Book Blog Mod. 2A: The Book of Three
Module #2
Alexander, L. (1964). The Book of Three. New York: Henry Holt and Company.
The Book of Three is a classic of children’s fantasy literature. Set in a world based on Welsh mythology, it follows the misadventures of Taran, assistant pig-keeper for a precognitive sow. His sow gets out, and on giving chase, Taran finds himself embroiled in a war between good and evil. He rescues a princess, gets a horse, and learns about honor, glory, and being a hero-all of which are very different from his imaginings of handsome, brave heroes who never run from a fight.
This book strikes a good balance of traditional epic fantasy and fractured fairy tale. The world-building is strong, the evildoers are appropriately malevolent, but the characters are self-aware, and sly humor is sprinkled throughout. The princess, for instance, does get rescued, but is also a clever chatterbox who does her fair share of alternately annoying and saving the other heroes. She also has just enough magic in her blood to save her skin. The beastly Gurgi appears at first to be a pathetic, obnoxious Gollum predecessor, but with good treatment, he soon becomes a fearsome, courageous fighter in his own right, though still with his unusual speech patterns.
The greatest cliches are avoided-my personal favorite was a magic sword suitable only for those of royal blood to wield. Well, what do you know, Taran is an orphan raised by a wizard under mysterious circumstances. When he attempts to use the sword, purely out of desperation, it does end up saving them all… but it nearly kills him in the process. He may be the hero of the story, but he is obviously not meant to use that sword; it’s handed over to a prince as soon as possible. On the whole, this book is a good swashbuckler.
The book also has generally good reviews elsewhere, though at its age, professional ones that are anything but glowing are harder to find. Common Sense Media warns about the violence and how Eilonwy and Taran stereotype each other at the beginning of the story, but calls Taran "one of the great heroes of literature for older children. Impatient, hot-tempered, and clumsy, he is much more accessible than mighty warriors such as his idol, Gwydion…the other characters, too, are engaging." Claire Dederer, who sometimes writes for the New York Times Book Review, agrees that "what brings the tale of Taran to life is Alexander's skillful use of humor… 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 highhanded and heroic."
With precognitive pigs, sword fights, magical items, and Welsh myth, this book has something for many tastes, and it’s aged well. It belongs in any children’s library.
Alexander, L. (1964). The Book of Three. New York: Henry Holt and Company.
The Book of Three is a classic of children’s fantasy literature. Set in a world based on Welsh mythology, it follows the misadventures of Taran, assistant pig-keeper for a precognitive sow. His sow gets out, and on giving chase, Taran finds himself embroiled in a war between good and evil. He rescues a princess, gets a horse, and learns about honor, glory, and being a hero-all of which are very different from his imaginings of handsome, brave heroes who never run from a fight.
This book strikes a good balance of traditional epic fantasy and fractured fairy tale. The world-building is strong, the evildoers are appropriately malevolent, but the characters are self-aware, and sly humor is sprinkled throughout. The princess, for instance, does get rescued, but is also a clever chatterbox who does her fair share of alternately annoying and saving the other heroes. She also has just enough magic in her blood to save her skin. The beastly Gurgi appears at first to be a pathetic, obnoxious Gollum predecessor, but with good treatment, he soon becomes a fearsome, courageous fighter in his own right, though still with his unusual speech patterns.
The greatest cliches are avoided-my personal favorite was a magic sword suitable only for those of royal blood to wield. Well, what do you know, Taran is an orphan raised by a wizard under mysterious circumstances. When he attempts to use the sword, purely out of desperation, it does end up saving them all… but it nearly kills him in the process. He may be the hero of the story, but he is obviously not meant to use that sword; it’s handed over to a prince as soon as possible. On the whole, this book is a good swashbuckler.
The book also has generally good reviews elsewhere, though at its age, professional ones that are anything but glowing are harder to find. Common Sense Media warns about the violence and how Eilonwy and Taran stereotype each other at the beginning of the story, but calls Taran "one of the great heroes of literature for older children. Impatient, hot-tempered, and clumsy, he is much more accessible than mighty warriors such as his idol, Gwydion…the other characters, too, are engaging." Claire Dederer, who sometimes writes for the New York Times Book Review, agrees that "what brings the tale of Taran to life is Alexander's skillful use of humor… 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 highhanded and heroic."
With precognitive pigs, sword fights, magical items, and Welsh myth, this book has something for many tastes, and it’s aged well. It belongs in any children’s library.