Puzzle_the_Donky said:
Can you tell me very short where the books are going about?
Are there centaurs, talking beasts, naiads, fauns, witches, giants, dragons, like in Narnia (In Narnia there are three dragons: One of the Lords of Caspians Father, Eustace and a dragon which Eustace meets in the Silver Chair (Eustace is a boy then again))?
Or is it more like in the Lord of the Rings with four or five main races: the dwarves, the human, the elfs, the ents, the hobbits (, the mermaids, the orcs, the wizzards, the Balrogs, the dark lord(s), the ..., ...)?
Is it a very exciting quest like in the Lord of the Rings?
Or is it more like a very nice and pleasant, sometimes exciting adventure, like in Narnia?
Wow, lots of questions. I'll do my best to answer them. I guess the best way is to first give a little summary, and then talk about how they are different from the other series you mentioned.
The books center around one main character, a young orphan farm boy named Taran, who longs for adventure and excitement and heroism but is stuck tending the pig (who is more important than she seems). In the course of five novels he travels (sometimes accidentally) from one adventure to another, along with a very colorful cast of characters he picks up on the way. In almost every case, the hardships and dangers he undergoes can be traced back to the main villain, the mysterious Arawn of Annuvin, a dark lord of death whose purpose is to take over the entire kingdom. So, while the fate of Prydain lies constantly in the balance, we watch Taran grow in wisdom and maturity over the course of five books until he fulfills his destiny in the end.
That all sounds rather dry and dull at first glance - but the books are delightful. The adventures are exciting, the characters lovable and engaging, and the plots, although simple on the surface, hold great meaning and depth when read with a critical eye.
In comparing them with
Lord of the Rings, the scope of
Prydain is much smaller than Tolkein's epic. There are no other races, really, although there are mythical creatures, and a very Celtic-myth based underground world populated by various faerie creatures known collectively as "The Fair Folk". Only a few of these creatures take an important role in the story, but there are also wizards, enchantresses, weird "fate"-like creatures, and a few talking beasts (although these are the exception, not the norm). However, the story as a whole is far more concerned with humans in general and Taran in particular, aside from the magical elements. The series is written with a much younger audience in mind than that for which
Lord of the Rings is intended, and it reflects this in its (relative) simplicity of style and plot.
As far as a
Narnia comparison,
Prydain is more like it in reading level, and can be read, like
Narnia, for light, pleasant enjoyment with some fun sword-and-sorcery adventure thrown in. Because it has a child (or young teen) as its main character, young readers identify with Taran, his challenges, joys, and sufferings very easily, while adults appreciate the gentle wisdom and insight of the author. While it doesn't share the spiritual significance of the
Narnia allegories, it is full of messages about maturity, compassion, perseverance, self-control, and sacrifice.
Just as an added note, the books were inspired heavily by the collection of Welsh myths called the Mabinogi. So if you're into Celtic folk tradition at all, it's an added bonus and makes them even more enjoyable.
I hope this helps. If you are interested in reading the books, you could always just start out with the first one and decide if you like them enough to continue.
