Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

The Chronicles of Prydain #1-3

The First Chronicles Of Prydain

Rate this book
Taran's dreams are heroic, and his beloved land of Prydain is threatened by the forces of evil, the terrible Cauldron-born hordes of the Horned King. Taran's adventures will take him through enchanted and perilous lands before his epic quest is complete, his mission accomplished...

Lloyd Alexander's fantasy novels have been widely acclaimed. Here, in one volume, are the first three novels in his magical series. The fourth and fifth novels are available together in The Second Chronicles of Prydain.

472 pages, Paperback

First published June 26, 1986

4 people are currently reading
607 people want to read

About the author

Lloyd Alexander

134 books2,103 followers
Lloyd 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.

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
249 (45%)
4 stars
174 (32%)
3 stars
101 (18%)
2 stars
14 (2%)
1 star
4 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
Profile Image for Michael Sorbello.
Author 1 book316 followers
April 20, 2019
The Book of Three

The pacing is messy and a lot of characters and plot points come off as underwhelming and anticlimactic, but all in all it’s a fun little fantasy adventure with nonstop action and a bit of slapstick humor. I didn’t like Taran and his companions at first, but I think they have a lot of potential to grow on me in future installments. The books are short and easy to read so I’m willing to go through them. Hoping for a fun ride.

***

The Black Cauldron

Better than the first book in every way. Darker subject matter, nastier villains, stronger plot and character development and so on. The pacing is much more smooth while still maintaining its fast, action-packed style.

The stakes felt higher, the scope of the world felt bigger and the humor felt more natural. Taran and his crew grew on me in this book, I see a lot of potential in the misfit leader and his comrades. I think he’ll grow into a fine hero.

***

The Castle of Llyr

My favorite book in the series so far. The plot is a bit weaker than The Black Cauldron, but I think the personal growth and humanization of the characters is stronger than ever. I loved the emphasis on the fact that titles and status were stated as unimportant.

Taran was born into nothing and Rhun was born into royalty, and yet they both find equality and companionship after placing their lives in each other’s hands during a dangerous expedition to save a girl they both love from the clutches of an evil sorceress. Whether you be a farmer or a prince, all mens fates are connected in some way and there’s always room to set aside your differences and see eye to eye.
Profile Image for Chiara.
362 reviews55 followers
August 25, 2017
Quando sono venuta a conoscenza che "Taron e la Pentola Magica", che a suo tempo era il mio cartone animato preferito (ok, lo ammetto, è tutt'ora il mio cartone animato preferito), era stato tratto da una serie di romanzi, non ho potuto fare altro che acquistarli immediatamente.
In tutto sono 6 romanzi (di cui solo 5 tradotti in italiano), suddivisi in due raccolte:
I primi tre (Il Libro dei Tre, Il Calderone Nero e Il Castello di Lyrr) furono pubblicati nel 1986 sotto il nome de "La saga di Prydain".
Gli ultimi due (Taran il Girovago e Il Sommo Re) furono pubblicati nel 1989 sotto il nome di "Taran di Prydain".
Partiamo con La Saga di Prydain.
Per quanto riguarda i primi due romanzi, segue a grandi linee il cartone animato: presenta però personaggi (Coll, Achren, Gwydion ecc) e avvenimenti differenti, come è giusto che sia.
La terza parte è del tutto inedita a coloro che hanno visto il cartone da piccoli.
Personalmente ho adorato questo romanzo.
Taran è poco più di un bambino, e quindi molto infantile, che non vuole essere altro che un eroe.
Molto più matura per la sua età è la principessa Eilonwy (adoro la sua parlantina).
Il personaggio che ho preferito in assoluto è Gurgi, la creatura che cerca sempre "qualcosa da smangiucchiare e sgranocchiare".
L'ambientazione è magica. Ho amato il Galles quando l'ho visitato vari anni fa, e ho amato anche questa sua versione fantastica.
Non apprezzo a pieno lo stile di Alexander, ma la storia in se è da non perdere.
(Ho impiegato più di due settimane a capire che il luogo si chiama Prydain e non Pridayn/Praidyn)
Profile Image for Keelan.
89 reviews12 followers
May 3, 2018
Read these a long, long time ago when I was prowling the school library when I got into fantasy from historical fiction. I don't remember much about them, other than that I liked them. Wales is always a good land to draw inspiration from.
Profile Image for Baldurian.
1,229 reviews34 followers
May 24, 2016
Ah, i bei fantasy di una volta... tutto va come ci si aspetta, i personaggi sono azzeccati e, perdonando qualche ingenuità, ci si diverte dall'inizio alla fine. Le avventure del giovane Taran non saranno certo sorprendenti, ma racconti di questa qualità narrativa ormai latitano sulla scena.
15 reviews
July 29, 2021
A few pages into the first book of the three, I thought I wasn't going to like it, as it introduced all the chief actors in the story very quickly. But once past that, the story moved at a good pace, and the style of the writing was very engaging and enjoyable. I quickly came to appreciate the main characters, and identify with the flawed would-be-hero of the tales. The stories are a reminder of more innocent times, and all the nicer for it.
Profile Image for Lucie B..
122 reviews6 followers
May 29, 2023
Kroniky Prydainu jsem si kdysi jako teenager přinesla z naší sídlištní knihovny a teď jsem se jala po (minimálně) patnácti zjišťovat, jestli se mi pořád líbí. A odpověď je, že jednoznačně ano!

Jedná se o americkou fantasy vydanou v šedesátých letech, která u nás není příliš známá. Nicméně když po roce 2000 poprvé vyšla u nás, nebylo v knihovnách tolik fantasy, a tak jsem ráda, že mi tehdy padly do oka. Jedná se o klasickou fantasy trochu pohádkového stylu, hodně inspirovanou Walesem a jeho mytologií. Všechny tři příběhy první knihy mají klasické "questové" schéma a obsahují všechny základní archetypy fantasy postav - moudrého starce v podobě Dallbena, hrdinného prince Aragor... ehm Gwydiona, nerudného trpaslíka Dolliho, hlavního hrdinu Tarana, který projde přerodem z obyčejného chlapce v hrdinu, i úhlavního záporáka v podobě Arawna, který žije v temné říší Annuvin.

Proč tedy po Kronikách Prydainu sáhnout i dnes? Je to velice milé čtení s mnoha zábavnými vedlejšími postavami. Kdo by si nezamiloval knihu, v níž má bard harfu, které praskne struna pokaždé, když si přibarví svoje vyprávění? Líbí se mi, že v příbězích je prostořeká princezna, která se účastní všech dobrodružství jako plnohodnotná postava, a že pro věštby se chodí k prasátku Hen Wen. Baví mě Orgoch, která chce sníst každého nově příchozího, i obří kočka Llyan.

Za zmínku stojí i podle mě perfektní překlad Pavla Medka. Gurgi by nebyl Gurgim bez svých pochoutek a pokroutek a ubohé citlivé hlavy a prince Rhuna si nedovedu představit bez jeho "Nazdárek, nazdárek".

Na českém vydání mě rozčiluje jediná věc, a to jsou mapy na předsádce, které neodpovídají popisu v knize. Než tohle, tak prosím nechat předsádku raději čistou.
Profile Image for Fabio Larcher.
7 reviews
March 14, 2018
Tra le molte e molte storie e i troppi autori dimenticati o lasciati naufragare nell’oblio dall’editoria italiana, una continua a tenere, nel mio cuore e nel mio immaginario personale, un posto d’onore. Si tratta della pentalogia scritta da Lloyd Alexander tra gli anni Sessanta e Settanta, La saga di Prydain. L’autore, Lloyd Alexander, ha saputo in essa sfruttare la doppia lezione de Il Signore degli Anelli di J.R.R. Tolkien e dell’altrettando monumentale Once and Future King di T.H. Whyte. Prydain è una piccola regione, corrispondente, suppergiù al Galles medievale, nel folklore del quale Alexander pesca a piene mani, ma con estrema intelligenza e riscrive Tolkien con più umorismo e umiltà, trascinando i lettori di ogni età in un carosello di miti, visioni, gag e personaggi, a modo loro, straordinari. Prydain è suddivisa in molte “cantrevs”, staterelli, ognuna con il proprio re e i propri sudditi. Una di queste, minuscola davvero, è retta dal mago Dalben, il quale vive (e medita a occhi chiusi, emettendo strani rumori dal naso) con il servo tuttofare Coll e il giovane assistente guardiano di maiali Taran. Dalben custodisce la memoria storica di Prydain, nella “persona” di un grosso volume chiamato Il Libro del Tre. Ma, oltre a ciò, bada che la maialina dai poteri profetici Hen Wen, non cada nelle mani sbagliate. In questo caso le mani sbagliate appartengono al cattivissimo Arawn (personaggio mutuato dalla mitologia celtica, dov’è nientemeno che la Morte in persona) signore di Annuvin (cioè dell’Annwn, l’Ade celtico) e ai suoi campioni malvagi (Il Signore dalle Lunghe Corna e i temibili guerrieri zombie, i Figli del Calderone, così detti perché a rianimarli è stato il Calderone della Rinascita, in possesso, ahimè!, di Arawn). Questo è, a grandi linee, lo sfondo sul quale Taran si muove, nel suo percorso di crescita e di esperienza del mondo, accompagnato da amici delle più disparate categorie sociali e “animali”: la pepatissima principessa Eilonwy (coetanea di Taran), ragazzina astuta, dalla parlantina scioltissima, bravissima a cacciarsi nei guai e, tuttavia, affascinantissima: il menestrello Ffleddwr Flam, che possiede un’arpa magica, alla quale, ogni volta che il cantore (che ha il vizio di colorare la verità con la propria fantasia spiccatissima) si spezzano le corde; lo stranissimo, vorace e ingenuo Gurgi, essere peloso, a metà strada fra Gollum, una scimmia, un cagnolino e un uomo. Da La saga di Prydain, nel 1985, venne tratto un lungometraggio dalla Disney. Un buon prodotto, che si ispirava al primo e al secondo volume delle Cronache di Prydain (Il Libro del Tre e Il Calderone Nero), ma che non ebbe alcun successo, nonostante utilizzasse delle tecniche di animazione innovative (in esso, per la prima volta, furono usati effetti speciali al laser). Credo che il film sia stato penalizzato dal fatto che si presentava molto cupo (quasi al limite dell’horror, in alcuni punti), rispetto sia ai canoni disneyani, sia rispetto al libro di Lloyd Alexander. Un vero peccato. Anche se l’uscita di Taron e la Pentola Magica (questo il titolo del cartoon) fece in modo che l’Editrice Nord (vera Mecca, ai tempi, per il fantasy e la fantascienza, in Italia) pubblicasse in volume i primi tre libri della saga, e permise a me, allora giovane, di leggere un libro che mi ha offerto moltissimo: che ha saputo divertirmi, stuzzicare il mio senso del meraviglioso, mi ha introdotto alla mitologia celtica, mi ha commosso… Spero che, prima o poi, qualche altro editore si decida a ripubblicare questo e altri lavori di Lloyd Alexander. Ne varrebbe certamente la pena.
Profile Image for Josiah.
45 reviews17 followers
September 3, 2012
Read these several times in grade school, and when I ran across the collection of all 5, thought that I should re-read and see if they stood up to my memories. Overall, they did. I hadn't realized how much they owed to Lord of the Rings - as a child I hadn't made it there yet. I hadn't noticed the repetition so much as a child either, for instance the phrase "assistant pig keeper" is used in reference to the main character way, way, too many times (though reading them all at once certainly didn't help.) Eventually the character does grow out of that, and I was pleased that characters develop, people die and lives are changed in realistic ways. Occasionally, some of the lessons learned by characters feel a little heavy handed, but again I don't remember that from childhood, so maybe kids need to be hit over the head with things. One thing that I do remember from my initial readings was that I never liked the 3rd book. The author explains in his introduction that he hoped the reader would be ok with him adding some romance to the third volume, and even as a child I wondered if I would enjoy that aspect and thus the whole book more as I got older. Now I can definitively say that, no, growing up did not improve the third book, but it isn't the romance that was lacking. It seemed like the characters become mere caricatures of themselves, the dialogue becomes sing-song, and the plot was boring followed by utterly predictable. The 4th and 5th are an improvement, though not as good as the first two. Overall, the books hold up fairly well, keeping in mind that they are written for kids.
Profile Image for Matt McKee.
6 reviews
December 10, 2016
The audio book was good and acted well. The story was good, but predictable. Some of the characters needed to use their powers more. For instance it was built up that Eilonwy was an enchantresses and princes, however she never used her powers, or if she did it was very minor. Over all this book was relaxing and what I was hoping for during the time I needed something soothing. I gave it 3 stars because it was average, but I recommend for something light or for children.
94 reviews4 followers
March 16, 2013
Re-read knihy kterou jsem četl když mi bylo asi 13-14 let. Přesto velice příjemná kniha se skvělým humorem. Je pravda že většina děje je snadno předvídatelná, přesto velioce příjemné čtení. Srovnal bych to asi s Hraničářovým učněm :-)
Profile Image for Susan.
52 reviews1 follower
Read
January 29, 2008
i think it's more interesting that Lord of the RIngs. Check out the entire series.
35 reviews
January 6, 2009
Read this in Junior High. Pretty good. So was the cartoon.
Profile Image for Lindsey.
1,261 reviews4 followers
December 26, 2009
The chronicles do illuminate good traits to have but I'm still not sold.

Profile Image for Joy.
832 reviews16 followers
March 8, 2018
I love this series. It's based on Welsh folklore. I love the characters, and the world. This set includes the first three books. Looking forward to reading the last.
Profile Image for Aniya.
338 reviews36 followers
July 15, 2022
Still have a lot of nostalgic love for this book. My mum bought it for me back in the early 00s and I adored it.
No matter how many books I sell or give away, this one stays on my shelf.
Profile Image for Matej Hudáček.
122 reviews4 followers
January 11, 2024
Starosvetské, malebne napísané príbehy s presným pomerom vznešenosti a zábavy. Môžu za to 60te roky? Jednoznačne.

Lloyd Alexander nekopíruje iných velikánov detskej fantasy ako Tolkien či Lewis; epizodické romány o pastierovi svíň Taranovi sa opierajú predovšetkým o výraznú psychologizáciu ústredného hrdinu, zatiaľ čo spomenutí autori pracovali skôr s kolektívom.

Centrálny motív, prerod zo závistlivého, nevďačného a nerozvážneho chlapčiska na zrelého mladého muža schopného obety, prajnosti a šľachetnosti, je obsiahnutý vo všetkých troch príbehoch. Vyhýbame sa tak typickému originu (skutočný pôvod Tarana nespoznáme ani po tretej knihe), ktorý často slúži len ako pilotný diel na rozbeh dobrodružstva. Alexander naopak zdarne uzavrie každý príbeh, cliffhangre nenachádzať často ani na konci kapitol, nieto ešte na konci prvého, druhého či tretieho románu.

Opakujú sa kladní i záporní hrdinovia, a opísané udalosti zakaždým ovplyvnia fiktívny svet Prydain, inšpirovaný welšskými mýtmi, rovnako rozmiestnenie veľkých figúrok na domnelej šachovnici.

Čitateľ je však ušetrený dychtenia po veľkom heroickom zápase nalevelovanej hlavnej postavy s arcizloduchom, ktorý sa čaká už od prológu (dívam sa na teba, HP). Autor mladíka Tarana radšej šetrne posiela na najrozličnejšie side-questy, ktoré na váhe naberajú postupne, v rozumnom a prirodzenom tempe, s akým rastie aj odvaha a múdrosť hlavného hrdinu. Vlastne ani nevieme, či krajinu od zla oslobodí práve Taran. Aké osviežujúce!

Autorovi sa zakaždým darí pracovať so zápletkou spôsobom, aby čitateľa nebavilo len dôjsť k samotnému rozuzleniu; uspokojivými sú predovšetkým zistenia, že k rozuzleniu dopomohol Taran svojimi rozhodnutiami, v danom momente často zúfalými a s neviditeľnými dôsledkami. Práve charakterový rast viacerých postáv, hoci šikovne odohrávajúci sa na pozadí dobrodružstiev, je pre čitateľa pravou odmenou (a treba povedať, že spočiatku takmer všetci dotyční vedia skutočne liezť na nervy).

Verdikt: Meče, kúzla, príšery, princezná a pastierik svíň, detská romantika, nostalgia a príťažlivý, rozprávkový svet zeleného Walesu.
Profile Image for Alžbětina.
193 reviews15 followers
November 27, 2022
Kroniky Prydainu jsem, jak jinak, četla jako dítě, a strašně se mi líbily. V hlavě mi uvízla princezna Eilonwy i Taran z Caer Dallbenu, jméno Gwydion jsem si přivlastnila k pojmenovávání postav v počítačových hrách, u Černého krochanu jsem brečela jak želva. Uběhlo ale dost let, abych většinu událostí zapomněla, takže do velké míry jsem některé části prožívala opět poprvé.
A stálo to za to. Kroniky jsou klasická (polozapomenutá - neznám snad nikoho, kdo by je četl) fantasy, která opravdu často připomíná Tolk. Hlavní hrdina je pasáček vepřů (prasáček, chcete-li být oškliví) Taran. Pubertální kluk, který sní o velkých dobrodružstvích a udatných válečnících a díky tomu, že mu uteče prasnice Hen Wen se připlete k událostem větším, než on sám. Taran je horká hlava, která bez rozmyslu skáče do akce a často neudrží jazyk na uzdě. Eilonwy je přinejmenším stejně trdohlavá jako Taran, má pro strach uděláno a vyžívá se v přirovnáních. Dále je tu tvoreček Gurgi, jehož ubohá a citlivá hlava musí snášet mnoho nepohodlí, aby získal své pochoutky a pokroutky, bard Fflewdur Fflam, jehož harfa má tendenci špatně snášet přikrašlování skutečnost, a konečně starouš Doli z ušlechtilého národa, jehož nejoblíbenějším citoslovcem je "pche". Zktrátka a dobře sestava, již si nelze neoblíbit.
První díl představí Prydain a jeho velké hráče a slouží jako Taranova první srážka s realitou a prvním velkým zlem - královnou Achren. Po boku prince Gwydiona sice nedospěje, rozhodně ale zmoudří.
Ve druhém díle (zmiňovaný Černý krochan, pro mě nejlepší z prvního svazku) se již všichni vydávají na cestu cíleně. Je třeba totiž ukrást černý kotel vládce Annuvinu Arawna, s jehož pomocí on vytváří nesmrtelné syny kotle. Ty získává vhozením (převážně mrtvých) válečníků, jejichž těla neváhá ukrást i z pohřebních mohyl. Pátrání po kotli prohlubuje Taranovo poznání a vnímání světa a také zde zažívá první citelné ztráty.
Třetí díl je pak vlastně docela odlehčený, přestože v něm jde o únos Eilonwy.
Všechny se ale čtou samy.
Profile Image for Carlo Bugni.
381 reviews9 followers
July 5, 2019
Il libro del Tre ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Il calderone nero ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Il castello di Llyr ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.