Play Book Tag discussion

One of my favorite books from my childhood, I admit when I first read this that I was not too impressed, considering I had already read Tolkien. But over the years I've re-read the whole series, which has slowly become one of my all-time favorites, and I'm upping my rating from 3 to 4. When I read this as an adult I feel more than nostalgia; I can appreciate the writing more, and most of all the guidance for growing up as we watch an Assistant Pig-Keeper grow from boy to man. I learned a lot about maturity from these books, about love, kindness, honor and integrity, and I always heartily recommend them for children. They age very well, and for me they are timeless.

Many disparaging reviews keep saying it's a copycat of Tolkien - that's nonsense as this draws from Welsh mythology as Tolkien derived his work from several other mythologies. Tolkien wrote for an adult audience, and Alexander wrote for children. It's apples and oranges, and both have a firm spot in my top 10 all-time favorite series.