study them. Would love to follow in these 3's footsteps.

Lloyd Alexander's "Chronicles of Prydain" have become a classic staple of fantasy literature, a few rungs below "Lord of the Rings" and a few inches down from "Chronicles of Narnia." 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 bits and pieces of 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 that make up the edges of these stories. Alexander populates this little world with evil enchantresses, deathless warriors, eager teenagers and talking crows, all the while coming up with an original storyline that doesn't smack of lifted legends.

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.

Finally, books I remember enjoying as a kid that still stand up to re-reading as an adult!

They are sometimes described as coming-of-age stories, and that is true in the best sense of the term. Alexander is deeply concerned with growing up, and he examines many of its central, deepest, and most profound aspects, such as discovering one's personal identity, and responsibility. Each book in the series looks at these themes in different ways and builds on them a little more. My favorite in the series, Taran Wanderer (which I had expected to enjoy the least), deals with these issues so simply and directly that it acquires an almost allegorical quality. He teaches many important life lessons that are every bit as relevant to us grown-ups as to young adolescents just beginning to struggle with these issues. And he does so through engaging stories and a memorable cast of characters. From now on, whenever I find myself in a situation that tests my courage or integrity, all I have to do is think to myself, "A Fflam never falters!"

Some people like to complain about the supposed similarities between these books and those of Tolkein, but apart from some basic structural features stemming from their common mythological roots, there really isn't a lot of similarity in the details. Even in the most obviously similar part---the ending---what is really interesting is how it differs. I can't say much without giving it away, but let's just say that Alexander, to his credit, ultimately says almost the exact opposite of Tolkein. No, Alexander's fantasy world isn't as complex and well-developed as Tolkein's, but these books were written for a younger audience, and let's face it, nobody can stand up to a comparison with Tolkein as far as that goes. I think if people, of whatever age, take these books on their own terms, they will find them to be a rewarding experience.