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The High King

The High King

List Price: $28.00
Your Price: $18.48
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Beautiful conclusion to an excellent series
Review:
I've loved Lloyd Alexander's classic series ever since I read "The Book of Three" in elemantary school. A well-chosen Christmas gift from my parents ensured that I got my hands on the next four books, concluding with "The High King".

One of the strengths of this series is that the characters learn and grow from one book to the next; it's great to see Taran from "The Book of Three", who reminds me rather of myself at that age (*grin*) grow up to take the responsibilities he has earned by the end of "The High King".

Alexander's use of Welsh mythology is excellent and for the most part right on target, though Arawn isn't quite as malevolent a figure in myth as he is in the Chronicles of Prydain, and the Gwydion of the Mabinogion is as much a trickster as he is a hero. (This isn't really a criticism; these are books for children, and I know that making Arawn and Gwydion more ambiguous characters would have confused me when I was younger.) The Triple Goddess, the people of Twylyth Teg, the people of Llyr--they're all here, forming a seamless and very real-feeling backdrop to the main characters' adventures.

Older readers may be interested in checking out the Mabinogion, the main body of Welsh myth that has survived the ages, after finishing this series. Gwyn Thomas and Kevin Crossley-Holland's "Tales from the Mabinogion" is an excellent edition to try, with beautiful illustrations.

Overall, the Chronicles of Prydain remain among my favorite stories, with "The High King" the best of the lot. I highly recommend them.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: I'm waiting for this to become a movie...
Review: Others have summed up how good this book, and indeed, the whole Chronicles of Pyrdain series is -- I heartily agree. What I would like to see is the series translated into film. It would be marvelous -- kind of like a combination of Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The ending of the Prydan Chronocles
Review: The High King is a Newbery award winner in a series of 5 books (The High King is last book in the series). Starting with the mystical and astonishing book The Book of Three, this series builds over time and forces the reader to read these books again after time. The book starts off with Taran, once a cowardly assistant pig keeper. After the other books he develops the skills needed for a warrior, and is now grown up into a majestic character with the other characters met and discovered in the other books. The saddest and dreadful book in the series, the story must end, and main characters that played an important role are enforced in this book, ending the series once and for all. This book is the final attack made towards the Death Lord, and seals the paths for epilogues, but leaves room for the past to be revealed. The series read together make a great connection towards each other, and answers all unanswered questions that remain in the readers' head. This adventure plots all the characters from previous journeys, and makes a perilous excursion for the fantasy readers. Just like any series, what happens in the past controls the future. This book, read with the series or alone, provides adventure for any age. The fantasy based book implanted on the fundamentals of a welsh legend shows how people can react sometimes, or how much their customs make notice in front of intelligence and common sense.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A New Idea, An Excellent Book
Review: This book, The High King, by Lloyd Alexander, the 5th and last book of the "Prydain" series, is filled with action and suspense. The first four books lead up to this one with Taran, Assistant Pig Keeper, gaining friends, courage and manhood. Now Taran and his friends put everything at risk to save Prydain, the mystical kingdom they live in. Arawn, Death Lord, steals the most powerful weapon in Prydain, "Dyrnwyn", a flaming sword. Now the valiant men in Prydain must fight to get it back. The High King is an excellent book because of the action and suspense. There are 4 major battles in the book. It also shows the hardships away from the battlefield Taran and his friends encounter. Love, personal deaths, and other things are twirled in with the main action theme. Lloyd Alexander also tosses magic into the cauldron, enhancing the story greatly. The magic makes it so much more mystical. In addition, having it in a medieval setting makes the battles less just shooting and more strategy. It also has large type and is easy to read. * Some people may not agree with my opinion of the book, mainly because it is gory. But it is not just blood but action. The gore is necessary because it comes from deathless warriors, who are a huge factor in the book. Without them, the book would not be as good. When you read it. You will find that The High King is an excellent book, with much action.

*In the Yearling edition of the book.


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