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Prydain Companion: A Reference Guide to Lloyd Alexander's Prydain Chronicles |
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| Author: |
Michael O. Tunnell |
 Book Review
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| Format: |
Hardcover |
| ISBN: |
0805072713 |
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| Availability: |
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Book Description
An informative resource for formal studies of the Prydain Chronicles, as well as an excellent opportunity to delve into the fantastic workings of Prydain
"The Prydain Companion is more than a quick reference or handy glossary, though it is all of that as well. Instructive, certainly. But, like any good companion, a pleasure to be with over a long period of time."--Lloyd Alexander, from the Foreword
This intriguing volume is at once a wonderful reference resource and a vehicle for exploration and discovery in itself. Complete with a biographical sketch of Lloyd Alexander, a personal Foreword by Mr. Alexander himself, a “How to Use the Companion” section from the author, pronunciation keys, and excerpts throughout, and—most substantially—an alphabetical... |
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Book of Three |
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| Author: |
Lloyd Alexander |
Book Review
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| Format: |
Paperback |
| ISBN: |
0440407028 |
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| Availability: |
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Book Review
The tale of Taran, assistant pig keeper, has been entertaining young readers for generations. Set in the mythical land of Prydain (which bears a more than passing resemblance to Wales), Lloyd Alexander's book draws together the elements of the hero's journey from unformed boy to courageous young man. Taran grumbles with frustration at home in the hamlet Caer Dallben; he yearns to go into battle like his hero, Prince Gwydion. Before the story is over, he has met his hero and fought the evil leader who threatens the peace of Prydain: the Horned King. What brings the tale of Taran to life is Alexander's skillful use of humor, and the way he personalizes the mythology he has so clearly studied. Taran isn't a stick figure; in fact, the author makes a point of mocking him just at the moments when he's acting the most... |
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The Black Cauldron |
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| Author: |
Lloyd Alexander |
Book Review
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| Format: |
Paperback |
| ISBN: |
0440406498 |
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| Availability: |
This title is not currently available. |
From AudioFile
This second book in The Prydain Chronicles follows Taran, the assistant pig-keeper, as he and his companions set off on a quest to destroy Arawn's greatest weapon, the black cauldron. Narrator James Langton brings a fine sense of pacing and tension to this rich, action-packed story. His character voices are colored with a multitude of accents, primarily those of the British Isles and the United States. Initially the variety is jarring, and Langton occasionally slips out of character throughout the production. Even so, the main voices come through, and listeners will be sucked into Taran's world. An introduction read by Alexander himself rounds out a production that will delight fantasy listeners. A.F. © AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine
--This text refers to the... |
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High King |
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| Author: |
Lloyd Alexander |
Book Review
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| Format: |
Paperback |
| ISBN: |
0440435749 |
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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
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
edition.
Book Description
When the sword of dyrnwyn, the most powerful weapon inthe kingdom of Prydain, falls into the hands of Arawn-Death-Lord, Taran, Assistant Pig-Keeper, and Prince Gwydion raise an army to march against Arawn's terrible cohorts. After a winter expedition filled with danger, Taran's army arrives at Mount Dragon, Arawn's stronghold. There, in a thrilling confrontation with Arawn and the evil enchantress Achren, Taran is forced to make the most crucial decision of his... |
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Nausea |
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| Author: |
Jean-Paul Sartre |
Book Review
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| Format: |
Paperback |
| ISBN: |
0811201880 |
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Book Description
Winner of the 1964 Nobel Prize in Literature. Jean-Paul Sartre, philosopher, critic, novelist and dramatist, hold a position of singular eminence in the world of French letters. Among readers and critics familiar with the whole of Sartre's work, it is generally recognized that his earliest novel, Le Nausée (first published in 1938), is his finest and most significant. It is unquestionably a key novel of the Twentieth Century and a landmark in Existentialist fiction.Nausea is the story of Antoine Roquentin, a French writer who is horrified at his own existence. In impressionistic, diary form he ruthlessly catalogues his every feeling and sensation about the world and people around him. His thoughts culminate in a pervasive, overpowering feeling of nausea which "spread at the bottom of the viscous puddle, at the... |
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The Castle of Llyr |
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| Author: |
Lloyd Alexander |
Book Review
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| Format: |
Paperback |
| ISBN: |
0440411254 |
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| Availability: |
This title is not currently available. |
Review
"An exciting, highly imaginative, and sometimes profound fantasy of humor and heroism." --The New York Times
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
edition.
Book Description
In the imaginary kingdom of Prydain, Princess Eilonwy must leave her friends to go to the Isle of Mona for training as a proper princess. Because Eilonwy has magical powers, she is sought by Achren, the most evil enchantress in the land. Shortly after her arrival on the Isle of Mona, something sinister and secret befalls her. Eilonwy's loyal friends--Taran, the Assistant Pig-Keeper; Flewddur, the bard; and Prince Rhun, her intended husband--realize her peril and set out on an exciting and terrifying mission to rescue her. They encounter great forces of enil as well as private--sometimes... |
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Book of Three |
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| Author: |
Lloyd Alexander |
Book Review
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| Format: |
Hardcover |
| ISBN: |
0805061320 |
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| Availability: |
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Book Review
The tale of Taran, assistant pig keeper, has been entertaining young readers for generations. Set in the mythical land of Prydain (which bears a more than passing resemblance to Wales), Lloyd Alexander's book draws together the elements of the hero's journey from unformed boy to courageous young man. Taran grumbles with frustration at home in the hamlet Caer Dallben; he yearns to go into battle like his hero, Prince Gwydion. Before the story is over, he has met his hero and fought the evil leader who threatens the peace of Prydain: the Horned King. What brings the tale of Taran to life is Alexander's skillful use of humor, and the way he personalizes the mythology he has so clearly studied. Taran isn't a stick figure; in fact, the author makes a point of mocking him just at the moments when he's acting the most... |
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Time Cat |
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| Author: |
Lloyd Alexander |
Book Review
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| Format: |
Paperback |
| ISBN: |
0142401072 |
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| Availability: |
Usually ships within 24 hours. |
From School Library Journal
Grade 3-7-By Lloyd Alexander. When Jason finds out that his cat Gareth can travel through time, he begs to go along. Soon cat and boy find themselves in ancient Egypt on the first of nine unforgettable adventures. Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to the
Audio Cassette
edition.
From Library Journal
Grade 3-6-Jason has always thought that his cat Gareth could talk if he wanted to, so when Gareth speaks to him he is not surprised. On finding that Gareth does not have nine lives but does have the ability to visit nine different times and places, Jason eagerly asks to go with him. Together they travel to Ancient Egypt, Roman Britain, pre-Christian Ireland, Imperial Japan, Renaissance Italy, 16th century Peru, late 16th century... |
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Castle of Llyr |
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| Author: |
Lloyd Alexander |
Book Review
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| Format: |
Paperback |
| ISBN: |
0805080503 |
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| Availability: |
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Review
"An exciting, highly imaginative, and sometimes profound fantasy of humor and heroism." --The New York Times
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
edition.
Book 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... |
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Dream-of-Jade: The Emperor's Cat |
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| Author: |
Lloyd Alexander |
Book Review
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| Format: |
Hardcover |
| ISBN: |
0812627369 |
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| Availability: |
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From School Library Journal
Grade 1-4–In a fictional ancient Chinese empire, a cat named Dream-of-Jade befriends the lonely and badly advised Celestial Emperor. First she saves his life by noticing that the neglected ceiling above his throne is about to collapse, and then she teaches him the invigorating effect of a bit of physical labor. Next she introduces him to laughter and playfulness. So, little by little, Dream-of-Jade intervenes between the Emperor and his courtiers, lifting the weight of stifling tradition and meaningless ceremony from his shoulders and allowing honesty and common sense to prevail. This handsome book is illustrated with graceful pencil-and-watercolor art that adds atmosphere and emotion to Alexander's ornate prose. Because the characters speak in highly stylized, stilted language–There does, in... |
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Black Cauldron |
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| Author: |
Lloyd Alexander |
Book Review
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| Format: |
Paperback |
| ISBN: |
080508049X |
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| Availability: |
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From AudioFile
This second book in The Prydain Chronicles follows Taran, the assistant pig-keeper, as he and his companions set off on a quest to destroy Arawn's greatest weapon, the black cauldron. Narrator James Langton brings a fine sense of pacing and tension to this rich, action-packed story. His character voices are colored with a multitude of accents, primarily those of the British Isles and the United States. Initially the variety is jarring, and Langton occasionally slips out of character throughout the production. Even so, the main voices come through, and listeners will be sucked into Taran's world. An introduction read by Alexander himself rounds out a production that will delight fantasy listeners. A.F. © AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine
--This text refers to the... |
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The Arkadians |
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| Author: |
Lloyd Alexander |
Book Review
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| Format: |
Paperback |
| ISBN: |
0140380736 |
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| Availability: |
Ships within 3-4 days. |
From Publishers Weekly
Lucian flees corrupt palace officials in pre-classical Greece, his flight becoming a quest to discover his role in life. Soon, he's trying to help a second-rate poet turned donkey regain human form. Roaming the land, he also gets caught up in the great conflict between followers of the mother goddess and believers in the Olympian pantheon. Fortunately, he has the help of Joy-in-the-Dance, a young prophetess, in a relationship strikingly similar to that of Taran and Eilonwy in Alexander's five-volume Prydain Chronicles. And like the Prydain novels, this adventure draws heavily on a great body of myths and legends. Perhaps to accommodate the constraints of a single volume, Alexander relays many myths in comic, de-bunked forms-he shows poets transforming a clan of horse-riders into centaurs, a skilled mariner... |
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The Wizard in the Tree |
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| Author: |
Lloyd Alexander |
Book Review
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| Format: |
Paperback |
| ISBN: |
014038801X |
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| Availability: |
Ships within 3-4 days. |
Book Description
Mallory notices there's something funny about an old oak tree, takes a closer look, and before she knows it, she's broken a magical spell. Arbican the wizard has been trapped in the oak for thousands of years, and his powers are gone. Will he get them back in time to save Mallory's village from greedy Squire Scrupner? Deft storytelling.[Full of] quotable bits of wisdom about the real nature of magic. --Booklist, starred review
Card catalog description
Mallory's encounter with the wizard in the tree begins a chain of events that change the lives of the villagers dominated by a suspicious squire.
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
edition.
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Time Cat |
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| Author: |
Lloyd Alexander |
Book Review
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| Format: |
Paperback |
| ISBN: |
0140378278 |
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| Availability: |
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From Publishers Weekly
A boy named Jason has nine historical adventures with the help of Gareth, his talking, time-traveling cat. Ages 8-12. Copyright 1996 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
Book Description
Here’s the book that started it all—Lloyd Alexander’s first fantasy for young readers—back in hardcover!
Gareth’s definitely not an ordinary cat. For one thing, he can talk. For another, he’s got the power to travel through time—
“Anywhere, any time, any country, any century,” Gareth tells Jason. And in the wink of a very special cat’s eye, they’re off. From ancient Egypt to Japan, the land of young Leonardo da Vinci to the town of a woman accused of witchcraft, Jason and Gareth are whisked from... |
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The Fortune-Tellers |
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| Author: |
Lloyd Alexander |
Book Review
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| Format: |
Paperback |
| ISBN: |
0140562338 |
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| Availability: |
Usually ships within 3-5 weeks. We cannot guarantee availability of special order titles because publishers may run out of stock. We will notify you in 3-4 weeks if we are unable to get this title for you. |
From Publishers Weekly
The hands of fate deftly propel this original folktale. A seedy fortune-teller profits from gullible and sometimes desperate villagers who seek predictions for a rosier future. One unhappy carpenter takes to heart the seer's hardly helpful advice--"Rich you will surely be, on one condition: that you earn large sums of money"--and looks forward to a prosperous life. Most surprising to the craftsman, he ends up in the right place at the right time and the prediction comes true. Alexander's chipper text has a jaunty and infectious "just so" tone. Amazing coincidences fuse the plot elements, but the story's logic remains intact, successfully suspending the reader's disbelief. Hyman's acrylic, ink and crayon illustrations capture the landscape and people of West Africa in vivid detail. Indigenous plants and... |
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Foundling and Other Tales of Prydain |
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| Author: |
Lloyd Alexander |
Book Review
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| Format: |
Paperback |
| ISBN: |
0140378251 |
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| Availability: |
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From Publishers Weekly
Eight short stories explore the mythical land of Prydain, the setting of the acclaimed fantasy series that includes the 1969 Newbery Medal winner, The High King (1969). Ages 8-12. Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Book Description
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 become involved in an epic struggle between good and evil that shapes the fate of the legendary land of Prydain.
Released over... |
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