Taran comes up against the amorality of an outlaw, the injustice of a warlord, the arrogance of a wizard, and the simple dishonesty of a shepherd, and yet never relinquishes his own integrity, even as he faces fear, shame, and bitter disappointment. From feuding lords to evil wizards, lawless mercenaries to the lessons of forge, loom and potter’s wheel - each life experience leads him closer to who he really is.Īs the story goes along, Lloyd Alexander also finds time to, subtly and wisely, add commentary on the human condition.

What follows is not so much a single overarching story, but a series of encounters and problems which Taran has to solve with his wit, compassion, bravery, common sense, and only occasionally his physical strength. With this as his somewhat vague goal, he heads out into the world. On his travels he learns of the mysterious Mirror of Llunet which is said to show the true self of anyone who stares into it. Having never known his parents, he harbors a secret wish that he has noble-blood in his veins and so he sets out to discover the identity of his parents, and find his place in the world. With the intention to ask Princess Elionwy to marry him when she returns from her training on the Isle of Mona, Taran desires to learn more about his heritage.

This is the book in which he fully steps into manhood. The core of this series has always been Taran’s growth from a somewhat foolish and hapless boy into a man, and with each consecutive book he learns a little more about himself and the world around him. It doesn’t have a whole lot of swashbuckling action and gallantry, but as I've reread the books through the years, I've come to see it as the key to the series, and what lifts it into the realm of classics. My personal favorite in “The Chronicles of Prydain” is, no contest, “Taran Wanderer”.

Taran the chronicles of prydain