The Book of Three

Chronicles of Prydain, #1

by Lloyd Alexander

Paperback, 190 pages

English language

Published July 14, 2006 by Henry Holt and Co. BYR Paperbacks.

ISBN:: 978-0-8050-8048-3

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(41 reviews)

The Book of Three (1964) is a high fantasy novel by American writer Lloyd Alexander, the first of five volumes in The Chronicles of Prydain. The series follows the adventures of Taran the Assistant Pig-Keeper, a youth raised by Dallben the enchanter, as he nears manhood while helping to resist the forces of Arawn Death-Lord. The book provided many elements of plot for the 1985 Disney animated feature The Black Cauldron.

3 editions

Pentapod reviewed The Book of Three by Lloyd Alexander (Chronicles of Prydain, #1)

Review of 'The Book of Three' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

I had good memories of reading this as a child, but rereading now, boy, it's definitely a children's book. Super short, super simple and things just happen without a ton of explanation or detail. And Elionwy's spoiled brattiness, which was irritating to start with, hasn't aged well.

In short: it's the story of Taran, an assistant pig keeper in a small kingdom in a place very much like Wales who is sucked up into mythic conflicts involving Arawn, the Big Bad who creates a zombie army to rule the world by cooking corpses in the Black Cauldron (see book 2), and an evil witch who is trying to take his place. Also heroic Princes, wise war heroes and wizards, and various creatures of myth and legend.

Recommended for kids maybe 10 at most, pretty simple going for anyone older than that.

Steen Christiansen reviewed The Book of Three by Lloyd Alexander (Chronicles of Prydain, #1)

Review of 'The Book of Three' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

Func, rollicking read from a time before fantasy lost its innocence.

ToadyNerd reviewed The Book of Three by Lloyd Alexander (Chronicles of Prydain, #1)

Review of 'The Book of Three' on 'Goodreads'

3 stars

Definitely fits the Fantasy genre. A lot of unbelievable coincidences and luck. But, it was a fun read.

Wetdryvac reviewed The Book of Three by Lloyd Alexander (Chronicles of Prydain, #1)

Review of 'The Book of Three (The Chronicles of Prydain)' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

An old favorite which still more or less holds its own.

M Is For Awesome reviewed The Book of Three by Lloyd Alexander (Chronicles of Prydain, #1)

Review of 'The Book of Three' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

It was very interesting reading this book again after so long. When I read it as a child it was one story, and now it is another. Both are good - when I was a kid it was more of an adventure story. As an adult it is the story about the world changing when you learn and how that can be a mixed blessing.

I was charmed at the independence and intelligence of E, who was cocky and high handed but usually right and usually wise. For her to be written in the 70’s, makes me feel we have both come a long way and not come along way, seeing as it is still struggle to see female characters so well represented on television.

Throughout the story you definitely get the impression that it is written from Taran’s point of view and thus a flawed account. Which I love. …