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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Following the tale of Assistant Pig-Keeper, Taran, from his boyhood dreams of adventure and heroism, to him carrying the fate of the entire land of Prydain on his shoulders as a young man, these five books are truly one of the real gems of children's literature. In a tale of valour, friendship, sacrifice, and also love, wit and charm, Taran learns what it means to be a true hero.
This boxed set is beautifully presented with all of the five books having beautifully illustrated covers, my favourite of which is the cover to Taran Wanderer which has an amazing amount of detail. The books are supplied in a sturdy box and you also get a fully illustrated map of the land of Prydain. I have uploaded a picture of the box contents so you can see for yourself just how gorgeous this set looks.
I won't go into any depth here about each of the five stories as I have reviewed them each separately under their individual titles, but what I will say is that I absolutely loved every one of them!
The Book of Three (Chronicles of Prydain)
The Black Cauldron (Chronicles of Prydain)
The Castle of Llyr (Chronicles of Prydain)
Taran Wanderer (Chronicles of Prydain)
The High King (Chronicles of Prydain)
Overall: 5 stars - A really gorgeous boxed set of one of the classics of children's fantasy that I somehow missed when I was growing up. This boxed set would make a beautiful gift to any child who loves reading, or to any adult who loves fantasy. Very highly recommended indeed.
This boxed set is beautifully presented with all of the five books having beautifully illustrated covers, my favourite of which is the cover to Taran Wanderer which has an amazing amount of detail. The books are supplied in a sturdy box and you also get a fully illustrated map of the land of Prydain. I have uploaded a picture of the box contents so you can see for yourself just how gorgeous this set looks.
I won't go into any depth here about each of the five stories as I have reviewed them each separately under their individual titles, but what I will say is that I absolutely loved every one of them!
The Book of Three (Chronicles of Prydain)
The Black Cauldron (Chronicles of Prydain)
The Castle of Llyr (Chronicles of Prydain)
Taran Wanderer (Chronicles of Prydain)
The High King (Chronicles of Prydain)
Overall: 5 stars - A really gorgeous boxed set of one of the classics of children's fantasy that I somehow missed when I was growing up. This boxed set would make a beautiful gift to any child who loves reading, or to any adult who loves fantasy. Very highly recommended indeed.
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
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.
"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.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
12 reviews
22 of 22 people found the following review helpful
The tales of the pig-keeper
25 Oct 2011
Format:Paperback
"The Chronicles of Prydain" is one of those fantasy series that is not only a classic, but really timeless -- it's a mishmash of heroic fantasy and Welsh folklore, a few rungs below "Lord of the Rings" and a few inches down from "Chronicles of Narnia." And Lloyd Alexander's writing is absolutely sublime, melding sorrow and humor even as the heroes fight to save the world.
"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?
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 one downside? Apparently this collection does not include "The Foundling," which is part of the Prydain Chronicles, even if it's not strictly necessary to the narrative.
"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.
"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?
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 one downside? Apparently this collection does not include "The Foundling," which is part of the Prydain Chronicles, even if it's not strictly necessary to the narrative.
"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.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Full of adventure and charm
28 Oct 2011
Format:Paperback
I fell in love with these books when they were first read aloud to me as a child, and they remain just as wonderful now that I'm an adult. The tale is of adventure and daring, of finding oneself and coming-of-age. But the best thing about these books are their truly unforgettable characters.
The story unfolds in the fantasy realm of Prydain, a world steeped in Welsh mythology. Taran, a young Assistant Pig Keeper (to a very special pig) longs to be a hero, but finds heroism to be quite different than he expected when he is caught up in the strange deeds of his time. He is joined in his adventures by Eilonwy (a loquacious princess), Fflewddur Fflam (a bard whose harp strings break when his tales stray out of the realms of truth), and Gurgi (a loyal though scruffy creature who takes delight in his "crunchings and munchings"). One comes to expect the unexpected: deathless warriors, talking crows, invisible dwarves, melancholy giants, evil enchantresses, giant cats, and prophetic pigs.
Full of adventure and charm, this series will captivate young and old alike. They're wonderful books to read aloud as a family. I'm delighted to see them re-issued in a beautiful boxed set.
The story unfolds in the fantasy realm of Prydain, a world steeped in Welsh mythology. Taran, a young Assistant Pig Keeper (to a very special pig) longs to be a hero, but finds heroism to be quite different than he expected when he is caught up in the strange deeds of his time. He is joined in his adventures by Eilonwy (a loquacious princess), Fflewddur Fflam (a bard whose harp strings break when his tales stray out of the realms of truth), and Gurgi (a loyal though scruffy creature who takes delight in his "crunchings and munchings"). One comes to expect the unexpected: deathless warriors, talking crows, invisible dwarves, melancholy giants, evil enchantresses, giant cats, and prophetic pigs.
Full of adventure and charm, this series will captivate young and old alike. They're wonderful books to read aloud as a family. I'm delighted to see them re-issued in a beautiful boxed set.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
nostolgia in a box
19 Jan 2012
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I bought this for my 9 year old to read, and have found myself entranced once again with a series that is both exciting, dark, and heroic. My son has taken to reading it aloud to me while i cook so we can share the adventure together.
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