“For each of us comes a time when we must be more than what we are.”A delightful story of adventure, The Castle of Llyr is supposed to be a romantic entry in the Prydain Chronicles, despite the fact that there are few tender scenes at all, and not a single kiss. For me, the lack of a kiss was a delight; Princess Eilonwy leaves Caer Dalben with an escort to go to the Isle of Mona and be trained in the ways of a lady, gets into a spot of trouble with a bad guy (because of Gwydion's poor decision to leave her oblivious to known danger), and is sought by her male friends in the age-old manner of Jumpman/Lady/Donkey Kong or Mario/Peach/King Koopa. Despite all the men's bold ridings and stridings, in the end Eilonwy has to save herself. She is a noble and self-sacrificing figure, not some hapless prize to be plucked from the enemy's grasp. For me, the romance came from the realization that I had, over the last four books, developed a deep fictional character crush on Fflewddur Fflam, son of Godo. I can't believe how hideously unflattering a portrayal Disney drew of him in the animated "Black Cauldron". Potbellied and old? No! He is a King. A strong, vital, musical man in the prime of life; young enough to relate well to the boy Taran, but old enough to speak wisdom tempered with humour and an edge of sarcasm. Not so earnest as to tell the truth without embroidery; not so dishonest as to waver in his loyalty. A Fflam is always bold in a fight, quick to play music, and kind to animals (even big ones). Yes: it's officially a crush.There was comedy and magic in good amounts, although I found the feckless and incompetent Prince Rhun with his endless “Hullo, hullo!” and simple tomfoolery hard to swallow. As usual, James Langton voiced him perfectly, and he did a superb job with the grating, evil voice of Magg and the soft, villainous tones of Achren as well. I was impressed by the squawkings of Kaw the Crow - masterfully done. Queen Teleria and King Rhuddlum’s voices were regal but not exceptional, which was fitting as they are not major characters. I also really enjoyed the audiobook's introduction, read by the author Lloyd Alexander (may he rest in peace), who had a wonderful voice. To me, he sounds like Spock, or rather, like an older Leonard Nimoy. Full of sense and insight, just like his writing. I enjoyed hearing the proper nouns read aloud in this book - Dinas Rhydnant and Caer Colur sound like proper Tolkien-esque strongholds; Glew and Llyan were well-dubbed, and the object we have formerly known only as "Eilonwy's bauble" or the golden ball or golden sphere, now given the illustrious name of "Golden Pelydryn". What magical sounding places and people and things!On next to Taran Wanderer. Excuse me while I sign off, and dream of a handsome, harping Fflam.
I was disappointed by The Castle of Llyr, perhaps because I set myself up to like it best. On the one hand, the book again set up some great characters--Magg is a good, conniving bad guy; and Llyan is fabulous, as is her interactions with Fflewddur. The book in many ways is a bridge for the series, rather than a story unto itself. It explains the baubble; it sets up some of Eilonwy's backstory as an enchantress, deals with Achren, gives us some good new characters to join the cast in subsequent books. I was disappointed in how quickly Eilonwy's enchantress gifts were summarily dismissed. I also was left with the nagging sense that though we are often told that Eilonwy is courageous and smart and a good warrior, we don't often see it; this whole book was a bit of an example of that. The book also spent far too much time with Grew, a small-man-turned-unhappy-giant; given that these books usually move at a fast clip, I was disappointed in how bogged down the story got in Grew, a decidedly uninteresting character. A few more adventures, or else some time spent on Eilonwy's side of the kidnapping, would have been preferable, I think. That being said, there was lot of good here and as a bridge story goes, it did a decent job of filling in some questions, and setting up some plot points that didn't go off for another book or two. I liked Rhunn, like I like most of Alexander's characters. Alexander is a good storyteller and he strikes the right balance between myth and fiction. I appreciate his whimsy, too, though I wish there were less of it sometimes. It was a mostly enjoyable chapter in the Chronicles.
Do You like book The Castle Of Llyr (2006)?
When I was a boy this was my favorite book in the series, largely because of Taran's developing feelings for Eilonwy. I was a sucker for romance in those days, and Taran's struggle is as much with his deepening love for her as with the machinations of Achren and her conspirators. The potential for romance has been there since the first novel, but it seems as though the two of them have not been forced to acknowledge it simply because there has never been a need to do so. Their lives at Caer Dallben are generally simple and peaceful, they see each other every day, and until she is sent away to learn how to be a proper Princess, it seems to them as though they have all the time in the world to grow up together. This subtlety, this sense of things happening in the background, is part of what makes Lloyd Alexander such a fantastic author. The great deeds of the protagonists are important, yes, but there are always GREATER deeds going on somewhere else -- really his books focus on the growth and change of the characters as individuals and as a group of friends.Prince Rhun deserves special note, because he may be one of Alexander's most unique creations! He is a romantic rival to Taran, yet neither the Prince nor Eilonwy truly know it, and Rhun is actually thoroughly likeable -- a rare quality in romantic rivals, and an element of the story for which Lloyd Alexander should be celebrated. Rhun reminds me of Bertie Wooster in a way, foolish and scatterbrained, but well-meaning and loveable, and just like Taran we are left confused as to whether or not he might not be the best match for the Princess. He rubs Taran the wrong way because he is so foolish and naive, yet if Taran were not so stubborn and hotheaded Rhun might not provoke as strong of a reaction as he does; in the end, even Taran acknowledges the goodness and bravery in the Prince, and though he still proves vexing, Taran counts him as a friend.Such a great book!
—[Name Redacted]
In this, the third entry in the Chronicles of Prydain, the growing Princess Eilonwy is sent to the Isle of Mona to learn how to be a young lady, and to be engaged to the bumbling, affable Prince Rhun. Taran, Gurgi, and Fflewddur Fflam accompany her, only to find that through treachery she is kidnapped by Achren, the witch. Teaming with the prince and Gwydion, the three follow her trail, braving a giant feral cat and a maudlin, puny, cave-bound giant (a memorably sinister character, simpering and childishly, petulantly polite as he plots murder).It’s another excellent pastiche of Welsh myth, a terrific adventure with more than a dash of morality tale mixed in. Alexander treats each book in his Chronicles as a stand-alone story, to the effect that each volume is tantamount to a chapter in a great saga --- there is no exposition introducing old characters or reminding the reader just how this character came to possess that magic item. It is a bit disorienting, but keeps things rolling apace, and the ending hits just the right note. [Read twice]
—Ensiform
This continues my rereading of the Prydain Chronicles, and I'm still having as much fun as ever, plus enjoying the audio versions. What's interesting is seeing which details are familiar and which come as a surprise. In this book, Taran and Eilonwy really start to feel like teenagers, although the action of the book is still at a level that younger readers can grasp and appreciate. There are more complex themes at play (and if I remember correctly, this continues in the final two books as well) but these themes are not employed at the expense of the humor and adventure. The characters are sometimes predictable in their behavior, but they manage to grow and change at the same time. I've had lots of requests for audio recommendations lately (we're heading into car-trip season) and I'll have to remember to press this series into someone's hands if they manage to stay on the shelf long enough - I think they'd work well with a variety of ages.
—Jess
