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Summary: A must-read for the fans of the Prydain Chronicles!
Review: I've always loved reading the Prydain Chronicles by Lloyd Alexander. Filled with great adventures, the Prydain Chronicles tells the story of Taran, a lowly assistant pig-keeper, who grows up fighting evil with the comradship of numerous friends. His most beloved friends include the high-spirited and talkative Princess Eilowny, the faithful to the end Gurgi, and Fflewddur Fflam, a king who wants to be a bard. In the five books of the Prydain Chronicles, Alexander opened up the reader's eyes to a wonderful world of imagination.In "The Foundling and Other Tales of Prydain", the reader is given a chance to explore more of Prydain, the world of adventure and magic. Altogether, there are eight enchanting tales in this book:
"The Foundling": Learn about Dallben when he was young and find out how he came to be in possession of The Book of Three.
"The Stone": Read about the lovable yet still bad-tempered Doli of the Fair Folk and his magic stone.
"The True Enchanter": The story of how Princess Eilowny's mother, Princess Angharad of the Castle of Llyr, finds true love with a true enchanter.
"The Rascal Crow": As Medwyn, the ancient guardian and protector of animals, the rascal crow Kadwyir learns a valuable lesson in an Aesop's Fable type of story.
"The Sword": Learn the terrible and tragic story of Rhitta, the sword Durnwyn, and the Spiral Castle.
"The Smith, the Weaver, and the Harper": Of the three, who was the wisest and became a hero as he faced evil?
"The Truthful Harp": King Flewddur Fflam maybe getting a lot more than he expects when he receives a beautiful harp...
"Coll and His White Pig": Finally, the story of brave Coll when he sets out to rescue Hen Wen, his white pig. A truly must-have book for the Prydain Chronicles fans, this book won't disappoint. Though this book is aimed mroe for Young Adults, teens and adults might probably enjoy this book, too. I love how the stories blend into the history of Prydain and how us readers can learn more about our favorite characters. Though it wouldn't matter whether you read this before or after the Prydain Series, I suggest that afterwards is better, I think this book will be better enjoyed that way. Don't forget to read the author's note! All-in-all, a short read full of terrific stories!
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Summary: a great book for people with an imagination
Review: lloyd alexander is an excellent children's author who writes imaginative books for people of all ages who sometimes let their minds wander.
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Summary: The story is fun and moving--a must for adventure lovers
Review: The High King was an excellent way to wrap up Lloyd Alexander's Prydain Chronicles. The novel is a fantastic adventure and mystical drama combined with a sweet touch of romance. The most phenomenal feature is how the story depicted the value of true friendship. This is seen in the presence of the selfless farmer, Coll, who proved to be a great asset to the comrades in a time of great danger. The storyline is entertaining and moving, and it will hold you in suspense until the end.
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Summary: Tales ah-plenty, tales galore
Review: The superstars of children's literature often have to contend with the continual cries of their fans for further adventures and stories. How long do you think J.K. Rowling will be able to keep her promise of only seven Harry Potter tales before she breaks down and consents to one further story? We should never forget that when a character (or characters) becomes famous and beloved, he/she/they cannot rest in peace. Even Sherlock Holmes rose from his grave to star in further adventures and imaginings. It should come as no surprise then that Lloyd Alexander acquiesced, after a fashion, to his adoring public. After being asked to writer further tales from the land of Prydain, Alexander chose to give the public what they wanted. Sort of. The stories in this book do take place in Prydain and they do contain many of the beloved characters we've grown to know. In a sly twist, however, Alexander sets all these tales BEFORE any of the action we read about in the Prydain Chronicles. This experiment in prefacing the stories we already know so well could have ended up as either derivative or as depressing as George Lucas's attempt to create the first three movies of the "Star Wars" series. Instead, they end up as tiny parables that speak about hope, light, and beauty in the midst of potential bloodshed and terror. They're well worth a reading.
There are eight stories in this book in total. The first, "The Foundling" is the tale of how the sorcerer Dallben was raised by three weird sisters in the midst of a swampy home and gained more wisdom than he wanted. "The Stone" shows us the dwarf Doli and his encounter with a man who wants to live forever (and finds it unaccountably dull). "The True Enchanter" is a kind of how-they-met tale explaining why the princess Eilonwy's mother (who, like all of Alexander's heroines, is exactly like Eilonwy herself) fell for her very unmagical father. "The Rascal Crow" is just Alexander's excuse to write his very own Aesop tale about a too-clever crow and his animal allies. "The Sword" explains why the sword of Drynwyn met Taran black with blood. "The Smith, the Weaver, and the Harper" is another parable, this time displaying the continual greed of man for something a little better. And finally "The Truthful Harp" shows how Fflewddur Fflam got his magic harp and how Coll and Dallben met in "Coll and His White Pig".
The stories (as Alexander himself points out in the Author's Note) can be read without having picked up a single Prydain book before. I wouldn't necessarily recommend doing that though. How significant is the average reader going to find the fact that King Rhitta died at the hand of his own sword deep in the Spiral Castle if they haven't already picked up "The Book of Three"? Or that Dallben grew old before his time? These stories aren't strictly need-to-know, but it certainly does help. As for the tales themselves, they're all right. Nothing too spectacular, if you want my honest opinion. They take the most basic elements of all good folktales and rework them over and over. If there's a common theme in any of these stories, it's that all good tales work in threes. Alexander has reworked them in such a way that they do appear somewhat original, but don't be particularly surprised if you can predict where each story is going long before its close.
In the end, this book is really best for those die-hard fans of "The Prydain Chronicles" who're clamoring for further Lloyd Alexander facts and fancies. Anyone else will probably find the books a little repetitive and not particularly new. They're lovely little tales but there's little to recommend them but the books they preface. Nice but unnoticeable.
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Summary: A glimpse at some hidden knowledge of Prydain
Review: This book contains few short stories that go more in depth into some of the stories of Prydain. The story of Eilonwy's parents and Dallben's story were especially enjoyable. I would recommend this to those that have called Prydain home at one time or another.
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Summary: not the best, but far from the worst
Review: This book fits well into the tales of the "Taran Wanderer" genre, but is nothing compared to "The Book of Three". A decent read, nonetheless, made more enjoyable by an active or overactive imagination. :)
Rating:
Summary: not the best, but far from the worst
Review: This book fits well into the tales of the "Taran Wanderer" genre, but is nothing compared to "The Book of Three". A decent read, nonetheless, made more enjoyable by an active or overactive imagination. :)
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Summary: Answers some Questions
Review: This book is really good, but too short! It tells of events before Taran's birth and sheds some light on Eilonwy's anscestry, Fflewdur's pre-Taran life, and more.
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Summary: Modern Fairy Tales with Old World Flavor
Review: This collection of short stories focuses on events long before Lloyd Alexander's Prydain Chronicles. While it sheds more light on some of the characters and situations in that series, the book really stands alone. And, to be honest, I liked it better. Alexander evokes the atmosphere of the best fairy tales without merely copying them. Often, modern writers in this genre try to candy coat the material, removing the danger and threat of evil from their fantasies; or they merely parody existing tales, attempting to add "sophistication" to their stories so that we jaded adults will like them, too. Alexander is above such tactics. These stories are really morality tales about honor, the price of knowledge, the importance of community, the value of friendship, the sacredness of life. Readers, regardless of their ages, come away having learned something. But Alexander is never preachy or obvious; he tells his tales with wit, charm, and imagination. Buy this book for yourself, read it to your children, and save it for your grandchildren.
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Summary: Little bits of background for every Prydain fan
Review: This highly readable collection of short stories provides a wonderful look at some of the characters and events that take place before the Prydain Chronicles. The titular story, "The Foundling," tells of the enchanter Dallben and how he came by The Book of Three from three well-known enchantresses. "The Stone" tells of a farmer named Maibon and his encounter with Doli of the Fair Folk, and learn to be careful what we wish for. "The True Enchanter" is the romantic story of Eilonwy's mother Angharad, and the man who won her heart. "The Rascal Crow" introduces us to Kadwyr, the father of another rascal crow named Kaw. It runs in the family. "The Sword" tells of none other than Dyrnwyn, the most powerful weapon in Prydain, and the tragic events that kindled its powers against those not of noble worth. "The Smith, the Weaver, and the Harper" fleshes out one of the most dominant themes of the Prydain Chronicles: how the Death-Lord Arawn went about deceiving the people of Prydain and stealing their greatest treasures. "The Truthful Harp" puts Fflewddur Fflam on center stage, told at the time when he left his crown to become a bard, and gained a harp that wouldn't tolerate his "colorful" facts. "Coll and His White Pig" is the story of when the oracular pig Hen Wen was stolen from the retired farmer Coll, and how he rescued her with a little unexpected help. As I said, these stories take place before the events of the Prydain Chronicles, but have far more weight if read afterwards. Then read the Prydain Chronicles again for the value that these stories add.
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