The First Chronicles Of Prydain
Ratings104
Average rating3.8
I could definitely see myself liking this as a kid when I was in my Susan Cooper / David Eddings era but it is very, very derivative. The protagonist kind of sucks too? He's hard to root for.
It's like Lord of the Rings and the last unicorn but written in an easier to understand voice (like Harry Potter).
Overall it was really good. I loved the adventure. It's like a kids intro to high fantasy.
Book summary: Simple pig keeper chases after his magic pig and meets a variety of characters. There are castles and an undead bad guy. There's also an eccentric Gollum like creature.
I read this as a child, so while I recall enjoying the book, I have basically no memory for the characters or plot.
Read this to Penelope in the womb and finished it off when she came out. We'll read it again when she's old enough to understand. It's a great starter fantasy series.
My teacher read this to my class in sixth grade, but I'd forgotten 99 percent of it. That one percent stuck with me for decades and I decided to give it another look last week.
I'm not a big fantasy fan and kids' books usually leave me cold, but I thought this was a great book. Alexander's writing is simple but has enough details to give the world some flavor. He never lets the story get bogged down, and a really decent philosophy comes through:
Be kind to everyone and everything that isn't actively trying to kill you. Help where you can. Don't refuse help from others. And from a bonus story in the back of the 50th Anniversary edition: “It is better to be raising things up than smiting things down.”
The Chronicles of Prydain have long been some of my very favorite books. About ever 5-10 years I come back around and read them again. In needing to take a break from the slog that has become The Wheel of Time, I decided it was time, again, to visit these classics. The Book of Three is certainly not the best book in the series, by a long shot. But it still delivers. I appreciate the characters, though love them for what we get in future books. That is really what we get her, the establishment of certain characters we will come to know and love more as the series continues. And for that, I still cherish this book.
Nothing happens to Taran, the Assistant Pig-Keeper, until his pig runs away. In his search, Taran meets the talkative Eilonwy, funny Gurgi, and heroic Prince Gwydion. It's a fun adventure, with great characters and lots of action.
My husband and I listened to this audiobook. It's a 1001 Children's Book You Must Read.
My husband's rating: 🌟🌟🌟
My rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
I had completely missed out on this book as a child. So how is it for someone in their 30's?
Very enjoyable, actually. The story, travel, and resolution is obviously aimed at children. Nonetheless, these themes have a unique charm. An oracle pig, a bard who maybe embellishes too much, a grouchy dwarf, a hairy manlike creature, and a very cheeky sorceress come together to help create a truly memorable cast.
The moral lessons contained within are still relevant for children today. I think this should be on the shelf of any fantasy lover, at the very least to be available for child readers.
Huh! This was more like a children's story book rather than a piece of Fantasy fiction. Very simplistic, no strong characters and the in the end the most fun character was the pig just because it appeared for such a short time. Enough said!
One of my most beloved fantasy series and, akin to C.S. Lewis's “Chronicles of Narnia”, age should be no factor in the enjoyment of Lloyd Alexander's sharply-written, expertly charactered series. This book introduced me to some of my favorite fictional characters (Fflewddur Fflam especially) and is a delightful, spirited first act for this high adventure saga. “The Book of Three” is fast-paced without losing sense of story or scope; it is fanciful without losing sight of character development; and, most importantly, the book leaves the reader's appetite completely whetted for the following four stories. When you chuckle at Hen Wen's final “hwoinch”, you'll be glad The Book of Three isn't The Book of One.
I enjoyed rereading this childhood favorite featuring the characters Taran, Eilonwy and Fflewddur Fflam. I especially liked how Taran learned that being a hero takes more than swinging a sword and looking handsome. I look forward to rereading the next book in the series, The Black Cauldron.
Lloyd Alexander created wonderful worlds in his time, and none so enjoyable as that of Prydain. Join Taran in his adventures as he finds his way, with Eilonwy the petulant princess, Gurgi the somewhat gluttinous creature and Fflewdur that tall tale telling bard, as they seek an oracular pig in hope of saving the land of Prydain from the evil Arawn. The author weaves an interesting and entertaining tapestry of intrigue and character growth. I have read the Chronicles of Prydain many times since my youth in the 1980s; most enjoyable and highly recommended.
Although it is your typical fantasy fair, it has a charm to it that's hard to dislike. There are obvious parallels to Lord of the Rings, but on its own it is a fun adventure with memorable characters that I warmed too right off the bat. There is nothing epic or gritty here, obviously geared toward the younger crowd, but didn't seem to speak down to them. Enjoyable if not particularly challenging.
Quick easy read. The book is part of a series, but it doesn't end on a cliffhanger. I'll pick up the rest in time and I look forward to reading them.