The is the last book in The Chronicles of Prydain and it is my least favorite, I think because it's the most epic. Don't get me wrong - this book is wonderful and this entire series is an amazing and wonderful read, no matter what age you are. For me, however, the power of these books lies in the personal, in the smaller journeys and the finding of friendships, in the scary moments, but also in the really funny ones.

The High King takes the fellowship to a new level. This is the story of the final battle against the dark, of sacrifices made, of defeats, victories and choices. Its scope is sweeping and its story is haunting. It's a wonderful series. You should read them all! ( )

This is the final book in Lloyd Alexander’s Young Adult fantasy series, the Prydain Chronicles. In this, the final battle, a desperate war is waged against Arawn, the lord of death. The hero, Taran, has traveled from being an assistant pig-keeper to being a self-aware and mature leader. This is one of the few Young Adult fantasy books that have won the Newbery Medal. The characters are more complex, and the plot more intricate than A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’engle which won the Newbery Medal in 1962. The themes of mercy, sacrifice, and redemption creates a novel of deep power akin to Crispin The Cross of Lead by Avi. ( )

The High King (HK) is one of my favorite youth novels and one of my favorite fantasy books. It is a far better read than the Narnia books and as a whole contains more complex messages and doesn’t contain racist tints or negative views of women.

For those seeking an in road to this genre for their kids I would recommend this book (and the series which comes before) hands down over Narnia. HK is not a better book because it presents more realist views of groups of people, but also because the characters actually read and feel like real people. The Narnia characters have always read as very flat and lifeless. HK’s characters by contrast struggle with what it means to be good. They don’t always come out on top of this issue, but in the end they learn from mistakes and grow and change. They don’t become great people. They just become better people than they were before the story started. Oh, this growth doesn’t always make them happy. They worry about themselves and feel badly for who they have been at times.

All these comparisons aside, this book is a great read. The story is intense, scary, and suspenseful (even for adults) and the end leaves you wishing there were more books to follow (always a good sign).

I give it an A+ ( )

Goodbye, we will miss you.

The High King by Lloyd Alexander
4 out of 5 stars

The High King Book Five in The Chronicles of Prydain by Lloyd Alexander was a good ending to the series.

Assistant Pig-Keeper Taran of Caer Dallben must once again pick up his sword to defend Prydain and fight evil. But this time, he might not survive. Arawn Death-Lord has finally left his stronghold to claim Dyrnwyn as his own. Arawn’s deception enables him to successfully steal Dyrnwyn from Prince Gwydion. Taran and his misfit band of friends must now set out to reclaim Dyrnwyn from the hands of Arawn if they even hope for a chance at saving themselves and all of Prydain. Through snow and ice, war and death, good and evil, Taran’s friends stick by his side. But can a assistant pig keeper and his loyal friends defeat the strongest and evilest villain alive?

This book fit perfectly into the series. It flowed smoothly and quickly. The plotline was woven in the same witty fashion as the previous installments.

But like everything it had to come to an end. All loose ends were tied and the fate of each character was known to you. Personally, I didn’t much like the ending. Almost all of the friends were split up from each other and had to depart presences forever. From the first book you get to know and like these motley crew of friends who stink together through thick and thin, but when it came to the end and victory, they must once and all say goodbye. Kinda sad.

The High King was a good ender to the series, but I was a little disappointed to learn of the characters fates.

Date Reviewed: August 8th, 2008 ( )

This is the last book of the Chronicles of Prydain, and a worthy climax to the series. The bulk of this book describes the war between Arawn and the rest of Prydain, led by High King Math, Prince Gwydion, and the rest of the Sons of Don. Taran and his companions gather together the people Taran has befriended on his many journeys and join their side, fighting under Taran's banner of a white pig.

Much of the war goes badly for the heroes: they are betrayed by those they depended upon, sacrifices must be made, good men fall. For a book aimed at a younger audience, the book is definitely dark, and the war quite brutal; many characters who have been in the series for numerous books die. Finally, through a twist that was quite a surprise to me when I read the book the first time (albeit when I was much younger), Arawn is defeated.

But that's not the end. And in many ways, the elements of the book that follow Arawn's defeat are the most important part of the book - the choices and sacrifices Taran and his friends must make in victory are the most critical, and without them, the book (and in many ways, the entire series) would have been a throwaway piece of fluff. ( )