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The Arkadians
To escape the wrath of the king and his wicked soothsayers, an honest young man joins forces with a poet-turned-jackass and a young girl with mystical powers as they embark on a series of epic adventures through the land of Arkadia.
272 pages, Paperback
First published June 29, 1995
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1974 people want to read
About the author
Lloyd Alexander
134 books2,108 followersLloyd Chudley Alexander was an influential American author of more than forty books, mostly fantasy novels for children and adolescents, as well as several adult books. His most famous contribution to the field of children's literature is the fantasy series The Chronicles of Prydain. The concluding book of the series,
The High King
, was awarded the Newbery Medal in 1969. Alexander's other books have also won the National Book Award and the American Book Award. He was also one of the creators of Cricket Magazine.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 159 reviews
December 2, 2008
Lloyd Alexander is best known for his outstanding Chronicles of Prydain fantasy series. And deservedly so; it's a great series, charming, unique, and with a powerful and moving sense of morality to it. It is, in many ways, a Lord of the Rings for the young-teen set.
For those who aren't familiar with Alexander, I should emphasize that he wrote most of his work before the modern craze for huge fantasy series and juvenile fantasy series (in both senses of the word "juvenile"). His work is far superior to most of the trash that's published as fantasy for young adults (or even full-fledged adults) today.
Alexander has a very strong and unmistakable writing style. This is, generally a strength. But in some - not all, but some of his other books, the style doesn't fit the story as well as it does in The Chronicles of Prydain. Put simply, while I'd rate that series as a "5" overall, most of his other works would be a "4" or "3" (I have yet to run across a book by Alexander that I'd rate less than a "3").
I picked up a copy of The Arkadians at the permanent book sale at our library. I didn't expect much; it's a stand-alone book, and the blurb on the back showed that it was based at least partly on Greek mythology, rather than the Welsh mythology which is Alexander's strongest suit.
I was pleasantly surprised. The Arkadians is strongly influenced by Greek mythology, yes, but with an enjoyable skew. The adventures of Lucian the one-time accountant on the run for his life, and of the friends he meets along the way - particularly Fronto, the poet who has been transformed into an ass, and Joy-In-The-Dance, a strong-willed young woman with unusual abilities - echo many elements of Greek mythology, but throughout Fronto and Lucian discuss "improving" them into forms much closer to the classic Greek tales.
But that's beside the point. The point is that the story is well-told, and exciting, and funny, and touching, all at the right moments and in the right places. The one place where it might fall down, slightly, is the last few paragraphs; the story draws to a close surprisingly quickly, and somehow with less emotion than I expected. But this is a minor point. All in all, The Arkadians is a very enjoyable story that reads easily and well, a strong four. I will certainly read it again.
For those who aren't familiar with Alexander, I should emphasize that he wrote most of his work before the modern craze for huge fantasy series and juvenile fantasy series (in both senses of the word "juvenile"). His work is far superior to most of the trash that's published as fantasy for young adults (or even full-fledged adults) today.
Alexander has a very strong and unmistakable writing style. This is, generally a strength. But in some - not all, but some of his other books, the style doesn't fit the story as well as it does in The Chronicles of Prydain. Put simply, while I'd rate that series as a "5" overall, most of his other works would be a "4" or "3" (I have yet to run across a book by Alexander that I'd rate less than a "3").
I picked up a copy of The Arkadians at the permanent book sale at our library. I didn't expect much; it's a stand-alone book, and the blurb on the back showed that it was based at least partly on Greek mythology, rather than the Welsh mythology which is Alexander's strongest suit.
I was pleasantly surprised. The Arkadians is strongly influenced by Greek mythology, yes, but with an enjoyable skew. The adventures of Lucian the one-time accountant on the run for his life, and of the friends he meets along the way - particularly Fronto, the poet who has been transformed into an ass, and Joy-In-The-Dance, a strong-willed young woman with unusual abilities - echo many elements of Greek mythology, but throughout Fronto and Lucian discuss "improving" them into forms much closer to the classic Greek tales.
But that's beside the point. The point is that the story is well-told, and exciting, and funny, and touching, all at the right moments and in the right places. The one place where it might fall down, slightly, is the last few paragraphs; the story draws to a close surprisingly quickly, and somehow with less emotion than I expected. But this is a minor point. All in all, The Arkadians is a very enjoyable story that reads easily and well, a strong four. I will certainly read it again.
August 18, 2018
Ok, I don't particularly like most of the Greek myths & legends, and only have a limited knowledge of them. And yet it does help to know them to fully appreciate this. It's both a tribute and a gentle spoof. Much quest, heroism... and discussion of what makes a good story. Some mild adventure, but much humor and joy. I don't know how to say what I liked about or why I'm recommending it (and I am) except to say that I was grinning the whole time that I was reading it.
I'm not sure which young readers would like it. I think a child would have to have read either Percy Jackson or other collections of Greek stories. And would have to be at least 9 or 10 years old, as most of the characters are adults and there is some mushy stuff. They'd also have to be patient, as the book starts out with an overly strong feminist message. That message does get tempered by the time we get to the happy ending, but it is a journey.
"If a storyteller worried about the facts... how could he ever get at the truth?"
Alexander's other works have been in my awareness for decades... maybe now that I know I can enjoy him, I'll try something else.
(Hyman's art on cover and of author the only, but still worth viewing if you get a chance. Though I'm not entirely sure I agree with her interpretation of each character... it seems she was given suggestions of characters instead of reading the book.)
I'm not sure which young readers would like it. I think a child would have to have read either Percy Jackson or other collections of Greek stories. And would have to be at least 9 or 10 years old, as most of the characters are adults and there is some mushy stuff. They'd also have to be patient, as the book starts out with an overly strong feminist message. That message does get tempered by the time we get to the happy ending, but it is a journey.
"If a storyteller worried about the facts... how could he ever get at the truth?"
Alexander's other works have been in my awareness for decades... maybe now that I know I can enjoy him, I'll try something else.
(Hyman's art on cover and of author the only, but still worth viewing if you get a chance. Though I'm not entirely sure I agree with her interpretation of each character... it seems she was given suggestions of characters instead of reading the book.)
August 24, 2020
Read as part of my ongoing shelf audit. Verdict: I don't think I'm ready to let this one go.
Lloyd Alexander must have been some kind of magic, because everything I've read by him has the feeling of a classic no matter when it was published. His stories are just immensely well-crafted and satisfying, with pieces that fit together neatly and characters who struggle, grow, and entertain. The character arcs are generally simple, but there's nothing wrong with that in books for middle grade readers, and the issues they deal with are often more complex; major themes of The Arkadians include cultural conflict, the twisting of history for political gain, and the injustice of gender roles.
This book is also a marvelous treat for young Greek mythology aficionados, who will recognize several classic tales in the stories-within-the-story - and pick up on the implication that legends like Odysseus, Hercules, and more could easily have been based on real events and elaborated on by retellings throughout the generations. It's a fun little Easter egg hunt for those who, like me, read D'Aulaires' Book of Greek Myths far too many times.
Part of me wants to donate this book to the local library book sale so another young reader can enjoy it as much as I have throughout the years, but honestly rereading it in this year of stress was just so purely relaxing that I want to keep it around, at least a little longer.
Lloyd Alexander must have been some kind of magic, because everything I've read by him has the feeling of a classic no matter when it was published. His stories are just immensely well-crafted and satisfying, with pieces that fit together neatly and characters who struggle, grow, and entertain. The character arcs are generally simple, but there's nothing wrong with that in books for middle grade readers, and the issues they deal with are often more complex; major themes of The Arkadians include cultural conflict, the twisting of history for political gain, and the injustice of gender roles.
This book is also a marvelous treat for young Greek mythology aficionados, who will recognize several classic tales in the stories-within-the-story - and pick up on the implication that legends like Odysseus, Hercules, and more could easily have been based on real events and elaborated on by retellings throughout the generations. It's a fun little Easter egg hunt for those who, like me, read D'Aulaires' Book of Greek Myths far too many times.
Part of me wants to donate this book to the local library book sale so another young reader can enjoy it as much as I have throughout the years, but honestly rereading it in this year of stress was just so purely relaxing that I want to keep it around, at least a little longer.
November 20, 2025
আজ থেকে প্রায় ১৮০০ বছর আগে এপোলিয়াস নামে এক প্লাটোনিক দার্শনিক মেটামরফসিস নামে ল্যাটিন ভাষায় একটা উপন্যাস লিখেছিলেন, সম্ভবত এথেন্সে বসে। ওটা ছিল আদতে লুসিয়াস নামে এক লোকের জাদুর মাধ্যমে পাখি হতে গিয়ে ভুল করে গাধা হয়ে যাওয়ার কাহিনী। গাধা থেকে অনেক কাঠখড় পুড়িয়ে শেষে সে আবার মানুষ হতে পেরেছিল অবশ্য, গল্পটা সুন্দর।
আরকাদিয়ান্স গল্পে এক কবি'র গল্প দেখতে পাই, যে ভুলক্রমে গাধায় রূপান্তরিত হয়ে গেছে। পুনরায় মানুষ হবার পথ খুঁজতে লম্বা সফরে বেরোয় কবি। সাথে আরো নানান দেশের বন্ধুরা জুটে, ভিন্ন ভিন্ন দরকারে সবাই এক সফরে সঙ্গী হয়েছে।
খুবই উপভোগ্য একটা শিশুতোষ রূপকথার গল্প!
আরকাদিয়ান্স গল্পে এক কবি'র গল্প দেখতে পাই, যে ভুলক্রমে গাধায় রূপান্তরিত হয়ে গেছে। পুনরায় মানুষ হবার পথ খুঁজতে লম্বা সফরে বেরোয় কবি। সাথে আরো নানান দেশের বন্ধুরা জুটে, ভিন্ন ভিন্ন দরকারে সবাই এক সফরে সঙ্গী হয়েছে।
খুবই উপভোগ্য একটা শিশুতোষ রূপকথার গল্প!
July 10, 2025
This is the second to the last book I have by Lloyd Alexander, and I'm glad that it was part of my reading while I'm traveling. This is a fun, quirky adventure that mixes Greek mythology with Alexander’s trademark humor and charm. I really enjoyed how the characters bounce off each other in such silly and unexpected ways. The story is lighthearted but still has clever twists and a sense of wonder. It’s one of my favorite of Lloyd's books because I love how whimsical it is plus the talking animals were delightful.
July 29, 2012
I've been on a Lloyd Alexander kick recently. I re-read Westmark for the heck of it, and then while I was tracking down and waiting for its sequel, The Kestrel, I read every other Lloyd Alexander book on my shelves.
The Arkadians (published 1995), alas, brought me to the realization that Mr. Alexander, like many YA authors (L.M. Montgomery also falls into this category.), deals in types. What I mean is, although his characters and settings change, they are all, in some ways, very much the same. His protagonists (usually male) are all very similar: not unskilled, fairly well-educated, outwardly competent, inwardly bumbling, frequently bewildered, even bemused, often disappointed. His "leading ladies" (really quite secondary characters) are unflappable, resourceful, wise, practical, wry, forthright, rather mercurial, and often just downright darling (if you like stubbornness). Here, as in the Chronicles of Prydain, we have the trusty "animal" sidekick, or the animal who isn't really an animal--in this case, Fronto, a poet turned by magic into a jackass. We also have a charming urchin: no Weasel this time, but rather Catch-a-Tick, an incorrigible mischief-maker and hero-worshipper. There's also Bromios, the king-who-isn't very kingly (cf. Constantine IX and the Prince of Mona); the king's villainous advisors, Calchas and Phobos (cf. Carabbus and Magg), the all-too-fallible wisewoman, The Lady of Wild Things (cf. Queen Caroline and Queen Achren), and her somewhat tolerant, admirable consort or almost-consort (cf. Dr. Torrens and Gwydion). There's also that member of the misfit band that I like to call "the wildcard," in this case Argeus Ops (cf. Flewddur Fflam and Florian...yes, Florian. If you think about it, it will make sense).
Now, while all this gives us more analytical readers a fun game to play (a game I might call "Who is Like Whom?"), it doesn't really say great things about the author. In many ways, The Arkadians feels like a re-tread, the same story in a different iteration, this time in Greece. No, Taran is not exactly like Theo, who is not exactly like Lucian. Dialogue from Eilonwy can't be transferred verbatim to Joy-in-the-Dance or Mickle and still make sense. And there is no animal sidekick in the Westmark series. But the abundance of similarities between this and many others of Alexander's works leads me to believe that at least in The Arkadians, he's not exactly going for the gold, reaching for the stars, plumbing the depths, or whatever phrase you want to use to mean he's going all-out (or is it "all-in?").
The Arkadians (published 1995), alas, brought me to the realization that Mr. Alexander, like many YA authors (L.M. Montgomery also falls into this category.), deals in types. What I mean is, although his characters and settings change, they are all, in some ways, very much the same. His protagonists (usually male) are all very similar: not unskilled, fairly well-educated, outwardly competent, inwardly bumbling, frequently bewildered, even bemused, often disappointed. His "leading ladies" (really quite secondary characters) are unflappable, resourceful, wise, practical, wry, forthright, rather mercurial, and often just downright darling (if you like stubbornness). Here, as in the Chronicles of Prydain, we have the trusty "animal" sidekick, or the animal who isn't really an animal--in this case, Fronto, a poet turned by magic into a jackass. We also have a charming urchin: no Weasel this time, but rather Catch-a-Tick, an incorrigible mischief-maker and hero-worshipper. There's also Bromios, the king-who-isn't very kingly (cf. Constantine IX and the Prince of Mona); the king's villainous advisors, Calchas and Phobos (cf. Carabbus and Magg), the all-too-fallible wisewoman, The Lady of Wild Things (cf. Queen Caroline and Queen Achren), and her somewhat tolerant, admirable consort or almost-consort (cf. Dr. Torrens and Gwydion). There's also that member of the misfit band that I like to call "the wildcard," in this case Argeus Ops (cf. Flewddur Fflam and Florian...yes, Florian. If you think about it, it will make sense).
Now, while all this gives us more analytical readers a fun game to play (a game I might call "Who is Like Whom?"), it doesn't really say great things about the author. In many ways, The Arkadians feels like a re-tread, the same story in a different iteration, this time in Greece. No, Taran is not exactly like Theo, who is not exactly like Lucian. Dialogue from Eilonwy can't be transferred verbatim to Joy-in-the-Dance or Mickle and still make sense. And there is no animal sidekick in the Westmark series. But the abundance of similarities between this and many others of Alexander's works leads me to believe that at least in The Arkadians, he's not exactly going for the gold, reaching for the stars, plumbing the depths, or whatever phrase you want to use to mean he's going all-out (or is it "all-in?").
May 13, 2014
Re reading this book again. I can't believe I didn't add this to my books. As great a read as I remembered.
Couldn't I give it six stars? No, really couldn't I?
Summary: The Woman Who Talks To Snakes splits the kingdom when she gives the Bear King a prophecy he didn’t like. Lucian is on the run for being too good at counting things. Fronto a poet is has turned himself into a jackass and is desperate to find a cure. Add in some other zany characters and a variety of Greek mythology and you have a delightful fun adventure.
Review: Every so often you find that book that you just don't want to end. I finised two other books while reading this one so I could savor this book. It is a magical book of greek mythology, the power of storytelling, love, adventure, humor, and an occasional nugget of Truth. This has been about my third reading of the book and it was still fresh as if was my first reading.
Biggest merit I could say is that it managed to implant an new vision of Garden of Eden story. I later use that idea for a service. It was only reading the story again that I realized where the seed of the idea had come from.
The book also had a perfect A++ ending.
For those who read the book:
In the course of the reading I counted 13 refrences to Greek mythology. I probably missed some though. Did anyone see more?
The references I got were:
Pandora's Box, Narracius, Altana, Helen of Troy, Trojan Horse, Odyessus, Jason, Hercules, Golden Fleece, Theseus, Cyclopse, Mouitaur, and of course the Oracle.
Quotes:
Opening “This is a tale of a jackass and a young bean counter, a girl of marvels and mysteries, horsemen swift as the wind, Goat Folk, Daughters of Morning, voyages, tempests, terrors, disasters. And the occasional rainbow.”
Seize the day, whatever's in it to seize, before something comes along and seizes you.”
"If a storyteller worried about the facts-my dear Lucian, how could he ever get to the truth."
"It's rather like having a tame bear for a pet." Fronto observed. "You can't help being fond of him, but you keep wishing he was a cat."
Couldn't I give it six stars? No, really couldn't I?
Summary: The Woman Who Talks To Snakes splits the kingdom when she gives the Bear King a prophecy he didn’t like. Lucian is on the run for being too good at counting things. Fronto a poet is has turned himself into a jackass and is desperate to find a cure. Add in some other zany characters and a variety of Greek mythology and you have a delightful fun adventure.
Review: Every so often you find that book that you just don't want to end. I finised two other books while reading this one so I could savor this book. It is a magical book of greek mythology, the power of storytelling, love, adventure, humor, and an occasional nugget of Truth. This has been about my third reading of the book and it was still fresh as if was my first reading.
Biggest merit I could say is that it managed to implant an new vision of Garden of Eden story. I later use that idea for a service. It was only reading the story again that I realized where the seed of the idea had come from.
The book also had a perfect A++ ending.
For those who read the book:
In the course of the reading I counted 13 refrences to Greek mythology. I probably missed some though. Did anyone see more?
The references I got were:
Pandora's Box, Narracius, Altana, Helen of Troy, Trojan Horse, Odyessus, Jason, Hercules, Golden Fleece, Theseus, Cyclopse, Mouitaur, and of course the Oracle.
Quotes:
Opening “This is a tale of a jackass and a young bean counter, a girl of marvels and mysteries, horsemen swift as the wind, Goat Folk, Daughters of Morning, voyages, tempests, terrors, disasters. And the occasional rainbow.”
Seize the day, whatever's in it to seize, before something comes along and seizes you.”
"If a storyteller worried about the facts-my dear Lucian, how could he ever get to the truth."
"It's rather like having a tame bear for a pet." Fronto observed. "You can't help being fond of him, but you keep wishing he was a cat."
October 30, 2014
"Then all the tales that I've heard from Oudeis, Gold-Horse, Buckthorn -- someday I want to write them down so they won't be forgotten. Those and everything that's happened to me, as well. Sometimes they all get mixed up together in my head, as if the tales were my life and my life was a tale."
I came back to The Arkadians because I read Lauren Groff's Arcadia earlier this year. They are absolutely nothing alike.
The Arkadians draws heavily on Greek mythology. Lucian, bean-counter in the palace of King Bromios, accidentally gets on the wrong side of the court soothsayers. In his escape, he liberates a poet who has been turned into a donkey, and the two go on a quest to find a way to change the poet back into a man. Along the way, they add several companions, including a saucy young pythoness, Joy-in-the-Dance.
Lloyd Alexander's wry humor is visible in every story he adds. When the band is shipwrecked on the island of Tauros, they're thrown into the bull-fighting ring of Borysthenes (Minos), but Joy-in-the-Dance is able to calm down the bull by talking to it. The shipbuilder Oudeis tells them about his seven-year journey home to his sweetheart Mirina, who is running a tavern in his absence. The Pandora's box myth in this story features a male protagonist named Think-Too-Late. All of it is charming and incredibly fun to read.
I also have to admit that I came back to this book because, at the age of nine, I wrote a heavily derivative story based entirely on the idea of a bunch of random people wandering around some mystical fantasy land that was partially based on ancient Greece. I'm too afraid to open this document up (what if my best work is all behind me??!? etc etc), but perhaps I'll have some wine later this week and see how embarrassing it really is. I'll report back.
March 28, 2019
I love The Prydain Chronicles. For me, as with so many others, they were the first true Fantasy novels I ever read, giving me a life-long love of the genre. They're funny and exciting and thought-provoking and strange. I reread them at least once every couple of years and am taken back to childhood wonder every time.
This being the case, I have no idea why it never occurred to me till about five years ago that Lloyd Alexander might have written other books that I should probably check out.
I discovered this when I heard rumours of a Prydain follow-up, a short story collection that contained some of his other scattershot thoughts on that magical world. I went searching, and sure enough, found not only The Foundling and Other Tales of Prydain (hurrah!), but also a bunch of other unrelated Alexander works.
I bought the lot.
This is the first one of them -- except for The Foundling, of course -- I've read.
And... well. The Arkadians did not quite capture me. Which is unfortunate, since not only is it by Lloyd Alexander, whom I would confidently have called one of my favourite writers for over three decades, but it is also a retelling of Greek Myth, and I can't get enough of those.
This one is only tangentially tied to that pantheon, in fact, and perhaps that is where my expectations and reality collided, lessening my enjoyment of the book. There are references, sure, and even discussions, and there is some pointed parody of mythology in general that is amusing in places, but on the whole this isn't so much a book about Greek Mythology as it is using mythological devices to tell an original story about Lucian, an accountant who is just too good at accounting; a poet who was turned into a donkey and is searching for a cure, and the forthright Joy-in-the-Dance, an oracle who insists on calling Lucian "Aii-Ouch", after he greets her with the involuntary exclamation at their first meeting, and which is at first funny but gets kind of tiresome after a while.
Just like real joking-but-demeaning nicknames, I guess.
It's not that I didn't like this book. I did. It was... fine. It had originality on its side, despite its Ancient pedigree, and I liked that Joy-in-the-Dance had agency and was not afraid to use it. In fact, all the female roles were punched up way more than they are in much of mythology, which makes me think perhaps this is a kid lit Greek Mythology version of The Mists of Avalon. (Ugh. No wonder I didn't love it.) I also thought it was very clever that this story was kind of a meta commentary on myths themselves, how they morph and grow over years of embellishment and should not be taken as faithful representations of events. ("If a storyteller worried about the facts, my dear Lucian, how could he ever get to the truth?")
But I guess I was expecting something different, and that led to my disappointment.
In a kids' book.
Yes, that is a thing that just happened to me.
I'm cool with it.
This being the case, I have no idea why it never occurred to me till about five years ago that Lloyd Alexander might have written other books that I should probably check out.
I discovered this when I heard rumours of a Prydain follow-up, a short story collection that contained some of his other scattershot thoughts on that magical world. I went searching, and sure enough, found not only The Foundling and Other Tales of Prydain (hurrah!), but also a bunch of other unrelated Alexander works.
I bought the lot.
This is the first one of them -- except for The Foundling, of course -- I've read.
And... well. The Arkadians did not quite capture me. Which is unfortunate, since not only is it by Lloyd Alexander, whom I would confidently have called one of my favourite writers for over three decades, but it is also a retelling of Greek Myth, and I can't get enough of those.
This one is only tangentially tied to that pantheon, in fact, and perhaps that is where my expectations and reality collided, lessening my enjoyment of the book. There are references, sure, and even discussions, and there is some pointed parody of mythology in general that is amusing in places, but on the whole this isn't so much a book about Greek Mythology as it is using mythological devices to tell an original story about Lucian, an accountant who is just too good at accounting; a poet who was turned into a donkey and is searching for a cure, and the forthright Joy-in-the-Dance, an oracle who insists on calling Lucian "Aii-Ouch", after he greets her with the involuntary exclamation at their first meeting, and which is at first funny but gets kind of tiresome after a while.
Just like real joking-but-demeaning nicknames, I guess.
It's not that I didn't like this book. I did. It was... fine. It had originality on its side, despite its Ancient pedigree, and I liked that Joy-in-the-Dance had agency and was not afraid to use it. In fact, all the female roles were punched up way more than they are in much of mythology, which makes me think perhaps this is a kid lit Greek Mythology version of The Mists of Avalon. (Ugh. No wonder I didn't love it.) I also thought it was very clever that this story was kind of a meta commentary on myths themselves, how they morph and grow over years of embellishment and should not be taken as faithful representations of events. ("If a storyteller worried about the facts, my dear Lucian, how could he ever get to the truth?")
But I guess I was expecting something different, and that led to my disappointment.
In a kids' book.
Yes, that is a thing that just happened to me.
I'm cool with it.
July 24, 2022
This was one of my favourite books as a child and I'm thrilled to find that it holds up. The callbacks to Greek and Roman mythology make it fun without veering into complete rip-off territory, the characters are delightful, and the pacing is just fast enough to keep even my ADHD brain engaged.
I especially enjoyed the way it features older characters. I understand why children's books now rarely go more than 2-3 years older than their target audience, but some things simply work better if you assume the characters are young adults rather than young teens. A 20-year-old fleeing execution by crooked government officials is an adventure, a 14-year-old doing the same thing is cause for an international investigation. Older characters allow for more interesting and complex storylines without falling into the "incompetent adults" trope that often ruins childhood favourites.
That's not to say that this isn't a book for children. It is. It's a coming-of-age tale that fits right in with all the classic tropes of children's stories. It's just one that expects children to be able to relate to all kinds of stories and protagonists, not only ones that are exactly like them. It treats children like rational people with the ability to see beyond their own perspective. More children's books should follow its example.
I especially enjoyed the way it features older characters. I understand why children's books now rarely go more than 2-3 years older than their target audience, but some things simply work better if you assume the characters are young adults rather than young teens. A 20-year-old fleeing execution by crooked government officials is an adventure, a 14-year-old doing the same thing is cause for an international investigation. Older characters allow for more interesting and complex storylines without falling into the "incompetent adults" trope that often ruins childhood favourites.
That's not to say that this isn't a book for children. It is. It's a coming-of-age tale that fits right in with all the classic tropes of children's stories. It's just one that expects children to be able to relate to all kinds of stories and protagonists, not only ones that are exactly like them. It treats children like rational people with the ability to see beyond their own perspective. More children's books should follow its example.
March 4, 2020
3.5 stars
I haven't quite decided yet if I will re-read The Arkadians someday, but if you enjoy Greek mythology or Lloyd Alexander's work then there is still lots to enjoy. The story overall reads like a fairly lighthearted tribute to Greek mythology, which is perhaps why I found it a bit weak on characters compared to Alexander's best stories. The characters are nice, but pretty standard and not among his most memorable. The only character I wished was left out altogether was Catch-a-Tick, who was useless in moving the story forward and annoying as comic relief. Fronto served both these purposes just fine, and was a more interesting character.
Where The Arkadians succeeds most is in its tribute to ancient storytelling and in the way it subtly connects to THREE other Lloyd Alexander stories! The mention of Dalbenos(Chronicles of Prydain), Stephanos(The Cat Who Wished to be a Man), and Arbicanos(The Wizard in the Tree) bowled me over in the best possible way. It may not be one of my favorite of Alexander's books, but it was a pleasant diversion with some nice worldbuilding and some cute characters.
I haven't quite decided yet if I will re-read The Arkadians someday, but if you enjoy Greek mythology or Lloyd Alexander's work then there is still lots to enjoy. The story overall reads like a fairly lighthearted tribute to Greek mythology, which is perhaps why I found it a bit weak on characters compared to Alexander's best stories. The characters are nice, but pretty standard and not among his most memorable. The only character I wished was left out altogether was Catch-a-Tick, who was useless in moving the story forward and annoying as comic relief. Fronto served both these purposes just fine, and was a more interesting character.
Where The Arkadians succeeds most is in its tribute to ancient storytelling and in the way it subtly connects to THREE other Lloyd Alexander stories! The mention of Dalbenos(Chronicles of Prydain), Stephanos(The Cat Who Wished to be a Man), and Arbicanos(The Wizard in the Tree) bowled me over in the best possible way. It may not be one of my favorite of Alexander's books, but it was a pleasant diversion with some nice worldbuilding and some cute characters.
May 5, 2025
Good fun! If I had read this as a kid before encountering Greek mythology, I would have thought Alexander was impossibly creative to dream all this up; reading it as an adult, I appreciate how he plays with stories from Greek myths and just has a grand old time reshaping them for his own ends. The characters did seem simplistic bordering on unmemorable; I don't know that this story would stick with me for long, at least at this age. Three and a half stars rounded up to four since I bet 12-year-old me would have loved this.
June 7, 2019
It was a pleasant read. It reminded me of my very limited knowledge of Greek mythology because I only caught a few of the allusions. Perhaps I need to read a book such as: Percy Jackson's Greek Gods, which a daughter gave to me last month.
It also reminded me a lot of the Wizard of Oz.
At times the women seem too trusting in the men.
It also reminded me a lot of the Wizard of Oz.
At times the women seem too trusting in the men.
August 4, 2020
I picked this up at a library booksale maybe 15 years ago, or pretty close. Probably the most positive thing I can say is that I've finished it and can now get rid if it.
November 27, 2021
It was a terrible book and it took a lot of willpower to read it
November 21, 2023
A wholesome story that draws inspiration from Ancient Greek lore.
October 17, 2024
Lovely little book with an adventure that comes full circle at the end.
March 18, 2025
Read with Pax. We both weren’t fans. 😳
February 14, 2021
Probably closer to 3.5 stars. A one-volume adventure fantasy based on Greek mythology. Very entertaining, if episodic and not nearly as deep or emotionally resonant as some of Alexander's other works. It's nowhere near as good as the Prydain Chronicles or the Westmark trilogy, for example--but second-tier Lloyd Alexander is still pretty damned good.
July 17, 2016
The Arkadians is a fun read about a boy's journey to discover what he should do in life, a girl's journey to save her culture, and a donkey's journey to return to being a poet. If those aren't enough journeys, trust me there are plenty of sub-journeys within the pages. Lloyd Alexander puts his own fun spin on how some of the most famous myths in Greece got started, each myth having a perfectly reasonable explanation (with the exception of the donkey-poet, that's a little more Shakespearean). The odyssey, The Trojan war, and Pythoness prophesies are all included in this book about perspective and growth. The only problem I had with this book was it's length: it felt incredibly short to me. The characters are well rounded and interesting, the plot is adventurous and fun. There is no offensive content whatsoever in the book; it's a very lighthearted and fast read. I enjoyed it immensely and would recommend it to anyone.
August 22, 2016
This book was a fun adventure the whole way through; a pure Lloyd Alexander classic from beginning to end. It's full of references to Greek myths, which Alexander twists with playful humor, while giving a nod at those ancient adventures which gave birth to all fantasy. The characters are lovable and magical in all their own little ways. With great lessons of seeking peace over contention and recognizing the need for a union of men and women, the story is a joy to read. Lloyd Alexander never fails to delight his readers with an absolute pleasure!
September 17, 2013
My first Lloyd Alexander, I read The Arkadians in almost one sitting, having read most of it on a long flight (and the final chapter the next day). Hugely enjoyable, nicely plotted, if somewhat meandering fantasy set in a Greek-inspired secondary world. Quick, fun read.
December 4, 2015
I'm glad I found this book again! I read it many years ago and couldn't remember the name. I recommend this book to anyone looking for a charming and fun read. Especially young readers will enjoy this book in my opinion.
November 28, 2019
I'd forgotten how wry Alexander can be and how delightful his characters are. I'm glad this came up at a good time for a revisit.
did-not-finish
March 21, 2021Alas, this is going to be a DNF for me. Took me 4 days to reach halfway (130ish pages), which is way too long.
I picked this book up because my favorite author, Megan Whalen Turner, mentioned in twice in author talks recently when asked about the inspiration for the mythology in her books. And I can definitely see where the inspiration comes from. This book is about a mismatched group of people traveling through Greek-like setting, interspersed with the characters telling stories about various deities from the lands that they pass through. MWT's "The Thief" is also very much like this: Greek-like setting, a band of travelers, stories-within-a-story as they tell each other myths about various gods and goddesses.
So although I appreciate the influences of this book on my favorite series of all time.....this one ultimately bored me (see: 4 days to read 130 pages). There were too many characters with hyphenated names like Joy-in-the-Dance, Giving-All-Gifts, Think-Too-Late, Catch-a-Tick, May-Apple, Bright-Face, Woman-Three-Women, See-Far-Ahead, Never-Filled, Yellow-Mane, Cloud-Rising, Gold-Horse, Laurel-Crown, Quick-to-Strike, Swift-Arrow, Earth-Shaker, Strong-of-Will........etc. One or two of these would have been fine, but they soon started to blend together to me. Perhaps if these names had been relegated to JUST the storytelling portions of the narrative, while the "real" characters had non-hyphenated names, then my brain could have kept them straight. But as it was, each time I returned to this book, I had to mentally sort out which names went with which characters. Yes, I know that in theory this shouldn't be any different for these names versus other made-up fantasy names.....but somehow it was. Also, one of the characters gave the main character the nickname of Aiee-Ouch, which was amusing for about the first two instances, but then felt silly as it continues. Also, there was a talking donkey who was pretty annoying.
The plot seemed to be just the main characters traveling aimlessly (or maybe there was an aim but I forgot it amongst all of the side stories), meeting new people with new hyphenated names, more stories containing more hyphenated names were told, and then someone would join up with their group to travel with them as they met more people with hyphenated names, more stories containing more hyphenated names were told, and then someone would join up with their group to travel with them as they met more people with hyphenated names......
I considered skimming the 2nd half of this book so that I could count it was "read", but at this point I'd already lost the thread of the plot and which characters were temporary and which were staying with the group........So I'm going to call it quits.
I picked this book up because my favorite author, Megan Whalen Turner, mentioned in twice in author talks recently when asked about the inspiration for the mythology in her books. And I can definitely see where the inspiration comes from. This book is about a mismatched group of people traveling through Greek-like setting, interspersed with the characters telling stories about various deities from the lands that they pass through. MWT's "The Thief" is also very much like this: Greek-like setting, a band of travelers, stories-within-a-story as they tell each other myths about various gods and goddesses.
So although I appreciate the influences of this book on my favorite series of all time.....this one ultimately bored me (see: 4 days to read 130 pages). There were too many characters with hyphenated names like Joy-in-the-Dance, Giving-All-Gifts, Think-Too-Late, Catch-a-Tick, May-Apple, Bright-Face, Woman-Three-Women, See-Far-Ahead, Never-Filled, Yellow-Mane, Cloud-Rising, Gold-Horse, Laurel-Crown, Quick-to-Strike, Swift-Arrow, Earth-Shaker, Strong-of-Will........etc. One or two of these would have been fine, but they soon started to blend together to me. Perhaps if these names had been relegated to JUST the storytelling portions of the narrative, while the "real" characters had non-hyphenated names, then my brain could have kept them straight. But as it was, each time I returned to this book, I had to mentally sort out which names went with which characters. Yes, I know that in theory this shouldn't be any different for these names versus other made-up fantasy names.....but somehow it was. Also, one of the characters gave the main character the nickname of Aiee-Ouch, which was amusing for about the first two instances, but then felt silly as it continues. Also, there was a talking donkey who was pretty annoying.
The plot seemed to be just the main characters traveling aimlessly (or maybe there was an aim but I forgot it amongst all of the side stories), meeting new people with new hyphenated names, more stories containing more hyphenated names were told, and then someone would join up with their group to travel with them as they met more people with hyphenated names, more stories containing more hyphenated names were told, and then someone would join up with their group to travel with them as they met more people with hyphenated names......
I considered skimming the 2nd half of this book so that I could count it was "read", but at this point I'd already lost the thread of the plot and which characters were temporary and which were staying with the group........So I'm going to call it quits.
March 7, 2025
I've been meaning to read this for probably 25 years or so as I am a huge Lloyd Alexander fan and want to make sure I read everything that this man contributed to children's literature. This is the same man who gave us fans Eilonwy!
The book is set in Arkadia, a country loosely inspired by ancient Greece. The stories are lightly rooted in mythology with oracles and kings-in-disguise but it's not a simple myth retelling.
Lucian is a scribe working for the king, who has kicked out the wise women of the country based on the advice of his Rosencrantz-and-Guildenstern type advisors. Lucian catches some fraud and realized he needs to flee to save his life. He rides of with a donkey only to learn the donkey, Fronto, is a poet under a spell. Lucian agrees to help his new friend journey to northern Arkadia to try to find an enclave of the wise women.
And of course, they pick up some friends along the way, eventually forming a motley crew/family. It's not particularly exciting and there is not much of an overall plot so much as a bunch of little stories stitched into one, almost like a Canterbury Tales. However, it does give us the delightful Joy-in-the-Dance heroine. Mr. Alexander seems to have had a soft spot for charming young female heroines. She's no Eilonwy, but she's still memorable.
Recommended for Lloyd Alexander fans but if you're new to his work start with Prydain or Westmark.
The book is set in Arkadia, a country loosely inspired by ancient Greece. The stories are lightly rooted in mythology with oracles and kings-in-disguise but it's not a simple myth retelling.
Lucian is a scribe working for the king, who has kicked out the wise women of the country based on the advice of his Rosencrantz-and-Guildenstern type advisors. Lucian catches some fraud and realized he needs to flee to save his life. He rides of with a donkey only to learn the donkey, Fronto, is a poet under a spell. Lucian agrees to help his new friend journey to northern Arkadia to try to find an enclave of the wise women.
And of course, they pick up some friends along the way, eventually forming a motley crew/family. It's not particularly exciting and there is not much of an overall plot so much as a bunch of little stories stitched into one, almost like a Canterbury Tales. However, it does give us the delightful Joy-in-the-Dance heroine. Mr. Alexander seems to have had a soft spot for charming young female heroines. She's no Eilonwy, but she's still memorable.
Recommended for Lloyd Alexander fans but if you're new to his work start with Prydain or Westmark.
November 28, 2023
We are currently studying ancient Greece for history in our homeschool, so this is one of a few fiction books I've chosen as a tie in for our history studies.
The Arkadians has a very understated tie-in to ancient Greece. Set in a fictional kingdom of Arkadia and its surrounding area that is reminiscent of Greece, The Arkadians features the journeys of a traveling party that starts out with a young man named Lucian running away from the palace where he was formerly employed, along with a poet who has had the misfortune of being turned into a talking donkey. Soon added to their party are a young woman (a prophetess who is no longer welcome in the kingdom), and a former chieftain of a town who is now a "scapegoat", taking the blame for anything and everything.
This foursome, and others who join their party later, hope to help Fronto return to his human shape, while Lucian also wants to discover what his life's employment should be. Along the way many tales are told - tales which should sound somewhat familiar if you have a knowledge of Greek mythology! These aren't your classic tellings of the myths, but are reimagined versions. One could almost imagine some of these tales as a "kernel" of a story that would have been later embellished into the more familiar tales.
My 12 year old and I both really enjoyed the humorous adventures and tales of The Arkadians, as well as the clever dialog and wordplay between the characters and the touch of light romance.
This could make a fun addition to ancient history studies, but I think it will be best enjoyed by ages 10+ who have a good familiarity with classic mythology tales.
Content Considerations:
*The poet-turned-donkey is referred to as an "ass" or "jackass" throughout the book. It's always referring to this actual creature, yet used in a bit of a playful way that comes to the edge of using the words more like an insult (as it is sometimes applied to humans). Readers/Listeners who have heard these terms used as insults may have a hard time not giggling at the way the author plays on this at times.
*Mythology and magic: The poet turns into a donkey after falling into a magic pool. The prophetess can exert mind control to some degree with a very strong power of suggestion. There is a "Lady of the Wild Things" who seems to be somewhat worshiped as a goddess of nature. Other stories reminiscent of Greek mythology are told.
*Very mild romance
The Arkadians has a very understated tie-in to ancient Greece. Set in a fictional kingdom of Arkadia and its surrounding area that is reminiscent of Greece, The Arkadians features the journeys of a traveling party that starts out with a young man named Lucian running away from the palace where he was formerly employed, along with a poet who has had the misfortune of being turned into a talking donkey. Soon added to their party are a young woman (a prophetess who is no longer welcome in the kingdom), and a former chieftain of a town who is now a "scapegoat", taking the blame for anything and everything.
This foursome, and others who join their party later, hope to help Fronto return to his human shape, while Lucian also wants to discover what his life's employment should be. Along the way many tales are told - tales which should sound somewhat familiar if you have a knowledge of Greek mythology! These aren't your classic tellings of the myths, but are reimagined versions. One could almost imagine some of these tales as a "kernel" of a story that would have been later embellished into the more familiar tales.
My 12 year old and I both really enjoyed the humorous adventures and tales of The Arkadians, as well as the clever dialog and wordplay between the characters and the touch of light romance.
This could make a fun addition to ancient history studies, but I think it will be best enjoyed by ages 10+ who have a good familiarity with classic mythology tales.
Content Considerations:
*The poet-turned-donkey is referred to as an "ass" or "jackass" throughout the book. It's always referring to this actual creature, yet used in a bit of a playful way that comes to the edge of using the words more like an insult (as it is sometimes applied to humans). Readers/Listeners who have heard these terms used as insults may have a hard time not giggling at the way the author plays on this at times.
*Mythology and magic: The poet turns into a donkey after falling into a magic pool. The prophetess can exert mind control to some degree with a very strong power of suggestion. There is a "Lady of the Wild Things" who seems to be somewhat worshiped as a goddess of nature. Other stories reminiscent of Greek mythology are told.
*Very mild romance
January 13, 2025
A charming little book set in a sort of Ancient-Greece-that-never-was, featuring a number of Greek and Roman myths retold as part of the story. Lucian is a young boy who runs afoul of scheming prophets named Calchas and Phobos, and runs away from the palace where he serves. He runs into a talking donkey named Fronto (who is really a poet who got transformed and is looking for a way back, a la Apuleius) and meets with a young girl named Joy-In-The-Dance (a literal translation of the name Terpsichore, by which name is is called once in the text) who is a pythoness (oracle). Stories are told, like about Gives-All-Gifts and Thinks-Too-Late (Pandora and Epimetheus), and they encounter characters like a sailor named Oudeis (lit. "No One") who mentions the time a one-eyed blacksmith tried to chop him up for dinner - lots of sly, slanting reference to Greek myth. The odd thing is the dynamics of the main characters almost exactly match many of those in Lloyd Alexander's "Prydain" novels - Lucian acts much like Taran, Joy-In-The-Dance is a slightly less garrulous Eilonwy, and Fronto the poet (bard), though a donkey in form, talks EXACTLY like Flewddur Flam . . . it almost feels like Alexander is recycling those characters, but one cannot blame him, as they are such iconic characters . . . Anyway, I loved this one!
May 24, 2018
The Arkadians follows the typical Hero's Journey plot. The boy Lucian sets out on a journey with a talking donkey companion, meets lots of new friends, and ultimately returns home a changed young man.
I have probably more than a dozen Lloyd Alexander books on my to-read list, for the random reason that we happened to have a Lloyd Alexander box set, in print, that I let go of during a big printed book purge a couple of years ago (bought for my little bro decades ago). So, I knew nothing about this book other than it was for children. And this is my first venture into reading Alexander.
My rating without any other consideration would be two stars. But I've given it three because, well, I'm not a child. I probably shouldn't be reading children's books anymore...until I'm reading them to children. I listened to the "dramatic" audio book edition, that involved about a dozen actors speaking the voices for all the different characters. Again, not really up my alley. Made me realize how much I like just having one narrator or maybe two at the most. But probably great to keep kids entertained on a long car ride.
I did find one part of this book very cute and funny -- the nickname "Eye Ouch". Made me laugh the first couple of times one of the characters used it. So some good stuff. Just not complex enough for me (no surprise, considering the target audience).
I have probably more than a dozen Lloyd Alexander books on my to-read list, for the random reason that we happened to have a Lloyd Alexander box set, in print, that I let go of during a big printed book purge a couple of years ago (bought for my little bro decades ago). So, I knew nothing about this book other than it was for children. And this is my first venture into reading Alexander.
My rating without any other consideration would be two stars. But I've given it three because, well, I'm not a child. I probably shouldn't be reading children's books anymore...until I'm reading them to children. I listened to the "dramatic" audio book edition, that involved about a dozen actors speaking the voices for all the different characters. Again, not really up my alley. Made me realize how much I like just having one narrator or maybe two at the most. But probably great to keep kids entertained on a long car ride.
I did find one part of this book very cute and funny -- the nickname "Eye Ouch". Made me laugh the first couple of times one of the characters used it. So some good stuff. Just not complex enough for me (no surprise, considering the target audience).
October 8, 2018
The Arkadians is an fantastical, action-packed book full of both suspense and witty humor. The tale starts with the main character, Lucian a bean counter in the royal palace, threatened with death, after accidentally discovering a plot to steal money from the kingdom. While escaping he comes across a poet-turned-talking-jackass who is also looking for a way to escape his murderous handler. On the road, Lucian and the talking donkey meet Joy-In-The-Dance, a young prophetess. The trio adventure across Arkadia, stirring up trouble everywhere they go. With all of this action you would think this would considered the best book ever but there is one downside. The only bad thing about the Arkadians is that the beginning starts off slow, unlike the rest of the book which is fast paced. If you don't like this book because it starts of slow, don’t stop, it will be great. I give this book four stars for almost overall excellence.
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