The Prydain Chronicles

They are some of the best books upon this planet. They take you to places which you have never imagined, yet have craved without knowing what you were craving for. They are the definition of splendiferous.

In The Book of Three, Taran, a boy without much apparent past or future, finds himself on his first adventure. Like most of us, he wants to be something the bards sing about, but he cannot escape his duties as the Assistant Pig-Keeper. He is discontent until the day fate wrenches him from his mundane home and into adventure. Taran learns what anyone adventerous must, which is that the adventures are not always fun and never easy. Taran is scared and confused and completely unsure of himself, and not able to fulfill his destiny alone. He meets companions: one loyal, one rouguish, and one magical. Princess Eilonwy of the red-gold hair uses her glowing magic ball and her never-failing confidence and eccentric bubbliness to light their way as she travels with Taran. The books is deeper than the classic "Let's go fight evil!" tale. It is about all of the things people learn as they grow up. "And take extra care
with strangers,
Even flowers
have their dangers,
And while scary
is exciting,
Nice
is different
than good."
-- Little Red Riding Hood,
Into the Woods

There is an intereting story behind The Black Cauldron (a book many elementary school children are required to read, YAY!) which will be told LATER!) "If we are required to do SIAs (Student Initiated Assignments), the aren't really student initiated, are they?" -- Eirelav, on U.S. History class

The Castle of Llyr is definitely the most romantic of the series. More notes on it will follow later. If a tree
falls in
the woods and no one is there to hear it,
does
it make
a sound?

Taran Wanderer is a lonely book, and though it is not completely absent of high action, many of the favourite characters are conspiciosly absent for most of the book. For that reason, this introspective coming-of-age book is not as dear to many people who have read the Prydain series, while other, including I, consider it the best. Taran is on his own, and as he explores all of the rich nooks and crannies of Prydain, he learns about mankind and about himself.

A lot happens in the High King, but worst of all:
the series ends!!!!
More notes later. It is better to have loved and lost
Than never to have loved

The Foundling and Other Tales of Prydain is a collection of short stories which endear you because they have Lloyd Alexander's fantastical sparkle, and because they embroider on barely mentioned aspects of the beloved Prydain series. They are simple and not especially grabbing, but they are just the thing for easing gently off of Prydain withdrawal. "Aiiiiii!!!!"
-- Gillian

Notes on more books will follow!

If you get the paperback version and pay close attention to the art, you will see some of the best cover art that ever was. The drawings are beautiful- not the kind that look as if they were drawn by the person that has drawn every other paperback cover in existance, but realistic and magical and beautiful.

If you click on the thumbnails of the covers, you can seem them in full-size. The quality isn't perfect, but you can see the progression of Taran, Eilonwy, and their friends.

Return to Aniad's Terrain!

	In The Book of Three, Taran, a boy without much apparent past or future, finds himself on his first adventure. Like most of us, he wants to be something the bards sing about, but he cannot escape his duties as the Assistant Pig-Keeper. He is discontent until the day fate wrenches him from his mundane home and into adventure. Taran learns what anyone adventerous must, which is that the adventures are not always fun and never easy. Taran is scared and confused and completely unsure of himself, and not able to fulfill his destiny alone. He meets companions: one loyal, one rouguish, and one magical. Princess Eilonwy of the red-gold hair uses her glowing magic ball and her never-failing confidence and eccentric bubbliness to light their way as she travels with Taran. The books is deeper than the classic "Let's go fight evil!" tale. It is about all of the things people learn as they grow up.	"And take extra care with strangers, Even flowers have their dangers, And while scary is exciting, Nice is different than good." -- Little Red Riding Hood, Into the Woods
	There is an intereting story behind The Black Cauldron (a book many elementary school children are required to read, YAY!) which will be told LATER!)	"If we are required to do SIAs (Student Initiated Assignments), the aren't really student initiated, are they?" -- Eirelav, on U.S. History class
	The Castle of Llyr is definitely the most romantic of the series. More notes on it will follow later.	If a tree falls in the woods and no one is there to hear it, does it make a sound?
	Taran Wanderer is a lonely book, and though it is not completely absent of high action, many of the favourite characters are conspiciosly absent for most of the book. For that reason, this introspective coming-of-age book is not as dear to many people who have read the Prydain series, while other, including I, consider it the best. Taran is on his own, and as he explores all of the rich nooks and crannies of Prydain, he learns about mankind and about himself.
	A lot happens in the High King, but worst of all: the series ends!!!! More notes later.	It is better to have loved and lost Than never to have loved
	The Foundling and Other Tales of Prydain is a collection of short stories which endear you because they have Lloyd Alexander's fantastical sparkle, and because they embroider on barely mentioned aspects of the beloved Prydain series. They are simple and not especially grabbing, but they are just the thing for easing gently off of Prydain withdrawal.	"Aiiiiii!!!!" -- Gillian