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What's this? This is a thread wherein I will take you through the Chronicles of Prydain, a high fantasy series by the late Lloyd Alexander. First published in the late sixties, the five books detail the adventures of Taran, an Assistant Pig-Keeper who dreams of much bigger destinies than life on a farm, caring for a (very special) pig. Some of you might know the name Taran from the 1985 animated Disney movie, The Black Cauldron, which kinda mish-mashes the first and second books together, and is altogether a terrible adaptation of the novel if you ask me; we therefore will not be discussing it and focusing purely on the books. Despite the setting being filled with monsters, magic and heroes, the focus lies a lot more on Taran's growth as a person and his coming of age, and part of their appeal (in my opinion) is that character development, as well as the hard lessons that Taran has to learn without the books turning into edgy nonsense. I hope you will enjoy this journey with me, whether or not you have read the books before! So what's Prydain? Long ago, Prydain was a prosperous land, one filled with many master craftsmen from blacksmiths to potters to carpenters. But Arawn, the Lord of Annuvin (he's the bad guy) grew jealous of Prydain's prosperity, and one by one stole its many secrets and artefacts for himself, hoarding them in his fortress. Prydain thus fell into decary, and would have perished, if not for the mighty Sons of Don, who arrived to form an alliance between the peoples of Prydain and do heroic battle against Arawn's dark forces. Some manner of time has passed since, and Prydain now knows a measure of peace under the High King - but the lords of the various cantrevs fight petty squabbles amongst themselves, and Arawn still lurks in the shadows of the Land of Death, waiting for his time to strike once more. Prydain takes a lot if inspiration from Welsh myth, in particular the Mabinogion. The geography is directly inspired by Wales itself, and nearly all the names are directly lifted from Welsh myth or history - with the exception of Taran, our protagonist, and Eilonwy. However, Alexander stresses that his tellings are his own, despite these similarities - see the Author's Note for the first book below. quote:THIS CHRONICLE of the Land of Prydain is not a retelling or retranslation of Welsh mythology. Prydain is not Wales--- not entirely, at least. The inspiration for it comes from that magnificent land and its legends; but, essentially, Prydain is a country existing only in the imagination. A few of its inhabitants are drawn from the ancient tales. Gwydion, for example, is a "real" legendary figure. Arawn, the dread Lord of Annuvin, comes from the Mabinogion, the classic collection of Welsh legends, though in Prydain he is considerably more villainous. And there is an authentic mythological basis for Arawn's cauldron, Hen Wen the oracular pig, the old enchanter Dallben, and others. However, Taran the Assistant Pig-Keeper, like Eilonwy of the red gold hair, was born in my own Prydain. How's this going to go? Following in the footsteps of Epicurius' Let's Read Animorphs (and now Everworld) threads, I will post chapters in full. The books are pretty small (as they are, in the end, children's books) and there's only five of them, so it shouldn't take too long. I will endeavor to post 2 chapters a week - one on wednesday, one on saturday - barring any real life emergencies. When we meet characters for the first time, I will update the second post, to be a glossary of sorts, in case anybody gets lost about who this or that guy is, or what certain terms mean. I would ask everybody to respect spoilers and not talk about any events that have not yet been discussed in the thread. That includes future books! If you absolutely must refer to something that happens later, please use spoiler tags and indicate which book the spoilers are from. Now then: onwards! Book 1 - the Book of Three In which we meet Taran, the land of Prydain, and many of the characters that will feature in this great series. First published in 1964, it was apparently ranked number 18 among all-time best children's novels in a survey published by School Library Journal, in 2012. I don't know if that means anything, I have no idea what sort of authority the SLJ has, but it's a nice feather in the cap, I suppose. Chapter 1 - The Assistant Pig-Keeper quote:TARAN WANTED to make a sword; but Coll, charged with the practical side of his education, decided on horseshoes. And so it had been horseshoes all morning long. Taran's arms ached, soot blackened his face. At last he dropped the hammer and turned to Coll, who was watching him critically. Meet our protagonist (who would like to call himself a hero, if only circumstances would let him), and his two teachers - Dallben, the enchanter who seems to be 379 years old, and Coll, the bald farmer, who apparently held a sword when he was younger. quote:"I fully understand," said Dallben, settling himself behind his table, "in the use of weapons, as in everything else, there is a certain skill. But wiser heads than yours will determine when you should learn it." And there we have our world-history exposition, as well as our first bit of magic in the series! Consent Matters for the Book of Three. quote:Dallben's eyes blinked open. He peered at Taran and yawned slowly. "You had better see Coll about a lotion for those hands," he advised. "Otherwise, I shouldn't be surprised if they blistered." Fingers smarting, the shamefaced Taran hurried from the cottage and found Coll near the vegetable garden. For an Assistant Pig-Keeper, Taran really doesn't do a good job of Keeping the Pig, huh?
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# ? Apr 22, 2023 13:52 |
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# ? Jun 5, 2024 03:49 |
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The Glossary. The Main Cast Taran: An Assistant Pig-Keeper with big dreams and many lessons to learn. Our Protagonist. Gwydion: Son of Don, Prince of Caer Dathyl. A mighty hero. Gurgi: A gurgi. Eilonwy: A girl of the Sea-people, related to Achren by blood, and very fond of metaphors and similes. Fflewddur Fflam: A bard, with a harp that disagrees with him often. Doli: A dwarf. Very grumpy. Allies Dallben: An enchanter, purportedly 379 years old, and master of Caer Dallben. Coll: A farmer. Very bald. Hen Wen: A pig what can tell the future, if you know how to listen. Medwyn: A mysterious figure who lives in the mountains. Talks to animals. Seems to have a long memory. Eiddileg: King of the Tylwyth Teg, a.k.a the Fair Folk. A complainer. Ellidyr: Prince of Pen-Llarcau. Kind of a jerk. Introduced in Book 2. Adaon: Son of Chief Bard Taliesin. A dreamer. Introduced in Book 2. Smoit: King of Cantrev Cadiffor. Big eater. Big brawler. Big beard. Introduced in Book 2. Morgant: King of Cantrev Madoc. Fearless. One of the greatest warlords of Prydain, after Gwydion. Introduced in Book 2. Gwystyl: A Fair Folk, stationed at a waypost near the Black Gate. Depressed. Introduced in Book 2. Rhun: Prince of Mona. Big heart. Bit clumsy. Introduced in Book 3. Rhuddlum: King of Mona. Rhun's father. Introduced in Book 3. Llyan: Big cat. Likes music. Introduced in Book 3. Aeddan: A farmer. Has it rough. Introduced in Book 4. Llonio: A family man. Lucky. Introduced in Book 4. Hedwyn: A master smith. Susceptible to reverse psychology. Introduced in Book 4. Dwyvach: A weaver-woman. Old. Introduced in Book 4. Annlaw Clay-shaper: A master potter and a good host. Introduced in Book 4. Villains Arawn: Lord of Annuvin, a trickster and schemer, who has stolen many secrets that once made Prydain great. The Horned King: A mighty warlord in Arawn's service. Achren: Mistress of the Spiral Castle, an enchantress of great skill. Morda: Enchanter. Likes turning people into animals. Introduced in Book 4. Dorath Mercenary. Piece of poo poo. Introduced in Book 5. Places Prydain: The land in which our tales take place. Annuvin: Arawn's fortress; the Land of the Dead. Caer Dallben: Coll's farm, home to himself, Dallben, and Taran. Caer Dathyl: Home to the Sons of Don. Marshes of Morva: A foul marsh, to the east of Annuvin. Home to Orddu, Orwen, and Orgoch. The Free Commots: Lands in the east of Prydain, where a great many craftsmen of skill live. Wahad fucked around with this message at 20:36 on Feb 27, 2024 |
# ? Apr 22, 2023 13:52 |
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Such a great series. Books 4 and 5 in particular were favorites of mine. "Munchings and crunchings" were always beef jerky in my mind, lack of crunch notwithstanding, and I always had a supply on hand when reading these as a kid so I could munch and crunch along with the group.
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# ? Apr 22, 2023 21:51 |
I absolutely loved these as a kid and kept on reading and rereading them.
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# ? Apr 24, 2023 02:07 |
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I somehow missed this series as a kid despite reading Lloyd Alexander's The Remarkable Journey of Prince Jen about a thousand times, and finally got around to the first book last year. It holds up shockingly well, legit classic. It was interesting reading it almost immediately after McKillip's Riddle-Master series and going, "Heyyy... I recognize this!" at all the little bits of Welsh mythology they share. I really want to know what Gurgi looks like, because the descriptions in the book never quite managed to cohere into a picture in my head, and there's precious little fan-art of him out there for some reason.
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# ? Apr 24, 2023 02:48 |
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These books were a staple of my childhood, long before I ever knew what the Mabinogion was.
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# ? Apr 24, 2023 04:09 |
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Chapter 2: The Mask of the Kingquote:HEN WEN HAD had vanished. Ahead, Taran heard a thrashing among the leaves. The pig, he was sure, was keeping out of sight in the bushes. Following the sound, he ran forward. After a time the ground rose sharply, forcing him to clamber onhands and knees up a wooded slope. At the crest the forest broke off before a meadow. Taran caught a glimpse of Hen Wen dashing into the waving grass. Once across the meadow, she disappeared beyond a stand of trees. Taran hurried after her. This was farther than he had ever dared venture, but he struggled on through the heavy undergrowth. Soon, a fairly wide trail opened, allowing him to quicken his pace. Hen Wen had either stopped running or had outdistanced him. He heard nothing but his own footsteps. He followed the trail for some while, intending to use it as a landmark on the way back, although it twisted and branched off so frequently he was not at all certain in which direction Caer Dallben lay. In the meadow Taran had been flushed and perspiring. Now he shivered in the silence of oaks and elms. The woods here were not thick, but shadows drenched the high tree trunks and the sun broke through only in jagged streaks. A damp green scent filled the air. No bird called; no squirrel chattered. The forest seemed to be holding its breath. Yet there was, beneath the silence, a groaning restlessness and a trembling among the leaves. The branches twisted and grated against each other like broken teeth. The path wavered under Taran's feet, and he felt desperately cold. He flung his arms around himself and moved more quickly to shake off the chill. He was, he realized, running aimlessly; he could not keep his mind on the forks and turns of the path. In which we meet The Horned King. He's the guy on the cover. Taran also gets his first taste of battle - and it doesn't go very well for him. quote:THE SUN HAD already dipped westward when Taran opened his eyes. He was lying on a stretch of turf with a cloak thrown over him. One shoulder smarted painfully. A man knelt beside him. Nearby, a white horse cropped the grass. Still dazed, fearful the riders had overtaken him, Taran started up. And Gwydion is here! To Taran's surprise, he doesn't look anything like in the stories. But he seems to be at a task - in pursuit of our very smart pig, no less. quote:"You?" cried Taran. "You came this far..." We learn more of Arawn (in that he stays home a lot), the Horned King (he works for Arawn and he's up to no good) and Gwydion (he likes weaving). And Taran, we learn, is an orphan - which explains in some way the fervent wish to be something greater than an Assistant Pig-Keeper.
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# ? Apr 26, 2023 14:51 |
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Man I loved these books as a kid! I'm excited to follow along with this thread.
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# ? Apr 29, 2023 17:52 |
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Alexander's version of Gwydion is a lot more like Tolkien's Strider than he is the rather sleazy trickster figure in the Mabinogion, much like Alexander's Arawn is more like Sauron than he is the Arawn who appears in the Mabinogion's "Pwyll, Prince of Dyfed."
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# ? Apr 30, 2023 07:09 |
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I missed my post yesterday, so here's two chapters to make up for it! Chapter 3: Gurgi quote:BY THE TIME Taran woke, Gwydion had already saddled Melyngar. The cloak Taran had slept in was damp with dew. Every joint ached from his night on the hard ground. With Gwydion's urging, Taran stumbled toward the horse, a white blur in the gray-pink dawn. Gwydion hauled Taran into the saddle behind him, spoke a quiet command, and the white steed moved quickly into the rising mist. Gwydion was seeking the spot where Taran had last seen Hen Wen. But long before they had reached it, he reined up Melyngar and dismounted. As Taran watched, Gwydion knelt and sighted along the turf. And here we learn more of Coll's past and how he came to learn how to use a sword; and the fact that Taran was clearly brought up on tales of Samson, for all his notions of heroism. Also, the comparison of Gwydion to Strider/Aragorn in Selachian's post is pretty apt; when I was a young lad first seeing The Fellowship of the Ring when it came out, I thought Viggo as Aragorn was a pretty good image for Gwydion. I had read the Lord of the Rings before seeing the movie, too, but Tolkien's prose is a lot drier than Alexander's, so I had read the Chronicles a lot more, which made the connection easy to make. quote:"Here," continued Gwydion, "not far from Annuvin, lies Spiral Castle. This, too, Hen Wen would avoid at all cost. It is the abode of Queen Achren, She is as dangerous as Arawn himself; as evil as she is beautiful. But there are secrets concerning Achren which are better left untold. I am sure," Gwydion went on, "Hen Wen will not go toward Annuvin or Spiral Castle. From what little I can see, she has run straight ahead. Quickly now, we shall try to pick up her trail." Gwydion turned Melyngar toward the ridge. As they reached the bottom of the slope, Taran heard the waters of Great Avren rushing like wind in a summer storm. And we meet Gurgi! Gurgi is...well, he's Gurgi. As we'll come to find, nobody in story or out of story is really sure what Gurgi is beyond "a gurgi." The description makes him seem somewhat like a dog in a human body - eager to please 'mighty lords', fearful of harm (mighty smackings and hurtful choppings), and always looking for scraps from the table (crunchings and muchings). To further the Lord of the Rings comparisons, I always thought of Gurgi as a sort of hairy Gollum, but Gurgi is a lot more friendly than Gollum is. I said we wouldn't discuss the movie, but I'll bring it up this once to show you what Gurgi looks like there. Very dog forward, and much too clean - not even a single twig stuck in his fur. One of the covers for Taran Wanderer (book four), with art by Jody Lee, makes him look like this. More in line with the books, very messy and kind of disturbingly human-like. Other than that, there's very little 'official' art of Gurgi, so there's no real consensus on what he looks like, which furthers the mystery of his nature. If you have found any good fan-art of Gurgi, please link it! Chapter 4: The Gwythaints quote:MELYNGAR BORE THEM swiftly through the fringe of trees lining Great Avren's sloping banks. They dismounted and hurried on foot in the direction Gurgi had indicated. Near a jagged rock, Gwydion halted and gave a cry of triumph. In a patch of clay, Hen Wen's tracks showed as plainly as if they had been carved. We learn some more of Arawn's servants. The Gwythaints are some sort of magical eagle creatures, brainwashed by Arawn into his service. And the Cauldron-Born...well, we'll find out more about them later. quote:AFTER MUCH SEARCHING, Gwydion discovered Hen Wen's tracks once more. They led over a barren field, then to a shallow ravine. "Here they stop," he said, frowning. "Even onstony ground there should be some trace, but I can Gwyn is an interesting figure. In Welsh folklore, he is Gwyn Ap Nudd (Gwyn, son of Nudd), a king of the Tylwyth Teg (the Welsh name for the Aes Side/Fair Folk/fairies). He is associated with the Wild Hunt, which is a whole digression in and of itself, with his pack of ghost-dogs, the Cŵn Annwn, or 'hounds of Annwn', which is the name for the Tylwyth Teg's land. To hear the baying of the hounds was an omen impeding death, but Gwyn himself is not so much an evil figure as much as he is a psychopomp; a creature that guides souls to the afterlive. In some tales, he is even a hero, and there's some tales of him being part of King Arthur's retinue. In the Chronicles, Gwyn is used as the leader of the Wild Hunt (though it is not named so); 'where he rides, slaughter follows' - a distant, looming threat. The description of the hunting horn invoking feelings of grief is one in particular that I love. quote:A whinny from Melyngar broke Taran's sleep. As Gwydion rose and went to her, Taran glimpsed a shadow dart behind a bush. He sat up quickly. Gwydion's back was turned. In the bright moonlight the shadow moved again. Choking back his fear, Taran leaped to his feet and plunged into the undergrowth. Thorns tore at him. He landed on something that grappled frantically. He lashed out, seized what felt like someone's head, and an unmistakable odor of wet wolfhound assailed his nose. Gurgi returns - and we find out what the Horned King is up to. He's gathering an army to march under Arawn's banner, to crush the Sons of Don on their home turf. And some of them have spotted our heroes!
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# ? Apr 30, 2023 18:58 |
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Man, this is great. Like many others these were maybe my favourite books as a child. Read them over and over again. In retrospect, the comparison of Gwydion to Aragorn/Strider is very apt. And yes, in the Mabinogion he's much more of a wizard/trickster and honestly a bit of a dirtbag. I think the books themselves are very much children's books in terms of the protagonist and his heroes journey (is bildingsroman the word?) But the writing holds up and would not be particularly out of place in a genre book for adults. Very effective.
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# ? May 1, 2023 07:09 |
A lot of the themes are instructional lessons for children, such as our recurring lessons about first impressions being misleading - Coll the farmer, Gwydion being a regular dude, Gurgi - but the writing is solid. I still love these books.
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# ? May 1, 2023 16:31 |
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Chapter 5: The Broken Swordquote:GURGI RAN OFF, yelping in terror. Gwydion was at Taran's side as the first rider bore down on them. With a quick gesture, Gwydion thrust a hand into his jacket and pulled out the net of grass. Suddenly the withered wisps grew larger, longer, shimmering and crackling, nearly blinding Taran with streaks of liquid flame. The rider raised his sword. With a shout, Gwydion hurled the dazzling mesh into the warrior's face. Shrieking, the rider dropped his sword and grappled the air. He tumbled from his saddle while the mesh spread over his body and clung to him like an enormous spiderweb. Gwydion dragged the stupefied Taran to an ash tree and from his belt drew the hunting knife which he thrust in Taran's hand. "This is the only weapon I can spare," he cried. "Use it as well as you can." We see a little more of Gwydion's skills - in addition to being an accomplished warrior, he also has some magic at his command! Alas, it is not enough to fend off the Cauldron-Born, that were first mentioned last chapter. They're...zombies, of a sort, as we see here, able to shrug off mortal wounds pretty easily. Very spooky. quote:THE PARTY RODE LONG without a halt. Fording the shallow River Ystrad, the Cauldron-Born pressed tightly on either side of the captives. Taran dared once again to speak to Gwydion, but the lash cut his words short. Taran's throat was parched, waves of dizziness threatened to drown him. He could not be sure how long they had ridden, for he lapsed often into feverish dreams. Our heroes are captured by Achren - another enchanter, on the side of the bad guys this time. Taran's easily impressed - and once again his preconceptions are almost his ruin - but Gwydion's having none of it, and she doesn't like that quite so much. I love Achren as a character, for reasons we'll see later, but for now, she's a clear and present danger to our heroes - and particularly Gwydion, as she doesn't seem to have a very high opinion of Assistant Pig-Keepers.
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# ? May 3, 2023 14:55 |
Wahad posted:Chapter 5: The Broken Sword Worth noting that Gwydion had a short bout with preceptions assuming that Taran was just being a dumbass instead of realizing Taran was trying to protect him, but he quickly realized the truth and changed his ways.
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# ? May 4, 2023 04:31 |
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Chapter 6: Eilonwyquote:TARAN CAME TO HIS SENSES on a pile of dirty straw, which smelled as though Gurgi and all his ancestors had slept on it. A few feet above him, pale yellow sunlight shone through a grating; the feeble beam ended abruptly on a wall of rough, damp stone. The shadows of bars lay across the tiny patch of light; instead of brightening the cell, the wan rays made it appear only more grim and closed in. As Taran's eyes grew accustomed to this yellow twilight, he made out a heavy, studded portal with a slot at the base. The cell itself was not over three paces square. His head ached; since his hands were still bound behind him, he could do no more than guess at the large and throbbing lump. What had happened to Gwydion he dared not imagine. After the Cauldron warrior had struck him, Taran had regained consciousness only a few moments before slipping once again into whirling darkness. In that brief time, he vaguely remembered opening his eyes and finding himself slung over a guard's back. His confused recollection included a dim corridor with doors on either side. Gwydion had called out to him once--- or so Taran believed--- he could not recall his friend's words, perhaps even that had been part of the nightmare. He supposed Gwydion had been cast in another dungeon; Taran fervently hoped so. I decided to leave this chapter without any interruptions. We meet Eilonwy! And she's immediately gone off in search of Gwydion, and to free him - and Melyngar - from Achren's clutches, while Taran has to wait and hope that she actually manages to do so. She also has a magic bauble that gives off light - an enchantress in training, though one has to wonder who thought Achren would've been a good teacher - and a motormouth of outstanding endurance.
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# ? May 6, 2023 15:27 |
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I'm pretty sure Achren is derived from Arianrhod in the Mabinogion, especially since she's associated with Caer Sidi, the Revolving Castle, which Alexander turns into Spiral Castle. In the Mabinogion, Arianrhod and Gwydion are enemies as well, although Arianrhod actually has some pretty good reasons to hate Gwydion rather than just being an evil sorceress. Caer Sidi was a metaphor for the band of the zodiac; you can also see the association in Arianrhod's name, which means "silver wheel."
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# ? May 6, 2023 16:47 |
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I'm having a lot of fun reading this for the first time in years. Thanks for posting it in full!
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# ? May 7, 2023 09:00 |
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Yeah this is great to reread.
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# ? May 7, 2023 15:17 |
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Kestral posted:I really want to know what Gurgi looks like, because the descriptions in the book never quite managed to cohere into a picture in my head, and there's precious little fan-art of him out there for some reason. Yeah, I don't think he was ever clearly described. I always imagined him as vaguely lemur-like, but with less of a clearly visible face than in the Jody Lee art, and maybe with larger eyes.
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# ? May 8, 2023 18:14 |
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In my mind he looks like the more animal / demon-y versions of Yallery Brown, somewhere between the Wikipedia and Eric Kincaid versions
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# ? May 8, 2023 23:28 |
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Chapter 7: The Trapquote:FROM THE CORRIDOR, a faint sound grew louder. Taran hastened to press his ear against the slot in the portal. He heard the heavy tread of marching feet, the rattle of weapons. He straightened and stood with his back to the wall. The girl had betrayed him. He cast about for some means to defend himself, for he had determined they would not take him easily. For the sake of having something in his hands, Taran picked up the dirty straw and held it ready to fling; it was a pitiable defense, and he wished desperately for Gwydion's power to set it ablaze. The footsteps continued. He feared, then, they would enter the other cell. He breathed a sigh of relief when they did not stop but faded away toward what he imagined to be the far end of the corridor. Perhaps the guard was being changed. He turned away, certain Eilonwy would not be back, and furious with her and her false promises. She was a rattlebrained fool who would undoubtedly giggle and take it as a great joke when the Cauldron-Born came for him. He buried his face in his hands. He could hear her chatter even now. Taran started up again. The voice he heard was real. We learn some more about Eilonwy - despite being young, and rather talkative and prone to trains of thought that are more like derailments, she's clearly smart and capable. But, unfortunately, Taran just can't keep up. quote:He called as loudly as he dared. After a few moments he heard a scraping above him and saw the faint reflection of the golden ball. Taran is once again quick to judge - although, perhaps not entirely unreasonably here. After all, falling down a crevice that's not a crevice when you're trying to escape from an evil enchantress' castle is kind of a bummer. But Eilonwy seems to think there's still a way out.
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# ? May 10, 2023 16:32 |
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Wahad posted:"No, she won't," said Eilonwy, "because she'll think I'm still locked up. And if she doesn't know I can get out, she can't know I was here. But it's very thoughtful of you to say that. It shows a kind heart, and I think that's so much more important than being clever." This is a good sentiment but man, Taran gets roasted a lot. It’s a tough world for assistant pig keepers.
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# ? May 10, 2023 16:53 |
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Coca Koala posted:This is a good sentiment but man, Taran gets roasted a lot. It’s a tough world for assistant pig keepers. It's kind of funny how much he comes off like a complete idiot in this book in particular, though I think a lot of it is more showing him as a child to contrast with later on (certainly by the final books he's very mature compared to this one, but I like how he does have some capacity for self reflection even now).
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# ? May 10, 2023 18:36 |
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For sure! I also remember Eilonwy being a significant character in the later books and I’m pretty sure she goes through a lot of maturation as well, but the first half of this book is pretty tough on Taran. For some reason the ending of the first book has always stuck in my mind so I know that Taran gets more responsible, but i’m looking forward to seeing what kinds of messages his character development pushes.
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# ? May 10, 2023 18:44 |
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Chapter 8: The Barrowquote:AS EILONWY HAD SAID, the passageway was more comfortable, for they could walk side by side without crouching and scuttling like rabbits in a warren. Unlike those of the upper galleries, the walls were lined with huge, flat stones; the ceiling was formed of even larger stones, whose weight was supported by upright slabs set at intervals along the square corridor. The air, too, smelled slightly better; musty, as if it had lain unstirred for ages, but without the choking closeness of the tunnels. None of this comforted Taran greatly. Eilonwy herself admitted she had never explored the passage; her blithe confidence did not convince him she had the slightest notion of where she was going. Nevertheless, the girl hurried along, her sandals tapping and echoing, the golden light of the bauble casting its rays through shadows that hung like cobwebs. Nothing like a good bit of grave-robbing. quote:THE TUNNEL WAS the narrowest they had encountered. Flat on his belly, Taran squeezed and fought his way over the loose stones. Behind him, he heard Eilonwy gasping and struggling. Then a new sound began, a distant booming and throbbing. The earth shuddered as the pounding increased. Suddenly the passageway convulsed, the hidden roots of trees sprang up, the ground split beneath Taran, heaving and crumbling. In another instant, he was flung out at the bottom of a rocky slope. Our heroes have escaped Spiral Castle, it's somehow magically exploded, but most importantly, it's Gwydion! quote:The moon swung from behind the clouds. The figure turned. Taran stopped short in the sudden brightness and his jaw dropped. He had never seen this man before. It's...not Gwydion.
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# ? May 13, 2023 16:14 |
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I’m sure it’s somebody friendly though, i can’t wait to meet a new member of the gang!
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# ? May 15, 2023 00:26 |
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This upcoming scene and Gurgi might be all I remember from the first book. Then it's a giant gap in my memory until the last book.
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# ? May 15, 2023 03:50 |
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Chapter 9: Fflewddur Fflamquote:TARAN'S SWORD LEAPED OUT. The man in the cloak hurriedly dropped Melyngar's bridle and darted behind a tree. Taran swung the blade. Pieces of bark sprayed the air. While the stranger ducked back and forth, Taran slashed and thrust, hacking wildly at bushes and branches. "You're not Gwydion!" he shouted. We meet Fflewddur Fflam! Despite all the double consonants, I'm like 80% sure it's just pronounced "FLEW-dur Flam." And we once again see Taran leaping to conclusions and having to apologize afterwards. Communication is important, kids! quote:AT THE SUMMIT of the hill, the mighty blocks of stone lay as if crushed by a giant fist. Only the square arch of the gate remained upright, gaunt as a bone. In the moonlight, the ruins seemed already ancient. Shreds of mist hung over the shattered tower. Achren had learned of his escape, Taran guessed, for at the moment of the castle's destruction, she had sent out a company of guards.Amid the rubble, their bodies sprawled motionless as the stones. With growing despair, Taran climbed over the ruins. The foundations of the castle had collapsed. The walls had fallen inward. The bard and Eilonwy helped Taran try to shift one or two of the broken rocks, but the work was beyond their strength. At last, the exhausted Taran shook his head. And Gurgi returns. We have our traveling band assembled! But first, it's time for a good night's rest.
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# ? May 17, 2023 14:05 |
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Oh my god i had actually somehow completely forgotten about Fflewddur Fflam. Man, revisiting these books is an absolute trip! Seeing Taran spring through life leaping from one conclusion to the next like he’s a goat climbing a craggy mountain, it’s really getting laid on thick. Hopefully he’ll start to chill out in a chapter or two.
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# ? May 17, 2023 14:28 |
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Wahad posted:Chapter 9: Fflewddur Fflam My knowledge of Welsh pronunciation is 100% derived from Susan Cooper's "The Dark Is Rising" books, but my recollection is that ew is pronounced like the English oo and dd is pronounced like th. So, kinda like "Floothur Flam"?
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# ? May 17, 2023 15:27 |
Selachian posted:My knowledge of Welsh pronunciation is 100% derived from Susan Cooper's "The Dark Is Rising" books, but my recollection is that ew is pronounced like the English oo and dd is pronounced like th. So, kinda like "Floothur Flam"? Hey my knowledge is derived exactly the same, it's mostly from the fourth book set in Wales of course, that series rules.
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# ? May 17, 2023 15:45 |
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This series is one of my absolute favorites. I should start thinking about reading it to my kids.
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# ? May 17, 2023 23:51 |
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This series has a special place in my heart. Glad to see a let's read being done for it. Can't wait till you get to Taran Wanderer.
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# ? May 18, 2023 00:37 |
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Taran Wanderer was my favourite. I'm really happy to revisit the books after all these years. The structure of these chapters are more formal than I remember them being, but supported by very solid and consistent writing and the characterization is excellent and distinctive.
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# ? May 18, 2023 04:27 |
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Chapter 10: The Sword Dyrnwynquote:IT WAS FULL DAYLIGHT when Taran opened his eyes. Gurgi was already sniffing hungrily at the saddlebag. Taran rose quickly and shared out as much of the remaining provisions as he dared, keeping a small amount in reserve, since he had no idea how difficult it would be to find food during the coming journey. In the course of the restless night, he had reached his decision, though at present he refrained from speaking of it, still unsure he had chosen wisely. For the moment he concentrated on a meager breakfast. Gurgi, sitting crosslegged, devoured his food with so many outcries of pleasure and loud smackings of his lips that he seemed to be eating twice as much as he really did. Fflewddur bolted his scant portion as though he had not enjoyed a meal for at least five days. Eilonwy was more interested in the sword she had taken from the barrow. It lay across her knees and, with a perplexed frown, the tip of her tongue between her lips, the girl was studying the weapon curiously. Well, that's very ominous. Though Taran clearly hasn't read any stories with magical items that carry their own warnings, with how eager he is to get it. quote:"Let me unsheath it," Taran urged again. "There might be more on the blade." We learn some more about Fflewddur! Not only is he a king, but he isn't even a proper bard, and the harp he has seems to be a bit willfull about small things like honesty and truth. quote:"Sire," Taran said, "I ask a boon." The party is joined, and the quest is on! To Caer Dathyl we go.
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# ? May 20, 2023 20:11 |
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That's one of the many things I love about Fflewddur, dude's a prolific liar who gets outed by his magic harp over minor lies, yet the one claim that seems obviously false, that he's a king, is actually true.
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# ? May 20, 2023 20:42 |
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I remember loving these books as a kid, it'll be nice revisiting them
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# ? May 22, 2023 17:40 |
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Chapter 11: Flight Through the Hillsquote:AT FIRST, TARAN OFFERED to let Eilonwy ride Melyngar, but the girl refused."I can walk as well as any of you," she cried, so angrily that Taran made no more of it; he had learned to be wary of the girl's sharp tongue. It was agreed that the white mare would carry the weapons taken from Spiral Castle--- except the sword Dyrnwyn, of which Eilonwy had appointed herself guardian. Very reasonable. quote:THEY DESCENDED to a broad, sun-swept meadow. The morning had turned bright and warm; dew still clung to bending blades of grass. At the head of the travelers strode Fflewddur, stepping out briskly on his long, spindly shanks. The harp jogged on his back; his shabby cloak was rolled over his shoulder. Eilonwy, hair disheveled by the breeze, the great black sword slung behind her, followed next, with Gurgi immediately after. So many new leaves and twigs had stuck in Gurgi's hair that he had begun to look like a walking beaver dam; he loped along, swinging his arms, shaking his head from side to side, moaning and muttering. Holding Melyngar's bridle, Taran marched last in line. Except for the weapons lashed to the horse's saddle, these travelers might have been on a spring ramble. Eilonwy chattered gaily; now and then Fflewddur burst into a snatch of song. Trouble follows close behind - it's only two Cauldron-Born, but Gwydion was outmatched by four of them, and none of the party is anywhere near Gwydion's skill. So fleeing is the only choice. quote:IT HAD BECOME a blind race into darkness, under a moon drowned in heavy clouds. Invisible branches grasped at them or slashed their faces. Eilonwy stumbled once, and Taran pulled her to her feet. The girl faltered again; her head drooped. Taran unstrapped the weapons on Melyngar's saddle, shared out the burden with Fflewddur and Gurgi, and hoisted the protesting Eilonwy to Melyngar's back. She slumped forward, her cheek pressed against the horse's golden mane. Well, they've escaped the Cauldron-Born, but Gurgi's sprained his leg. Things aren't looking good for our heroes.
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# ? May 24, 2023 20:05 |
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We get a taste of it here, but one of the things I really like about this book and especially The Black Cauldron is how well it establishes the Cauldron-Born as absolutely terrifying unstoppable motherfuckers. It's also one of the things the Disney movie gets right about them too.
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# ? May 26, 2023 19:15 |
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# ? Jun 5, 2024 03:49 |
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Chapter 12: The Wolvesquote:FOR A TIME, DURING THE DAY, Taran believed they had at last outdistanced the Cauldron-Born. But, late that afternoon, the warriors reappeared from behind a distant fringe of trees. Against the westering sun, the long shadows of the horsemen reached across the hill slope toward the flatlands where the small troop struggled onward. Women, amirite? But Eilonwy finally reveals she's learned something from Achren after all, even if it doesn't quite work like how she intended it to. And we find one weakness in the Cauldron-Born; like electric cars, they have an action radius. quote:That night, they continued to take turns at standing guard, though much of their fear had lifted since the Cauldron-Born had vanished. Taran's was the last watch before dawn, and he was awake well before Eilonwy's had ended. Despite the good fortune of being closer to Caer Dathyl than intended, Gurgi's in big trouble. No more crunchings and munchings. quote:ALL NEXT DAY, the wolves followed them; sometimes silently, sometimes barking as if in signal to one another. They remained always out of bow shot, but Taran caught sight of the lean, gray shapes flickering in and out of the scrubby trees. If it's not Cauldron-Born, it's an altogether more natural - and just as dangerous - enemy. Our heroes can't quite catch a break.
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# ? May 27, 2023 13:59 |