The Chronicles Of Prydain

Alexander's Wales-inspired epic fantasy offers little in the way of originality when compared to the novels of today. It's a simple tale of Taran, a pig farmer who has always wanted more, and gets more than he's bargained for. But as is common in these stories, execution is the key, and this author has it down to a tee. The Chronicles of Prydain is an adventure novel at its core, detailing the fight and journey a band of heroes against evil. There are some incredibly strong characters, from half animals to princesses and soulless warriors. There's no Mary Sue characters in this book, each defined as much by their flaws as their weaknesses. But that doesn't mean they have no redeemable qualities, and many of their internal journeys are about finding those. Despite this, none of them reach the depth of Taran, which is where Alexander's true mastery shows. He manages to create a feeling of care for the character despite his clumsiness and irritability.Taran is not a stalwart warrior with no emotion, he's fragile and still learning. Still, he has such a strong presence that Alexander never has to describe his face. Read if you like: Lord of the Rings, adventure, diverse characters.

Books in The Chronicles Of Prydain Series (5)

Booklists having this book

The Best Fantasy Books of the 1960's

The Swinging 60's. The Space Race. Martin Luther King JR. Vietnam. JFK. The Beetles Woodstock. Bonnie and Clyde. The Sound of Music. The Jungle Book. The 60's is an era... Read more

Best of the Tolkien Clones

Tolkien is considered the founding father of the modern epic fantasy. Thus, it’s no surprise that many fantasy epics give a heavy nod to Tolkien, through some of the plot... Read more

Top 25 Best Children's Fantasy Books

Fantasy books are great for younger children, because fantasy involves imagination and suspension of beliefs about reality -- a feat that children have a natural aptitude for. Fantasy literature is... Read more

Top 25 Best Heroic Fantasy Books

Heroic Fantasy is perhaps the most iconic of its class. It carries the flagship heavyweights like The Lord of the Rings; hefty not only in size but in imagination. We... Read more

Best Feel Good Fantasy Books

Tired of grim dark stories where the nastiness of humanity is gleefully celebrated; where heroes and villains are often one and the same? Want a fantasy where good things are celebrated,... Read more

Top 50 Best Coming of Age Fantasy Books

Coming of age stories are one of the oldest themes in fiction, providing a sense of progression and growth that can't be rivaled. This is a theme that's as old... Read more

Top 50 Best Epic Fantasy

Epic fantasy is arguably the father of all fantasy subgenres. It's also the most popular fantasy genre, with hordes of new epic fantasy books being released each month. Unfortunately, the... Read more

Other books by Alexander, Lloyd