The Book of Three

By Lloyd Alexander

Taran is desperate for adventure. Being a lowly Assistant Pig-Keeper just isn't exciting. That is, until the magical pig, Hen Wen, disappears and Taran embarks on a death-defying quest to save her from the evil Horned King. His perilous adventures bring Taran many new friends: an irritable dwarf, an impulsive bard, a strange hairy beast and the hot-headed Princess Eilonwy. Together, they face many dangers, from the deathless Cauldron-Born warriors, dragons, witches and the terrifying Horned King himself. Taran learns much about his identity, but the mysterious Book of Three is yet to reveal his true destiny.

"Lloyd Alexander is the true High King of fantasy." - Garth Nix

• Language: English
• Publisher: Usborne Publishing Ltd
• Release date: Aug 8, 2018
• ISBN: 9781474960571

Lloyd Alexander

Lloyd Alexander (1924-2007) was the author of more than forty books for children and adults, including the beloved children's fantasy series, the Chronicles of Prydain, one of the most widely read series in the history of fantasy and the inspiration for the animated Disney film, The Black Cauldron. His books have won numerous awards, including the Newbery Medal, the Newbery Honor, and the National Book Award for Juvenile Literature.

Reviews for The Book of Three

[shanaqui_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Read this on the train today. It's fun and a quick read. It's nothing especially new, in all the fantasy I've read. Even the relatively light-hearted tone and the characterisations aren't precisely new. It's shallow, really -- by which I mean that I didn't really feel strongly drawn to the characters, or caught up in their danger. It did make me giggle, though and Eilonwy is a really fun character. I kind of wished Gwydion had been more fleshed out, too, because he's normally the kind of character I'd be drawn to, I think. I liked Gurgi's inclusion and development, too. The writing itself isn't that great -- noticed a lot of pitfalls that I long learned to avoid myself. Still, all this might improve as the series goes on.

In summary, not great in depth, but fun to read.

[bohemima · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A superior fantasy for children, which is equally enjoyable for adults. A fairly gripping plot laced with plenty of humor, and engaging characters keep the reader entertained but not over-taxed. The story is a mix of Welsh mythology and Alexander's imagination. Highly recommended, especially for the tween set.

[arkrayder · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed this book. First time reading a Lloyd Alexander book. I did find that there seemed to be always something happening to the characters and that the story seemed to jog a long at a fairly fast pace to the detriment of character building. Part of me really wished that the author had tried to build a world behind the story in the same vain as Tolkien. Having said that, there was a lot of similarities between The Lord of the Rings and The Book of Three in my opinion. All in all a good read.

[imperfectcj · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

My kids and I listened to the audiobook of this one, and aside from the fact that Medwyn sounded vaguely Jamaican, I totally loved it. I cannot believe I didn't read this series as a child. Okay, I can believe that I didn't read it (I was too busy brooding over Edgar Allan Poe for much other extracurricular reading), but I can't quite believe that no teacher or friend ever suggested it to me and that I never even heard of it until I started homeschooling my kids.

This is just a fabulous book...incredibly imagery and complex characters. I almost look forward to the long, long drive to flute lesson every week when we have this audiobook in the car. Now to pick up The Black Cauldron at the library.

[bostonian71 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Still a classic, even if Taran's a bit younger and foolish than I remember (Eilonwy has more than enough wits for both of them). The mix of action and humor keeps this from being too slow or too serious, and I do like how Taran matures a bit, even if he seems to forget it all by the next book.

[kassilem · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I think I should have read this book when I was younger. I feel I missed my chance because now the writing is too juvenile for me. I couldn't really stand Eilonwy either, the way she always degraded Taran. Taran was a spoiled young brat. The rest of the character's weren't too bad. But definitely meant for young fantasy readers. It doesn't help that i pictured the animated characters from the movie based off of this series the whole time I was reading it. It's a series, but I won't be continuing.

[mentormom · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is a nice coming of age book particularly for young boys. The Book of Three can't really compare to Tolkien's masterful writing, but it is a nice alternative in the same vein for kids who are too young for the intensive Lord of the Rings series. The story wraps up a bit too quickly and easily, but it works for the intended audience.There are many great themes for discussion including: understanding what a leader does, appreciating the talents of others, the characteristi...more This is a nice coming of age book particularly for young boys. The Book of Three can't really compare to Tolkien's masterful writing, but it is a nice alternative in the same vein for kids who are too young for the intensive Lord of the Rings series. The story wraps up a bit too quickly and easily, but it works for the intended audience.There are many great themes for discussion including: understanding what a leader does, appreciating the talents of others, the characteristics of a hero, decision making and choosing between the goods, pride vs. humility, sense of mission and duty, not judging others, commitment to virtue and goodness, kindness, and personal vision.

[majesdane-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Hands down one of my most favorite series of all time. I read the books in fifth grade and it ruined medieval fantasy for me forever -- because nothing ever seemed to be as good.

[quaintlittlehead · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I have a strangely poignant memory of going to the library as a child. While I busied myself with Winnie-the-Pooh, my mom looked in vain for a copy of "The Black Cauldron." I don't recall her ever finding the book, and as this inexplicably seems to be one of Disney's least respected of its animated features, I never saw the movie version until I was an adult, and am only now reading "The Chronicles of Prydain" after finally finding a set of copies.So the first thing I have to say about "The Book of Three" is that I had very high expectations. I loved the Disney movie, and I loved what I perceived as the slightly similar "Dark is Rising" sequence by Susan Cooper, both as a teenager and as an adult, whereas I am still not finished reading the "Harry Potter" books, and am still just not seeing why everybody raves about them so much. Maybe if you're a kid, Harry Potter is better, I tell myself. I thus went into "The Book of Three" hoping to find something like Susan Cooper, but afraid I'd find something like J. K. Rowling and be horribly let down.I am pleased to say that while Lloyd Alexander falls between the two extremes, he is in my opinion much closer to the Susan Cooper end. From the second page, I felt that I was reading descriptions of simple everyday events that had a much larger meaning, a foreshadowing of things to come. Alexander has a tendency to introduce a lot of characters at once but not to spend a great deal of time describing them, and a lot of this story has an almost stereotypical "questing" feel about it. Yet this is made up for by the fact that the author develops characters by their reactions to what happens to them rather than by telling you how they are. There is a fantastic C. S. Lewis quality to his writing, whereby you hear important morals every once in a while, but they are told in such a unique way that they don't feel cliché; in fact, you're not sure you really understand what they mean, or whether the characters do, either. Taran and Eilonwy are at times insufferable in their simplicity and youth, but the flashes of maturity they display throughout the novel feel real and authentic, all the more so because of the naïveté with which they are so frequently contrasted. The story in the end feels a bit like "Star Wars: A New Hope." If you're experiencing it for the first time now, you have an idea of the immensity of what is to come next, and you can tell it is a sort of prologue leading up to something great, but in and of itself it contains just enough adventure and wisdom to be a satisfying stand-alone story.I also can't get over the interweaving between the book's world and the world in which it was written. Imagine an American, in the 1960s, offering the flower children of the time a chance to escape back into a chivalrous mythical kingdom. There must have been a bit of Taran in the author for such an adventure to have come to fruition, as there is in anyone who still cares enough about heroes to desire to read this book. Yet there is a bit of those flower children in Eilonwy, a feminist awkwardly suited for her royal station far before Merida was ever a gleam in an animator's eye. This blend of worldviews masterfully highlights how much humanity has held in common throughout time, in spite of being published in an era when our differences seemed to explode into prominence. For that reason, it is hard to leave the book and return to our own little homes. Reading it makes us so much bigger.

[therebelprince · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

In which Taran the assistant pig keeper sets out with a merry band of followers, to find a pig and thus save the world.

If the Amazon.com reviews are any indication, Lloyd Alexander's five-book series, The Chronicles of Prydain, has its detractors. They see it as a pale imitation of Lord of the Rings, complete with gollum-esque creature (who at least happens to be working for the good guys). They point out Alexander's expository dialogue, his rapid descriptions that leave little time for characters or sequences to make an impact, and the fact that - unlike the best children's fiction - his work is designed to appeal only to children and not to adults.

Well, I won't deny: all of those things are - to some extent - true. The obvious debt to Tolkien (and C.S. Lewis) is undeniable and occasionally uncanny. And Alexander is neither a literary giant nor a consummate non-literary storyteller on par with, say, J.K. Rowling.

Yet, I'm inclined to think the haters are being a bit unsporting about it all. The Book of Three, which opens the series, is a delightful little quest story. It's an easy, fast-paced read, which opens up an entire world of characters and species. The most delightful characters are the Princess Eilonwy, whose refusal to be relegated to the role of "female" is laudable, and the dwarf Doli, who wishes he could be invisible. Alexander's morals are in the right place for a book aimed squarely at children, but this is no bloodless Narnia. The injuries and horrors committed by the Horned King and his minions are all too real. It really raises the stakes, and if the book is about Taran learning there is more to the world than an idyllic life raising pigs, it succeeds.

There's also a great humanist skein running through the book. Medwyn, the protector of animals, eats only a vegetarian diet, while Taran is constantly forced to learn that there are many outlooks and ways of being in Prydain. And the dialogue is actually quite apt for each character. You know you're in safe hands when Gurgi - Prydain's equivalent of Gollum or, dare I say, Jar Jar Binks - is adorable rather than mawkish.

I do wish sometimes that Alexander would let each sequence breathe. I'm halfway through the second book, The Black Cauldron, and I feel like I've met an endless array of characters while drunk at a party, never able to get a firm grasp on them. But perhaps these are the limitations of a children's author when facing book length and the attention span of youngsters.

Either way, I'll give the thumbs-up to The Chronicles of Prydain so far. Even if it isn't always beautifully or densely written, it's intelligently written, and that makes all the difference.

[lynnmpk · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Taran was obnoxious and never truly learned from his mistakes. He said plenty of times that he was wrong and he would do better, and then next thing you know he's ignoring everyone else and insisting that they all do something stupid. This happened over and over again and it got tiresome.

[treebeard_404 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I have not read this book in literally decades. Yet there were scenes and lines of dialogue that I just knew were coming up, even after all that time. Truly, that is a testament to Alexander's writing skill. (See notes on The Black Cauldron for a bit of irony, though.)

[smith.erin71 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is a wonderful high fantasy adventure for middle grade children. The story is short but engaging and the characters are funny as well as earnest.

[jackalope1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

excellent read, I highly recommend it, suspenseful.

[sammelsurium-831072 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Inoffensive Tolkienesque children's lit. The main character seems designed specifically for young boys to project themselves onto, and functions well on that level. However, older readers could find the characters and setting unremarkable and simplistic.

[usuallee · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I have loved these books since I discovered them at age 10. I'll probably always re-read them every 5 or 10 years.

[jamestomasino · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I wanted to read this since it was the inspiration for much of the original dungeons and dragons. I see now that it's mostly in the world building, and that being pulled from Welsh mythology leaves little credit to the book itself.

There are some funny moments but ultimately the dialog felt forced and overly formal, the plot moved more due to accident and coincidence than the efforts of the characters, and the characters themselves felt flat. It's a product of it's time, I suppose.

[dhmontgomery-265379 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This is a fantastic series, but "The Book of Three" is definitely the weakest of the series. Its plot is relatively uninspiring, its ending sort of disappointing, and ultimately it doesn't real inspire. But it's a fast read, still relatively unenjoyable, and it introduces the world and the main characters that the subsequent four books in the series will use to much greater effect.

[aarondesk · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Short read. A little cheesy, and some deux ex machina. But some great messages. Characters are interesting.

[karenleefield · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I borrowed this book from the library. What a gem! I am a kid at heart and love easy to read, adventure-filled, "good" stories. It wasn't until much later that I discovered this book was actually written in the 1950s. Who would have known? Not I. It felt modern and fresh to me.

I loved the characters. They felt whole and real. They complimented each other. Each had their quirks, which made them stand out and enjoyable.

The plot was entertaining with its evil twists and turns. The world, the scenery, the storyline and the characters fit together like a well-worn glove. Honestly, I loved reading this book and recommend all young at heart read it.

[bintarab-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The whole Chronicles of Prydain series is well-written, imaginative, and was my introduction as a kid to a lifetime love of fantasy fiction. These books tackle large philosophical issues like bullying, the nature of heroism, social responsibility, altruism, and good vs. evil.

Appropriate for middle-schoolers or even 5th and 6th graders.

[billiebook · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Sometimes re-reading an old favorite doesn't lead to bitter disappointment. There's a reason Lloyd Alexander has inspired generations of kids and writers. If you haven't re-read these books in a while, why not do so now?

[renbedell · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Fun fantasy book set in a traditional fantasy world and scenario. This book is just fun, entertaining, and plain-old enjoyable. It has a great message about what it means to be a hero and that sometimes it is not as exciting or enjoyable as you would hoped it would be. Characters are great and memorable. Has an ending and could be read as a stand alone.

[tjsjohanna_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This first in the series introduces Taran who wants to be a hero but discovers that heroism is more than adventure and fame. With the help of friends along the way and some needed experience, Taran finds that being a hero isn't necessarily what he really wants.

[adamwolf_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I'm not completely sold on this. I was turned off by the Gollum knockoff who kept talking about munchings and crunchings, but 10 year old me probably would have really loved this book.

[fred_mouse · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

I made my first attempt at reading this book sometime during my primary school years, got about a chapter and a half through, gave up in disgust. Rediscovering it in my high school years, and remembering other books that I had initially not been able to finish, but had liked in the end, I decided to give it another go. Bah. Same problem. Given that it had won a Newberry Medal, and that a number of people had recommended it, I gave it another try.

Grrr. One of the least sympathetic main characters I've come across in a childrens/YA novel. The kid is inconsistent, selfish, and poorly characterised. It is impossible to tell what age he is, and his reactions to events are so chaotic that the only justification for what he does would appear to be the movement of the plot in the correct direction.

This problem with characterisation is not quite so bad with the others, but they are also less detailed, so it is harder to tell. The 'beast' Gurgi is all about food, with a side order of loyalty. The bard is all about learning that others will respect you for who you are, if only you stop and let them know. The female character, who may or may not be a princess, depending on which section of the story you are reading at the time seems to oscillate between being the sulky helpless character who doesn't want the help that she obviously needs, and a perfectly capable person whos abilities are being ignored. Even allowing for the age group that the book is presumably aimed at, this characterisation was unacceptable.

I'm not so sure about the plot, either. It may be that this book was a leader in its genre, and that there have been many derivative knock-offs which have influenced my expectations, but none of the surprises were particularly surprising, and the sequence of the plot seemed very regular - each chapter about the same length, the same build up. Or maybe it just felt like that because after the first 1/3 of the book I was just finishing it through sheer bloody mindedness - I'd made the effort, and damned if I were ever going to do it again.

In general, when I read something written for children that I have this negative a reaction to, I put it down to being mainly due to me not being the target demographic - like the Lemony Snickett's 'Unfortunate Events' series, where I read one, and have sworn never to read another, because of the sheer awfulness of the writing and the plot. Here though, I have the evidence of my younger self that tells me that this is not the case - the approximately 11 year old me didn't manage to finish it, and had the sense to declare this and give up.

And to suggest that this problem may be common to the author, rather than specific to the book, I also remember having a copy of 'The Black Cauldron', which I never read, and at that age I didn't care particularly much about reading series in sequence. 2/10

[rakerman_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Well-written, clever and amusing, a novel written in 1964 that has a modern tone and outlook built on a solid core of traditional fantasy. A delightful read.

[matke-261098 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A superior fantasy for children, which is equally enjoyable for adults. A fairly gripping plot laced with plenty of humor, and engaging characters keep the reader entertained but not over-taxed. The story is a mix of Welsh mythology and Alexander's imagination. Highly recommended, especially for the tween set.

[atimco-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Lloyd Alexander was one of the patron saints of my reading youth, and I don't know how many times I checked out the Prydain Chronicles from our local library. The Book of Three is the first in the series and introduces the main characters: Taran, Assistant Pig-Keeper; Eilonwy, princess; Fflewddur Fflam, bard and sometime king; Gurgi, nondescript talking creature; and Gwydion, noble prince and warrior.

Taran, an orphan under the care of the wise enchanter Dallben, is discontent with his quiet lot taking care of the oracular pig Hen-Wen. But when Hen senses a malevolent evil and flees, Taran must find her and soon meets enough adventure and danger to satisfy even the most restless of Assistant Pig-Keepers. Along the way he meets the feisty Eilonwy, smelly Gurgi, and (mostly) honest Fflewddur — all old friends of mine.

Reading it now, I see how deeply Alexander was influenced by Tolkien. Gurgi = a friendly-fied Gollum, Gwydion = Aragorn, Arawn = Sauron, Cauldron-Born = Ringwraiths, etc. More in the second book than the first there's the concept of a single evil weapon that will ensure the Dark Lord's success and can only be destroyed at great personal cost. But there's so much that's different, too, drawing on the rich legendarium of Welsh mythology.

A small quibble, but one only strengthened by this mature reread: right in the first chapter, Dallben's detailed discourse to Taran explaining the Book of Three is awkwardly inserted. Yes, we need to know the info, but the occasion for such a clear info-dump is not convincing. I remember thinking before how awkwardly it was done, and this reread only confirmed it. Thankfully, there are no more such missteps in the rest of the series. So strange that it would land in the first chapter, which is usually given such intense editorial scrutiny.

Besides that one qualm, I love this book. The action is engaging, the characters well rounded, the humor funny, the stakes high. The Book of the Three is a classic young adult fantasy tale that opens a series of equal quality. I can't wait for my children to experience it the first time!

[markbarnes_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved this book as a child, having been introduced to the series through the Disney film. It combines memorable characters with excellent humour and a relentless plot — all based in a mythical landscape that's deeply reminiscent of Wales. What's not to like?