The Book of Three by Lloyd Alexander is part of Usborne’s modern classics collection. Originally published in 1964 this book is still popular with many editions created since its first publication.
The Book of Three is about Taran, a boy with no parents who works as an assistant pig keeper to a blacksmith and a wise old man. It becomes very quickly clear that Coll and Dallben are far more interesting than Taran had ever expected.
Taran is the assistant pig keeper to an animal who is far from ordinary. Hen Wen is literally an oracle. It is only when the animals panic and Hen Wen digs to freedom that Taran realises quite how special this pig is. It seems that everyone wants to be the first to find her when she goes missing. Both friends and foe. Terrible things may happen if they are not the first to find her.
Taran soon finds himself teamed up with mythical legend Prince Gwydion. On first meeting him he is not what Taran expected with none of the trappings of a prince. Simply dressed and older than expected Gwydion is otherwise every bit the hero from the stories that Taran has been told.
There is a lot of peril in this book. From the first chapter there is a sense of urgency and worry for Hen Wen the pig. I was literally in my house explaining that I had to go back to my book to find out if Hen Wen was going to be ok and inexplicably saying where is Pen Wen aloud at dinner. Other people in my house definitely suffered as I read this one though were completely invested as much as I was in finding out where this pig had gone.
The book has all you would expect from a quest. A villain to defeat, a goal, discovering hidden heroism in yourself and in your friends. Meeting unlikely companions who become special to you whether you appear to get on initially or not. There are some brilliant characters from an unofficial bard whose harp strings snap every time he lies to a hairy creature who is always hungry. The often critical Eilonwy with her flowing red hair.
I enjoyed reading this book. It appealed to my love of things that are silly and unlikely (what’s not to find entertaining about an oracular pig?) I’m not naturally a fantasy genre reader. I have enjoyed fantasy books but it’s not a genre I tend to seek out. You don’t have to be a fantasy fan to enjoy this. It’s a good story about growing up, finding yourself and fighting for good. And the wise nature of pigs.
The locations in the book are well described. The land the story is set in is a place called Prydain which is based on Wales. Wales was used as an inspiration rather than it being a literal comparison and some of the characters are based on old Welsh legends. There is also a very atmospherically described place called Annuvin which is the land of the dead with terrible creatures that walk or fly out into Prydain. The location really evokes the feel of the book and brings the sense of foreboding that sits behind everything the characters do.
The Book of Three is the start of a series of books called The Chronicles of Prydain. It’s always nice to find out that a book you have enjoyed is a series and in 1964 it was perhaps a little less common than today when sequels, trilogies and series seem to be extremely popular with publishers and readers alike.
I enjoyed seeing the many covers this book has had over the years as well. It’s nice to see the different cover designs and what was popular at those times. And good to see Hen Wen getting to appear on so many of them.
I found this book gripping and it’s left me with a lovely warm feeling. There is just enough information kept from you in this first book that I feel I will definitely go on to read others in the series to find out what happens to all the characters and to reveal the hidden secrets from The Book of Three.
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