Do You like book The High King (2006)?
Because I listen to my audiobooks in the car, I went for a drive Saturday evening just to finish this book. Time and gas well spent. Really enjoyed making my way through this series over the last month and a half. Some of the best children's fantasy I've read. Wish I would've read it as an actual child. Aside from a couple of minor complaints, The High King was a really good ending to this series.Arawn and his minions have stolen the magical sword Dyrnwyn from Prince Gwydion, tipping the balance of power in his own favor. Gwydion, Dallben and the kings of the realm all gather to form a plan to defeat Arawn before his huntsmen and Cauldron Born can take over the realm, but they are soon betrayed by one of their own, and Taran his companions are drawn into the fight. At this point, it's pretty much a slaughter. Seriously, characters dropping right and left. Alexander doesn't shy away from showing the consequences of war, but it's very much not what I was expecting.All of the companions, even Gurgi and Rhun, get their chance to be badasses. And even though I thought that ultimately the actual showdown between Taran and Arawn (because of course that was always going to happen) is kind of anti-climactic, it almost doesn't matter because the focus isn't so much on beating Arawn as it is in Taran growing into his own destiny (a destiny, I note, of his own choosing, which is the best kind of destiny in fantasy stories, as far as I'm concerned).I was kind of soured on the ending--as fitting as it was, especially since it completes Taran's arc so nicely, and also because the parts with Eilonwy are freaking adorable--because of the way it unnecessarily and beyond my powers of suspending my disbelief echoes the ending of Lord of the Rings, without any of the buildup that would have made it okay. To spoil the whole thing, because Arawn has been defeated, basically all magic and magical creatures and people (including Gwydion and the Sons of Don and Dallben) retreat to "the summer kingdom" where they will all live forever with no sickness and disease and peace, but Taran refuses the gift of coming along with them as one of the heroes who saved Prydain. He chooses to stay in memory of those who lost their lives and were never given the chance to go to the summer kingdom. He chooses to stay and rebuild Prydain, shepherding mankind into a new magic-less era. For this sacrifice, Dallben anoints him High King.Like I said, that Taran stuff was good, but seriously, Alexander? The magical people had to go into the West into the summer kingdom? It was just too much copy copy, and felt extra weird coming on the heels of four stories that went out of their ways to make sure Taran and his companions spent as much time as possible together. If you haven't read LOTR and aren't familiar with how it ends, this story might play better for you than it did for me, but it was just too similar for me to enjoy myself here. But again, this was just the ending, a small part of a story that I overall very much enjoyed. Oh, except for Gurgi. So annoying.
—Ashley
A good ending to the series, if, again, it did lean heavily on LOTR (like, bordering on plagiarism at times, in my opinion). I still feel like I don't quite have a handle on how old the characters are, and how much time has passed over the course of the series. I guess my best guess is that when they started, Taran and Eilonwy were like 13 and 12, and at the end they're like 18 and 17? He keeps referencing things that happened in the earlier books as event from his "boyhood," cause apparently he's all grown up now... I feel like Achren's character is not realistic at all - to go from what she once was to what she is in the last couple of books, that's just a little too neat and tidy for me. Also it seems like a lot of the problems are too easily/quickly resolved - they "just happen to find things" a lot in this series. But then, it's JV fiction, not YA. Also, Glew is super annoying, but I think he's supposed to be, so mission accomplished, haha. I don't think he really needed a part in this last book at all. Overall it was a fun series, I'd recommend it if someone doesn't have something amazingly fantastic waiting in their queue.
—Melaniemouse
Review "Greater, more disastrous, and demanding more courage are the battles into which Taran leads his followers against Arawn Death-Lord.... The book has the philosophical depth and overtones of great fantasy." --_The Horn Book_-- Review Product Description The Newbery-winning fantasy series now available in gorgeous new paperback editions! Since The Book of Three was first published in 1964, young readers have been enthralled by the adventures of Taran the Assistant Pig-Keeper and his quest to become a hero. Taran is joined by an engaging cast of characters that includes Eilonwy, the strong-willed and sharp-tongued princess; Fflewddur Fflam, the hyperbole-prone bard; the ever-faithful Gurgi; and the curmudgeonly Doli--all of whom have become involved in an epic struggle between good and evil that shapes the fate of the legendary land of Prydain. Released over a period of five years, Lloyd Alexander's beautifully written tales not only captured children's imaginations but also garnered the highest critical praise. The Black Cauldron was a Newbery Honor Book, and the final volume in the chronicles, The High King, crowned the series by winning the Newbery Medal for "the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children." Henry Holt is proud to present this classic series in a new, redesigned paperback format. The jackets feature stunning art by acclaimed fantasy artist David Wyatt, giving the books a fresh look for today's generation of young fantasy lovers. The companion book of short stories, The Foundling is also available in paperback at this time. In their more than thirty years in print, the Chronicles of Prydain have become the standard of excellence in fantasy literature for children.
—Valentin Mihov