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The High King (The Chronicles of Prydain #5)
The Newbery-winning fantasy series now available in gorgeous new paperback editions!
Since The Book of Three was first published in 1964, young readers have been enthralled by the adventures of Taran the Assistant Pig-Keeper and his quest to become a hero. Taran is joined by an engaging cast of characters that includes Eilonwy, the strong-willed and sharp-tongued prin...more
Paperback, 248 pages
Published
May 16th 2006
by Henry Holt and Co. BYR Paperbacks
(first published 1968)
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There are times in life where everything seems to go right, and then there are the times where everything seems to go wrong. The High King is both of these. There were times I wanted to throw the book down and times I couldn't even bear to close it at night. The book, while a fairy tale, is life.
Nothing in life is free and all things come with a price, even the price of gifts that we wish we could keep. And the gift that requires the greatest price is that of love. People change...more
Nothing in life is free and all things come with a price, even the price of gifts that we wish we could keep. And the gift that requires the greatest price is that of love. People change...more
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This is to date one of the best children's novels I've read in one of the best children's series out there. Alexander draws on a wealth of Welsh mythology to put together a rags to riches story of a pig-keeper, his growth from child to youth to man, and the decisions we are all forced to make in adulthood. There were many different types of closure in the final book -- the first time I read it I cried, which is really rare for me. I found the portrayals of key characters moving as well as the st...more
"Greater, more disastrous, and demanding more courage are the battles into which Taran leads his followers against Arawn Death-Lord.... The book has the philosophical depth and overtones of great fantasy." --The Horn Book
Book Description
The Newbery-winning fantasy series now available in gorgeous new paperback editions! Since The Book of Three was first published in 1964, young readers have been enthralled by the adventures of Taran the Assistant Pig-Keeper and his qu...more
Book Description
The Newbery-winning fantasy series now available in gorgeous new paperback editions! Since The Book of Three was first published in 1964, young readers have been enthralled by the adventures of Taran the Assistant Pig-Keeper and his qu...more
Lloyd Alexander was a kind, simple man with a passion for mythology, especially Welsh lore. These books began with an exploration of ancient stories, and grew into what I believe to be the best children's literature out there. I still read them now and again, just because they move me so. Alexander manages a rather brilliant balance of humour and sorrow--something rarely found in books written for young people. His characters are lovable, entertaining, and real, despite their fantastical setting...more
I would have rated the entire series as one, but never fear, I shall do with this. :) Alexander's characters are simply stunning as always, whether indescribably evil, greedy, funny, or the ones for whom every reader feels the need to hide behind the covers once in a while, when they do something so incredibly stupid (hem, hem, our very own protagonist, no?). I read all five the books nonstop, and my parting, at the end of everything, was as difficult as the farewell between the characters in th...more
The concluding volume of the Prydain Chronicles, The High King is an exceptional work of young-adult fantasy, combining the drama and adventure of the first couple books in the series with the realism, grown-up themes, and emotional impact of the previous book, Taran Wanderer.
The characters I have grown to love throughout the series have grown deeper, more complex, and more mature with time...and that is particularly evident here. It's a book about the meaning of heroism and of adult...more
The characters I have grown to love throughout the series have grown deeper, more complex, and more mature with time...and that is particularly evident here. It's a book about the meaning of heroism and of adult...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
It's a great ending a great series. Finally, after "Taran Wanderer" Taran has become a man, but that doesn't mean he stops learning. While the other books are more about adventure, "The High King" always seemed different to me, as if everything beforehand was just a few lessons to be learned and now comes the final showdown with Arawn. The humor is still there, but the book includes the death of many friends and acquaintances. Several parts of this book always get me cryin...more
Once again, this edition is only an approximate match to the book I read which also has a white cover and Taran fighting 4 orc creatures.
It all wraps up, Taran is so wise, brave, and noble now, and Doli is referred to as "good old Doli" like 100 times. The characters in the series constantly come off like movie characters nowadays with their "signature" phrase or action repeated ad nauseum to make sure no one ever possibly could forget what type of personality th...more
It all wraps up, Taran is so wise, brave, and noble now, and Doli is referred to as "good old Doli" like 100 times. The characters in the series constantly come off like movie characters nowadays with their "signature" phrase or action repeated ad nauseum to make sure no one ever possibly could forget what type of personality th...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
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Although I enjoyed the series, I'm glad I borrowed copies instead of buying them, as I don't know that they would end up on my rereading list. There are some good points, but generally I found them to be fairly standard pseudo-Arthurian quest books. I'm afraid I wasn't terrifically fond of the lead character either, which is a bit of a problem. There's a little too much reacting going on, randomly stumbling over things that later turn out to be vitally important as opposed to actually making ...more
If any children's fantasy series deserves a makeover with more up-to-date and appealing covers, it's the Chronicles of Prydain series. Like Harry Potter, the series is full of terrific characters, epic battles, humor, and a rich mythology. But unlike Harry Potter (which I think is great if a wee meandering), these are a little more brisk and fast-paced.
The High King -- the last one in the series and winner of the Newbery -- concludes Taran's quest to prove he is more than an Assist...more
The High King -- the last one in the series and winner of the Newbery -- concludes Taran's quest to prove he is more than an Assist...more
What do you say about a book that takes a 5-book series to its end and does it extremely well? I...have trouble forming words that are eloquent enough.
I look through the comments of this and the other books in the series and I see lots of "good but..." or "OK but..." written by adult reviewers. I respond with teenage kicks to the kneecap, because I "lived" this series. I wasn't in love with Taran, but I sympathized tremendously with him. He was the lowest ...more
I look through the comments of this and the other books in the series and I see lots of "good but..." or "OK but..." written by adult reviewers. I respond with teenage kicks to the kneecap, because I "lived" this series. I wasn't in love with Taran, but I sympathized tremendously with him. He was the lowest ...more
I absolutly loved the final novel in the Chronicles of Prydain. Alexander takes us on a journey though the life of a young assistant pig keeper who dreams of going on dangerous adventures and becoming a hero. Taran learns thoughout the series that true heroes aren't defined by their battles and wars. True heroes are true friends, they are people that take care of others in need, and people who stick to their promises. Taran becomes the High King of Prydain because he is true of heart.
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Jill
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review of another edition
Recommends it for:
middle schoolers who enjoy fantasy/adventure
Shelves:
newbery-medal
1969 Newbery Winner
I struggled to get through this one. The problem is, it's the last in a series of five books and there's NO mention of what happens in the other books! it picks up right where the last book left off and you're thrown into a swarm of place names and characters, none easy to pronounce. Thankfully Dan really enjoyed this series when he was younger (12 or 13) so he filled in a lot of the back-story.
What it boils down to is this is a cliched, dumbed-down ...more
I struggled to get through this one. The problem is, it's the last in a series of five books and there's NO mention of what happens in the other books! it picks up right where the last book left off and you're thrown into a swarm of place names and characters, none easy to pronounce. Thankfully Dan really enjoyed this series when he was younger (12 or 13) so he filled in a lot of the back-story.
What it boils down to is this is a cliched, dumbed-down ...more
I liked the ending the best as Taran, the Assistant Pig-keeper, choses the difficult thing to do--to not go to the Summer Country where all striving, hardships and death no longer exist, but to remain in the kingdom of Prydain, as its king, and rebuild the country even though honor may not come to him, where his "efforts may well go unrewarded, unsung, forgotten. And at the end, like all mortals, you must face your death; perhaps without a mound of honor to mark yous resting place," a...more
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12/6/11 - 4/10
I originally read the Prydain series in elementary school and remembered liking them. I had mentioned them in the past to my daughter and she's been wanting to read them for a while. So the whole family decided to read them. Unfortunately, they were not nearly as good as I remembered. The stories were pretty simplistic and childish with not a lot of detail. The characters were one dimensional with repetitive descriptions based off a single characteristic. A couple charact...more
I originally read the Prydain series in elementary school and remembered liking them. I had mentioned them in the past to my daughter and she's been wanting to read them for a while. So the whole family decided to read them. Unfortunately, they were not nearly as good as I remembered. The stories were pretty simplistic and childish with not a lot of detail. The characters were one dimensional with repetitive descriptions based off a single characteristic. A couple charact...more
Thus concludes The Chronicles of Prydain. This is the longest book in the series, and I think it took me the shortest time to read. It's no wonder why The High King is a Newberry winner, the characters by now feel like old friends and the reader is truly invested in the story. This book was a perfect and fitting ending to the series.
Taran and Co. are all grown up and, when the legendary sword Dyrnwyn is stolen, have to at last face the Death-Lord Arawn in an epic ultimate battle of ...more
Taran and Co. are all grown up and, when the legendary sword Dyrnwyn is stolen, have to at last face the Death-Lord Arawn in an epic ultimate battle of ...more
When I got to the end of this series, despite the fact that I am over 40, and have a family and many responsibilities, I really wanted to set off on an adventure and become a heroine... A perfect set of books for those times in life when you need a little bump of get-up-and-go...
This is where it turns dark. Much violence is on page, and other nastiness is hinted at. If your upper elementary school kids have been reading the series so far, it is important to know this.
This is a fitting end to this saga. Themes and plot threads all get resolved, though not everyone will be happy about how. (In the edition I have, the author has a note stating that the reader must decide whether the ending is happy or not.) (view spoiler)...more
This is a fitting end to this saga. Themes and plot threads all get resolved, though not everyone will be happy about how. (In the edition I have, the author has a note stating that the reader must decide whether the ending is happy or not.) (view spoiler)...more
A true classic, the powerful finale to one of the greatest bildungsroman series of novels ever. Worthy of all the praise I could heap upon it, Lloyd Alexander creates one of the most endearing group of main characters in literature.
Wow...one of the least enjoyable books I have read. It was a huge struggle for me to get through this book. It took me almost 3 weeks. The boys kept saying--you're STILL reading that book? I would have rather had a root canal. But, maybe I don't know what I am talking about. The average rating for this book is over a 4! Other reviews were talking about it being the best children's book ever, etc. I just know that I was thrilled to finally finish it. I don't understand why they would giv...more
I thought this was a great ending to a great series. All the excitement, traveling, character development, story line, and good versus evil in an easy to read, less convoluted format than any other book series I've read. I loved all the characters, even the ones that were maybe supposed to be comic relief type of characters were endearing. It left me feeling satisfied and entertained. I really despise books that end in a very abrupt way. If there is any place in a book that I like to the story d...more
This is the fifth and last book of the Chronicles of Prydain. The story begins as the Assistant Pig-Keeper Taran, his companion Gurgi, and the crow Kaw return to Caer Dallben to find that the Princess Eilonwy has returned from the island kingdom of Dinas Rhydant. Taran realizes that all he wants is to be with Eilonwy even if he isn't of noble blood. However, before he is able to confess these feelings their friends Fflewddur and Gwydion send word that Arawn, the Death Lord, has stolen Taran's ma...more
I kept pointing out that each previous book was missing a certain "something" that kept them from five stars. Whatever that something is, The High King has it.
I'm afraid I haven't the time for a full review, but man does the series go out with a bang. I didn't know a Newbury Winner could be so violent. Alexander does not hesitate to kill off characters we love or to make the tasks set for our heroes really and truly feel impossible. It's a big, sweeping, melancholy, and sus...more
I'm afraid I haven't the time for a full review, but man does the series go out with a bang. I didn't know a Newbury Winner could be so violent. Alexander does not hesitate to kill off characters we love or to make the tasks set for our heroes really and truly feel impossible. It's a big, sweeping, melancholy, and sus...more
This book is simply a marvelous end to the Chronicles of Prydain series! Taran and his companions rally the people of their land to put an end to the evil Arawn once and for all. Reading this book made me feel like my emotions were on a roller coaster. I laughed, I cried, I swooned as love was finally found. It was wonderful to see all these characters learn and grow and become who they were meant to be. Awesome fantasy series!
"Long ago I yearned to be a hero withouit knowing, i...more
"Long ago I yearned to be a hero withouit knowing, i...more
There are so many familiar themes/characterizations in this book when compared to the Lord of the Rings trilogy, that I had to go look up which came first. (Lord of the Rings wins by 30 years.) But it just goes to show that JRR Tolkien really looked into the mythology of the Welsh, since the Prydain series has a Welsh background.
I did appreciate the fact that Lloyd Alexander added a girl, Eilonwy, to the scrappy band of unlikely heroes.
And this is a series that can be a...more
I did appreciate the fact that Lloyd Alexander added a girl, Eilonwy, to the scrappy band of unlikely heroes.
And this is a series that can be a...more
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Lloyd Chudley Alexander (January 30, 1924 - May 17, 2007) was an influential American author of more than forty books, mostly fantasy novels for children and adolescents, as well as several adult books. His most famous contribution to the field of children's literature is the fantasy series The Chronicles of Prydain. The concluding book of the series, The High King, was awarded the Newbery Medal i...more
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“Long ago I yearned to be a hero without knowing, in truth, what a hero was. Now, perhaps, I understand it a little better. A grower of turnips or a shaper of clay, a Commot farmer or a king--every man is a hero if he strives more for others than for himself alone.
Once you told me that the seeking counts more than the finding. So, too, must the striving count more than the gain.”
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30 people liked it
Once you told me that the seeking counts more than the finding. So, too, must the striving count more than the gain.”
“Evil conquered?' said Gwydion. 'You have learned much, but learn this last and hardest of lessons. You have conquered only the enchantments of evil. That was the easiest of your tasks, only a beginning, not an ending. Do you believe evil itself to be so quickly overcome? Not so long as men still hate and slay each other, when greed and anger goad them. Against these even a flaming sword cannot prevail, but only that portion of good in all men's hearts whose flame can never be quenched.”
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24 people liked it
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