A glorious, heart-wrenching finale

books:

	• The High King (The Chronicles of Prydain) Lloyd Alexander Henry Holt and Co. BYR Paperbacks, 2006 - 272 pages average customer review:based on 131 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Best Book!

This book is the last in a series of five called The Chronicles of Prydain and I think everyone should read them. They're called "children's books" but they're written with a flair and great for all ages. There are lessons for everyone but not written with any moralistic tone. They are loosely based on some old Wales mythology.

My favorite children's book

I read this book for the first time when I was in the fifth grade. Since then I have read and re-read it time and again over the years (I am now 40) and the book still has a strong appeal to me- I read it again earlier this year and was struck by how profound the book is. Lloyd Alexander was a very rare author who wrote with a high level of integrity and it is easy to see that the Prydain Series was one dear to his heart. I had the opportunity to meet him several years ago and enjoyed the brief visit I had with him. I told him that in appearance, he reminded me of how Fflewddur Flam appeared in my imagination.:-) This book comes highly recommended from me. In this book you will find action, adventure, and drama; and I think perhaps you will even come to better know yourself.

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A fitting end

This is a fitting end to a great series. All that is meant to happen in these characters lives do happen. Our characters have come, in their own ways, full circle. They all play their parts in this story, and they all fulfill their missions and duties and become the adults they are supposed to be. Sure, we all learned about life and death along the way, but that is how it is in "the real world" is it not? We don't always get what we want, but we always get what we need. And we cannot always hang onto that which we used to. We must all grow up, we must all carry multiple torches during our lives. That, I feel, is what this overarcing story is all about. That, and the adage "we can never go home again." These five books are a great tale, both as just a story and how to treat others. We also learn fortitude to stick to what we believe in the face of adversity. Sit back and enjoy this wonderful series.

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Great books

I read the Prydain Chronicles as a child and still find them enjoyable today. I look forward to one day sharing these tales with my children.

A glorious, heart-wrenching finale

The High King brings the five-book Chronicles of Prydain to a conclusion that cements the series as one of the best works of fantasy literature in history. In a final epic story, loose ends from the previous books get tied up and the final fate of assistant pig-keeper Taran is finally revealed.

Unlike the other books of Prydain, which assume that you've read the previous novels but don't really require it, The High King is a book where readers really need to have read the preceding four novel to truly appreciate. Without that knowledge, the character developments seem less shocking and the stakes at which a final desperate war against Arawn, lord of death, feels much less epic at its conclusion.

And what a conclusion it is. From the beginning of the book where Arawn succeeds in stealing the magical blade Dyrnwyn to the novel's climax in the land of Annuvin itself, The High King delivers epic, exciting fantasy. All the stops are pulled out, which naturally leads to heartbreak as we have to bid farewell to some of our favorite characters. Taran, who had developed from an awkward boy to a mature man over the previous four novels, finally learns what it takes to be a hero, and why being an assistant pig-keeper wasn't so bad after all. All in all, The High King is a magnificent conclusions to the Chronicles of Prydain, and this glorious ending marks the series as a must read for anyone who enjoys fantasy literature, no matter what their age.

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reviews: page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

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 princess; Fflewddur Fflam, the hyperbole-prone bard; the ever-faithful Gurgi; and the curmudgeonly Doli?all of whom have become involved in an epic struggle between good and evil that shapes the fate of the legendary land of Prydain. Released over a period of five years, Lloyd Alexander?s beautifully written tales not only captured children?s imaginations but also garnered the highest critical praise.

The Black Cauldron was a Newbery Honor Book, and the final volume in the chronicles, The High King, crowned the series by winning the Newbery Medal for ?the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children.?

Henry Holt is proud to present this classic series in a new, redesigned paperback format. The jackets feature stunning art by acclaimed fantasy artist David Wyatt, giving the books a fresh look for today?s generation of young fantasy lovers. The companion book of short stories, The Foundling is also available in paperback at this time.

In their more than thirty years in print, the Chronicles of Prydain have become the standard of excellence in fantasy literature for children.

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