Taran lives a fairly uninteresting life. As Assistant Pig-Keeper on the farm of the old enchanter, Dallben, things can get pretty boring. Taran dreams of adventure; battles, swords, travel, and all things having to do with being a warrior. Instead, our young orphan is left at home taking care of Hen Wen.However, as stories go, that all changes when something causes Hen Wen to go running off into the surrounding forest. Taran chases after her, only to run into Prince Gwydion, who just happens to be a warrior, and Taran’s idol.
One thing leads to another, and Taran finds himself imprisoned in a dungeon, with only the mysterious and talkative young girl, Eilonwy, for company. Not to mention he still hasn’t found his pig!
Lloyd Alexander puts a quirky twist on the traditional fantasy in this classic novel. The Book Of Three is the first of a five-book series, The Chronicles of Prydain. Despite being a medieval tale, Taran goes through many common situations that us teens and tweens can relate to, like his unrequited crush on Eilonwy, and the simple problem of growing up.
Alexander has written many novels outside of the Chronicles of Prydain, including The Rope Trick, The Iron Ring, and The Cat Who Wished to Be a Man. In 1985, Disney released an animated movie based on The Book Of Three and the second book of the series, The Black Cauldron, and was named after the second book.
This is a wonderful and fun book for anyone who enjoys a good fantasy read. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
