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4.36 AVERAGE
4.36 AVERAGE
I read these books for the first time when I was in sixth grade. I remember waiting to get the next one from the library after I had finished the previous seemed like forever. This series was in part responsible for my love of fantasy novels. I personally think that they are wonderful books for people of any age (in fact I just bought them to read again 10 years later!).
I loved The Black Cauldron so much as a kid and this series holds up incredibly well for an adult re-read. The finale of The High King is one of my favorite fantasy endings.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I loved The Black Cauldron so much as a kid and this series holds up incredibly well for an adult re-read. The finale of The High King is one of my favorite fantasy endings.
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
relaxing
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I read this series when I was in middle school, and the impressions I still have are:
A) I loved Taran as a hero. He was believable, and he was true. Sure, he made a few mistakes, but what hero doesn't?
B) These books paved my way into the world of fantasy literature. After reading these I went almost directly - via Patricia Ward's Dragon Series - into Tolkien and LOTR. Alexander's books were my gateway drug into the heaven of epic fantasy lit. Thank you, Lloyd.
C) Finally, I think I vaguely remember how creepy the Horned King was. Not just the description of him, but the pure evil that obviously followed him still makes me shiver. I'm trying to remember if I'm lumping both him and the other evil king together, but I'll just say they were creepy, and my first real taste of how heartless and cruel evil rulers could be.
Loved these books as a kid. I might even try to find them again via the library. Or maybe my mom kept them? *gasp* That would be a wonderful Christmas surprise!
A) I loved Taran as a hero. He was believable, and he was true. Sure, he made a few mistakes, but what hero doesn't?
B) These books paved my way into the world of fantasy literature. After reading these I went almost directly - via Patricia Ward's Dragon Series - into Tolkien and LOTR. Alexander's books were my gateway drug into the heaven of epic fantasy lit. Thank you, Lloyd.
C) Finally, I think I vaguely remember how creepy the Horned King was. Not just the description of him, but the pure evil that obviously followed him still makes me shiver. I'm trying to remember if I'm lumping both him and the other evil king together, but I'll just say they were creepy, and my first real taste of how heartless and cruel evil rulers could be.
Loved these books as a kid. I might even try to find them again via the library. Or maybe my mom kept them? *gasp* That would be a wonderful Christmas surprise!
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
These books shaped so much of who I am. The theme of the whole series is beautiful and cohesive while letting each book speak for itself. Norse / Arthurian fantasy.
I came to this series through my old, beaten-up VHS of Disney's adaptation, The Black Cauldron (which I understand was a box office flop UM EXCUSE ME the 80's clearly wasn't a time for CULTURE!). Rant aside, I was over the moon to find a box set of these novels and binged them over 3 days.
There is so much to the world of Prydain and Taran's adventures which were neglected in the Disney version (probably didn't help they were trying the smash The Book of Three and The Black Cauldron together in the space of an hour). While I love this series for the joy it's given me as a child, I do criticise it's treatment of girls *cough* Eilonwy *cough* from book 3 onwards (it's very)
Tried and tested in a P5/6 classroom, kids enjoyed it, and having the glossary at the back helped them to navigate Welsh names/phonemes.
There is so much to the world of Prydain and Taran's adventures which were neglected in the Disney version (probably didn't help they were trying the smash The Book of Three and The Black Cauldron together in the space of an hour). While I love this series for the joy it's given me as a child, I do criticise it's treatment of girls *cough* Eilonwy *cough* from book 3 onwards (it's very
Spoiler
'girls you must give up your power and anything you like if you want to be with a boy!'Tried and tested in a P5/6 classroom, kids enjoyed it, and having the glossary at the back helped them to navigate Welsh names/phonemes.
Having to rate the series as a whole is troublesome. The first two books I would give five stars, the third four, and the others probably two. I struggled to finish the last two books. My favorite character, Eilonwy, got shoved aside after the second book so that Taran could get more character development, though he never really developed into an entertaining character.
Fllewdder Fflam was always entertaining, as were Gurgi, Llyan, Doli, and Kaw. Hell, even Glew was more interesting than Taran.
Extensive use of the dialog tag 'cried' was good for some laughs, especially when the character was most definitely meant to be whispering. I had fun reading these aloud in the tone of them being cried out.
Overall, worth a read. I would read the first two books again for sure. Not sure about the rest.
Fllewdder Fflam was always entertaining, as were Gurgi, Llyan, Doli, and Kaw. Hell, even Glew was more interesting than Taran.
Extensive use of the dialog tag 'cried' was good for some laughs, especially when the character was most definitely meant to be whispering. I had fun reading these aloud in the tone of them being cried out.
Overall, worth a read. I would read the first two books again for sure. Not sure about the rest.