The Chronicles of Prydain Boxed Set

I recently re-discovered these after having read them as a kid (in my late 40s as I write this). They are full of standard tropes (the Dark Lord, the Unlikely Hero from a backwater, the Feisty Princess) and pitched for a pre-teen audience, but I still found them very enjoyable. They are a bit sneaky, too. The plotting is simple, breezy, and fun, but there is good emotional depth here, too, with good coming-of-age lessons. The fourth book, Taran Wanderer, in which the main character, Taran, sets off ostensibly to figure out who his parents are, but really to find himself, especially has some incredible, poignant moments as Taran is forced to confront things about himself that he finds shameful. The coming-of-age lessons for Taran are present in the other books, but are the focus of the fourth book. There are also a bunch of fun, sharply-drawn characters, especially among Taran's recurring companions. The series also features an oracular pig, so what's not to like? The combination of the group of distinct characters and breezy, adventuresome plotting seemed very D&D-like to me, and I found lots of inspiration for stuff I will be putting into my D&D games in the future. I don't give out 5 stars lightly, especially for items of art like books and movies. To me, 5 stars means not just good or very good, but among the best. It is even harder objectively judging a series clearly written for an audience one-third my age or less. But the bottom line is that I became very emotionally invested in the characters, and thought Taran was a good model for transitioning into adulthood and the responsibility for self and others that ensues. I cannot discount that investment as a sign of skilled writing, however breezy the books were on the surface. I am also a sucker for the sorts of lessons of self-sacrifice that recur in the series (this is also why A Tale of Two Cities is my favorite Dickens). Hence, I felt justified in giving this series 5 stars. If you are a young reader, I would highly recommend this series. But I'd still recommend it for older readers such as myself, if you're looking for a quick, light read that just might sneak up and punch you in your gut emotionally. The coming of age lessons in Prydain are not as subtly or sublimely written as, say, LeGuin's A Wizard of Earthsea, but are highly effective nonetheless. They can be a guide to younger readers, and a reminder to older ones.

This series by Lloyd Alexander is a real treasure—well-written, engaging, and building on the long tradition of legend and fairy tale that has taught us all for so many centuries. Sure, there are "borrowed" elements, if one wants to call them that, but they are not mere pastiche. The story is at once just what you hope for and not quite what you expect. Importantly, the characters grow, learn, mature, and strive to be better people along the way, and the road they take to get there is harrowing and difficult—just like real life. But like all good fairy stories, it shapes our us rather than dictating to us.

I originally purchased this set more than 40 years ago. A little boy asked me for the books because he fell in love with the stories. I have searched and finally found this replacement set. These are great stories about a boy who dreams of adventure and finds that there are consequences. Well worth it.

One of my favorite book series, even as an adult its fun to read and get lost in the adventures of Taran.

I periodically revisit media from my childhood to see if it still holds up. Some—like the original Star Wars—do. Others—which won't be mentioned here—don't, and have left me wondering, "What was 10-year-old me thinking?" Since I'm reviewing this set, you can figure which side The Chronicles of Prydain, Lloyd Alexander's five-volume fantasy series, falls on. As of this reading, I have so far only re-read The Book of Three, but based on that, I'm confident the others will pan out. For those who don't know, Prydain is a mythical land that is home to various Welsh Celtic figures, such as Arawn, the Death Lord, Prince Gwydion, and others. It is also home to Taran, assistant pig-keeper, whose wizardly master, Dallben, has charged him with keeping an oracular pig named Hen Wen. Taran dreams of excitement and adventure, but does not remotely apprehend what those words truly entail. The Book of Three starts out quickly, introducing us to Taran before setting him on a chase for Hen Wen, whose escape from her confinement presages the arrival of the Horned King, an agent of the Death Lord Arawn. Taran sets out after her, and subsequently narrowly avoids the Horned King while encountering an array of eccentric characters: Eilonwy, a young maiden with a penchant for metaphor and a magic glowing orb; Fflewdur Fflam, a bard with a harp that reveals lies in a particularly pointed manner; Gurgi, half-human, half-beast, who strives to be fearsome but mostly exercises the "better part of valor", as the saying goes; and several other colorful, magical characters. The story concludes with a battle against the Horned King, and sets up events to follow in the subsequent books. (Curiously enough, although the titular Book is important later, it doesn't have much to do with this first story.) The action is fast-paced, which is good for a novel this short. The Book of Three, like most of the Chronicles, comes in under 200 pages. An adult reader can finish it in a couple of hours or so. The characterization, outside of Taran himself, is thin, but still three-dimensional. As I recall, other characters grow and reveal their depth in later volumes. Secondary characters like Prince Gwydion and Dallben seem a little too Tolkien-esque, showing parallels to Aragorn and Gandalf, respectively, but this may be a result of both stories drawing upon pre-existing myths. Overall, 10-year-old me was right to like The Book of Three, and somewhat older than 10-year-old me enjoyed rereading it. I'm on to Book 2, The Black Cauldron, and then to finish the rest of the series. I'm looking forward to revisiting these even more than when I ordered the set.

I've always been curious of Lloyd Alexander's work on the Prydain chronicles. The first book was the Disney movie's version using the second book's title. It's a great fantasy read outside the Tolkien universe or Forgotten Realms universe using the usual tropes of fantasy, but from actual Welsh mythology.

A charming and well written saga easy to read and for all ages. I'm 45 and I started reading fantasy at 12 with The Lord of the Rings, and I wish I had these to read when I was a child! The prose is approachable and the characters are funny and varied. Books are softcovers of appropriate size and weight to read on your bed or during your commute, instead of monstrous 900 pages tomes. Also, as an extra, if you are a nerd and have played Dungeons & Dragons before, you will notice a not insignificant amount of ideas and references Gygax and Arneson included in their game and forgot to attribute in their Appendix N.

Having studied the Mabinogion (ancient Welsh tales on which Alexander’s Prydain is based) at the university, I was sceptical as to whether anyone could create a story capturing the wonderful morals and stories into the modern age. Despite my love for the old Welsh stories, I'd go as far as to say that Alexander's stories were even better to read. Incredible. I shall make sure these are the first books my son reads in the English language.

This series is a treat for youth and adult alike! Being an adult now, with young children, I'm at the phase of life where I'm back to reading children's and young adult books. For whatever reason, I missed out on reading the Chronicles of Prydain when I was younger, and I'm sorry I did! Alexander's fantastical world of Prydain -- more-or-less Wales, but more magical-- jumps to life off the page. The character arc of development of the main character Taran is powerful and profound throughout the pentalogy. The writing is top-notch, as one would expect from a series in which the second and final books were rewarded with Newbery finalist and Newbery medal, respectively. And getting the entire series in a nice (if tight) box with a full-colour map of Prydain is a good way to have the entire set handy at once. Having read through the series now, I am eagerly anticipating my children being old enough to share this series with them... and I might just read it through a couple more times before they are! Recommended for fans of Arthurian legend and Tolkien's writings; not as heavy or weighty, but a fun and brisk read.

A real fantasy classic, interesting characters in a generic but enjoyable fantasy world. Each book is a separate story linked by the same characters. Recommended.

La historia me está encantando. Supe de ella a través de la película Taron y el caldero mágico, que se basa en las crónicas de Prydain, aunque ligeramente. Los cinco libros vienen en una caja junto a un mapa desplegable. Me está resultando muy entretenida y es una pena que en España esta obra esté a la venta de manera discontinua cuando es considerada un clásico de la fantasía épica en el resto del mundo. La recomiendo a lectores de todas las edades.