He learns that everyone, even those who seem twisted and unpleasant has good inside them, and that kindness can bring it out. He learns that power can corrupt and that diplomacy is often preferable to conflict. At pivotal moments, Taran learns it is best to swallow pride, to forgive or show mercy. What makes “The Chronicles of Prydain” an enduring delight is Alexander's deep humanity. The sentences are short and unadorned, each one advancing the story or revealing character. The prose is lilting and rhythmic - it practically begs to be read aloud, but never flowery. Like they were carved, whittled, and sanded until only what's necessary remained. The books are between two hundred and three hundred pages each, but they pack in an extraordinary amount of life and wisdom. But there are equal parts of love and joy.” 'Yet, enter it you must,' Gwydion answered, 'for it is a destiny laid on each of us. Now I see it filled with sorrow, with cruelty and treachery, with those who would destroy all around them.' But things work out for the best in the end. If there's an overarching theme to the books, it's that becoming a man - or, more broadly, discovering the adult you want to be - is a difficult process and, often as not, filled with sadness and regret. Maybe it's just me, but darkness has become so vogue now, fantasy so cruel, the future so post-apocalyptic, that I find myself drawn to the old-fashioned.ĭon't get me wrong: Taran loses people he loves, he experiences pain and betrayal, he makes mistakes and fights despair. No one's head is chopped off, no one is raped, no one is flayed. They turn on the classical virtues of loyalty, courage, and wisdom, and those values are ultimately rewarded. The books contain plenty of darkness, but they are not dark books, rather -old-fashioned. Loosely based on Welsh myths, the books tell a fairly conventional story: A young boy, Taran, bored with his ordinary life sets off on a series of adventures, learns some lessons, confronts a great evil, becomes a man, and assumes a place of leadership. This series captures, for me, what a perfect Young Adult fantasy series looks like. They did more than speak to me - they enchanted me. Growing up, I adored the “Chronicles of Prydain” which I read and reread every few years. To this extent, we are all Assistant Pig-Keepers at heart.” Our capabilities seldom match our aspirations, and we are often woefully unprepared. “Most of us are called on to perform tasks far beyond what we can do.
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