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41st out of 1,560 books
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10,553 voters
The Chronicles of Prydain Boxed Set (The Chronicles of Prydain #1-5)
Millions of young readers have been enthralled by the adventures of Taran the Assistant Pig-Keeper and his lively companions as they journey through the magical land of Prydain. First published more than thirty years ago and translated into twenty different languages, Lloyd Alexander's beloved series has become the standard of excellence in fantasy literature for children....more
Paperback, 244 pages
Published
September 27th 2007
by Henry Holt and Co. BYR Paperbacks
(first published 1966)
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I read these individually, having bought a boxed set years ago. They tell a wonderful fantasy story, much younger than The Lord of the Rings to which some try to compare it. While I can't say that I find it anywhere near as good as that epic, it is a worthy nominee to the crown of best Youth and YA fantasy. Adults can and I would think that if they are fantasy fans, will enjoy it also. The books are loosely based in Welsh mythology but they don't strain to stay with it and tell a story that's fu...more
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...more
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...more
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...more
"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...more
So even though I technically read these as separate books, it seemed somehow disingenuous towards my final book count to rate them all separately. Particularly because I finished one per day basically just in a train ride. Sometimes, public transit is a real boon.
Anyway, these comprise books 2-6 (out of I believe 9 total) books that my dear friend has lent me. Though they're children's books, and though I sometimes long for more darkness and grit, I have to admit I really enjoyed the stories. I'...more
Anyway, these comprise books 2-6 (out of I believe 9 total) books that my dear friend has lent me. Though they're children's books, and though I sometimes long for more darkness and grit, I have to admit I really enjoyed the stories. I'...more
I found this series in Jr. Hi and read it through with great glee, concern, and pleasure. Years later I bought the series to read to my children using voices for some of the characters. Gurgi came out close to a Cookie Monster/Yoda combo. When Disney made the The Black Cauldron, we went to see it and came out of the film disgusted that it had been so ineptly portrayed. Read the books! They have mystery, action, adventure, evil and good. Laugh, shiver, shake, boo, hiss, and applaud the victory of...more
Sep 05, 2011
Michelle
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
All, young or old, male or female, but especially recommended to teen boys
Do you know a boy who is dreamy and longing for adventure, glory, the “freedom” of men, and a name or reputation others look up to? I know a boy like this. Taran of Caer Dallben, Assistant Pig-Keeper, is also such a boy.
The stories in this book move quickly and are well-written. The characters are unique and well-developed. The friendships are true, strong, and loyal. We can all hope for friends such as these.
At the end of the book, Taran has grown into a man and has learned the hard truth of Ad...more
The stories in this book move quickly and are well-written. The characters are unique and well-developed. The friendships are true, strong, and loyal. We can all hope for friends such as these.
At the end of the book, Taran has grown into a man and has learned the hard truth of Ad...more
My brother-in-law bought these for my son for Christmas, at my suggestion. I read this series when I was my son's age and loved them. I'm pleased to report that they hold up very well.
In the mythical land of Prydain, young Taran longs for heroism and adventure. But alas, he's stuck being an Assistant Pig-Keeper (his adopted father, the enchanter Dallben, keeps an oracular pig, Hen Wen). But when Hen Wen runs away and is sought after by the Death Lord Arawn and his henchman the Horned King, and w...more
In the mythical land of Prydain, young Taran longs for heroism and adventure. But alas, he's stuck being an Assistant Pig-Keeper (his adopted father, the enchanter Dallben, keeps an oracular pig, Hen Wen). But when Hen Wen runs away and is sought after by the Death Lord Arawn and his henchman the Horned King, and w...more
One of my favorite series of fantasy novels. This series is for kids to young adults, but I reread them a few years back and still enjoyed them. It is often what I recommend to those who liked harry potter and want something similar. It is full of good morals mainly geared to growing men, and values honesty and integrity over flash and heroics. Its not all wholesome cheerios though, they are genuinely great books.
The series starts with The Book of Three. It is simple and a bit childish; frustrat...more
The series starts with The Book of Three. It is simple and a bit childish; frustrat...more
I just finished reading the whole 5 books in sequence. Each book itself is not long. One book contains between 100-200 pages only. But the journey inside the land of Prydain was certainly a long one.
It began with The Book of Three, where Taran was still a teenage boy, eager to see the world, to become a hero, with his prideful attitude. Along the way, in The Black Cauldron, The Castle of Llyr, Taran Wanderer, with all the journeys and events, Taran grew up to become a man, kind, compassionate,...more
It began with The Book of Three, where Taran was still a teenage boy, eager to see the world, to become a hero, with his prideful attitude. Along the way, in The Black Cauldron, The Castle of Llyr, Taran Wanderer, with all the journeys and events, Taran grew up to become a man, kind, compassionate,...more
A coming of age tale in an Ancient Nordic Magical setting; Assistant Pig Keeper Taran, along with Princess Eilonwey, animal man Gurgi , and King/want’a-be Bard Fflewddur Flam struggle for the sake of all that is good in a world facing Evil domination.
These books are heavy laden with Nordic Mythology, and such show a high resemblance The Lord of the Rings. Those of you who found the lack of female strength in the Lord of the Rings frustrating, will prefer the Prydain Series (while stronger, also...more
These books are heavy laden with Nordic Mythology, and such show a high resemblance The Lord of the Rings. Those of you who found the lack of female strength in the Lord of the Rings frustrating, will prefer the Prydain Series (while stronger, also...more
Aug 03, 2009
Stephen Dranger
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
fantasy readers, people who don't mind children's books
Recommended to Stephen by:
Isaac
This is probably the best children's fantasy series I've read. The first book (Book of Three) is merely okay (I'd give it 3 stars) but the second book, The Black Cauldron is fantastic and the series just gets better from there.
The series works as a children's book not just by virtue of being simple and easy to read; its themes are inspiring and its morals are in the right place -- none of that "divine right of kings" like Tolkien and none of the misogyny of C.S. Lewis. It also has a real female...more
The series works as a children's book not just by virtue of being simple and easy to read; its themes are inspiring and its morals are in the right place -- none of that "divine right of kings" like Tolkien and none of the misogyny of C.S. Lewis. It also has a real female...more
I read these for the first time in fifth grade, reread them about 7 years ago, and one per night this past week. I really like these, and though they are kids' books, it is fun sometimes to take a break from Nibley, Heidegger, anf Foucault, and delve into some good clean fun. I think that of all books non-religious, this set really shaped who I am. I really wanted to be like Taran in this book when I was young, and wanted to gain the same wisdom and strength that he did, since I started out as h...more
When I was a kid, for a time Lloyd Alexander was tied with Dickens as my favourite author. He’s best known for this series, The Chronicles of Prydain, which is a children’s high-fantasy, epic-quest, boys’ adventure kind of thing. In retrospect, that sounds really dull. I say meh to boys’ adventures; and high fantasy seems ill-suited to children’s stories, because the world-building ends up too slight and sanitary. Anyway, even when I was a kid, I preferred a different Alexander series: the Westm...more
Die Taran Reihe wurde ursprünglich vom SWR 2005 für den „Dschungel für Kinder“ produziert. Zunächst waren die CDs einzeln erhältlich und seit 2007 in einer Sammelbox mit allen 5 Teilen der Serie.
„Die Chroniken von Prydain“, wie die Bücher um Taran auch genannt werden, sind Klassiker der Kinderliteratur, die von Lloyd Alexander zwischen 1964-1968 veröffentlicht wurden. Diese Geschichten stehen in der Tradition der Narnia Chroniken und des Herrn der Ringe. Es geht um den klassischen Kampf Gut gege...more
„Die Chroniken von Prydain“, wie die Bücher um Taran auch genannt werden, sind Klassiker der Kinderliteratur, die von Lloyd Alexander zwischen 1964-1968 veröffentlicht wurden. Diese Geschichten stehen in der Tradition der Narnia Chroniken und des Herrn der Ringe. Es geht um den klassischen Kampf Gut gege...more
Technically the edition I read and own. Take my word for it - the Prydain Chronicles are meant to be read as one huge sprawling epic. If I should be so bold I would say that the Prydain Chronicles themselves challenge the Master of all Epics, Tolkien's LOTR. In some cases, I would even say that Prydain is worthier of holding the shining pedestal. Lloyd Alexander has the unique (even among great writers) ability to teach morals and lessons in his tales in a gentle manner; he is simpler in his spe...more
This was one of my favorite series as a young reader and Lloyd Alexander is one of my favorite YAL authors. I just finished rereading "The Black Cauldron" today and loved it! The books are full of adventure and curious characters. They also explore what it really means to be a hero and the true nature of honor. These books have deep moral/philosophical lessons, while being entertaining, too. I didn't want to set "The Black Cauldron" down. I'm going to continue rereading the series :)
My grade 4 teacher, Mr. Baltgailis read a few chapters of these books to us everyday after lunch. He made the characters come alive and this series left a great impression on me. Twenty years after, I spent quite a bit of time hunting through used book stores searching for this set, which I finally found. Same edition as what he read to us - very nostalgic! I haven't yet found the time to sit down and reread the series, but looking forward to getting to it again soon. :)
I first read this series in school and still enjoy reading it again and again. It is easy to like the characters and care about what happens to them, something not often found in stories written for the pre-teen age group.
The main character Taran learns that it is not as important where you start out in life, it is how you go forward on your journey that counts.
Fun to read to young children because they REALLY enjoy saying "Hen Wen is an ORACULAR pig!"
The main character Taran learns that it is not as important where you start out in life, it is how you go forward on your journey that counts.
Fun to read to young children because they REALLY enjoy saying "Hen Wen is an ORACULAR pig!"
I desperately want to compare the Prydain chronicles to LOTR but I can't, seeing as I haven't read LOTR yet. But I have seen the movies so based on that experience, I see a lot of similarities. The first book, (The Book of Three) in the series was part of the curriculum in sixth grade, so I remembered reading that. And to spite a kid in my class, I read the last book (The High King) in the series, never returning to them until this summer when I watched the 1985 Disney butchered attempt at portr...more
This, alongside, the Chronicles of Narnia, was my gateway drug into fantasy and medieval studies. I was seven. It was the greatest thrill of my young life to delve deeply into Taran's adventures. To this day, 31 years later, I remember exactly where I was, exactly what I was wearing, exactly what I was snacking on, and exactly how I felt, when I was reading each of these books. I wore my first set out.
I was pretty much minding my own business, plucking the odd Encyclopedia Brown mystery from the elementary school library shelves when my third grade teacher told me to check these out. They began a lifelong affection for fantasy novels, specifically fantasy series.
It's natural to utter the name Tolkein while discussing these books due to numerous parallels between Middle Earth and The Realm of Prydain, not to mention both author's utilization the multi-volume format. Alexander's Prydain series...more
It's natural to utter the name Tolkein while discussing these books due to numerous parallels between Middle Earth and The Realm of Prydain, not to mention both author's utilization the multi-volume format. Alexander's Prydain series...more
This was one of my first books that actually captured my imagination. It was the first time a book that my Grandma loved that was a JF book actually got me excited. I could not even get myself to read Chronicles of Narnia. But I could read The Chronicles of Prydain. I felt that I could truly identify with the young pig farmer who is the hero of the series.
I devoured these books when I was young. Quality fantasy reading for like middle school age, give or take a grade. To be honest, thinking back on the series, it remindes me a lot of Weis/Hickman Dragonlance Chronicles trilogy (Dragons of: Autumn Twilight, Winter Night, & Spring Dawning) but for a much younger audience and with a Welsh influence.
These books were the "youngest" of the YA fiction I've read, which meant that the story, the characters, and their development were simpler than I'm used to. Nonetheless, I truly enjoyed reading these books. They were utterly charming. And of course, the Wales-inspired setting and the incorporation of elements from Celtic myths was right up my alley. I did think that Taran started off a bit whiny and irritating, but he matured nicely over the course of the books and came out well at the end. I r...more
This was my gateway drug into the world of fantasy fiction. Yes, it belongs on the MG shelf, but if you weren't fortunate enough to read this in middle school, you should definitely read this now. Fantastic stuff. (Also, highly recommended for those precocious young readers who are not quite ready for Harry Potter yet).
Mar 30, 2011
Barbara
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommended to Barbara by:
Thom Manning
Shelves:
fantasy,
young-adult-lit
This series is a great read. They are a quick read. If you want to know if you like them, book one, "The Book of Three", can stand alone. There will be unanswered questions, but the adventure in the book is complete. Book two, "The Black Cauldron", is also its own adventure although there are still things in the land of Prydain that need to be resolved.
These book do have a dark element to them and sometimes some graphic battle images, but never described in gorey detail. I'm surprised Disney eve...more
These book do have a dark element to them and sometimes some graphic battle images, but never described in gorey detail. I'm surprised Disney eve...more
It's been a long time since I read these, middle school actually, but it was my first real intro to Fantasy, and I still remember how excited I was as I was enveloped by these stories. I've been hesitant ever since to re-read them for fear of losing the magical feelings I still so vividly remember from my childhood.
My favorite series when I was a kid I liked it better than the Lord of the Rings and far better than the Chronicles of Narnia. I fell in love with the characters and was genuinely sad when I finished the last book and couldn't live in their world any longer... sigh
This is YA before the genre was coined, and so stands out for its sheer subtle hero themes - the young boy hungering to be a true hero, and his path to self-discovery. There is no clear ladder that goes to being a leader, and this book stays true to that.
Oustanding young adult fantasy which holds up over time. I re-read the series a few years ago, without expecting much, and discovered a new layer of humor and adult concerns which had, unsurprisingly, bypassed me as a child. Highly recommended.
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| What's The Name o...: SOLVED: Reminiscing ... [s] | 3 | 86 | Aug 10, 2011 07:09am |
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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Jul 26, 2010 08:05am