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4.06 AVERAGE
4.06 AVERAGE
A Bildungstaran.
I had not read the fourth Prydain book since I was young. Man oh man. Just lovely.
I had not read the fourth Prydain book since I was young. Man oh man. Just lovely.
- I don't remember this story as much as I do the previous books, so it was almost like reading it for the first time, and I loved it!
- Taran grows and learns so much in this tale. He finally makes that transition from boy to man. Not only does Taran learn from everyone he encounters on his journey, but he also teaches them things in return.
- There are a lot of good messages and morals taught throughout the book, not just for the characters but for the readers as well.
- Gurgi's friendship is priceless. He is so loyal and steadfast. Gurgi is always happy and willing to sacrifice whatever and follow Taran in anything.
- Taran really proves how hard working he is. He does honest work, and he never does it half heatedly. He does a good job. I wish I had that kind of diligence in everything I did.
- While there isn't a lot of action, there is a lot of value in this book.
- Taran grows and learns so much in this tale. He finally makes that transition from boy to man. Not only does Taran learn from everyone he encounters on his journey, but he also teaches them things in return.
- There are a lot of good messages and morals taught throughout the book, not just for the characters but for the readers as well.
- Gurgi's friendship is priceless. He is so loyal and steadfast. Gurgi is always happy and willing to sacrifice whatever and follow Taran in anything.
- Taran really proves how hard working he is. He does honest work, and he never does it half heatedly. He does a good job. I wish I had that kind of diligence in everything I did.
- While there isn't a lot of action, there is a lot of value in this book.
Book 4 from one of my favorite childhood book series. I wish I remembered more of the stories details, I remember only how much I loved these books. I recently got them again and look forward to reading them with my son when gets old enough to do so.
really good already and I have just started it! Ending... Not so good
When I started reading the Chronicles of Prydain a few months ago, I did not expect it to grow on me so much. In late 90s and early 00s I truly loved Disney's "The Black Cauldron," but I was not even in my 10s then. Now, at 27, I have finally decided to pick up the books and see for myself what they are truly like.
I still have to read the last book in the series, but I am already having a hard time deciding if my favourite is "The Black Cauldron" or if it's this one. The former is filled with adventure, redemption, sacrifice, and has my very favourite bittersweet aftertaste to it. But this one, oh... Seeing Taran grow from a boy, who makes rash decisions without taking into consideration their results, to a man who is accountable, who is trustworthy, and who more than anything is human, this was a wonderful experience. The book was filled with beautiful language, and I must say it even helped me in understanding a few things about myself.
[Spoiler ahead]
I also loved how Taran went through this phase of learning different skills. And while a little unrelated, my favourite 17th century samurai, Miyamoto Musashi, wrote in his book that a true warrior must know all and every craft from tilling the earth to carpentership, etc. I couldn't help but think of these as I was reading the book, to me Taran was not only on his way of finding who he was, but also on the journey of perfecting himself as a swordsman and a mighty warrior.
[Spoiler over]
This was a perfect book about a journey of a young man trying to find who his parents are but meanwhile discovering who he truly is at heart. Taran was not the perfect hero who made no mistakes. He is now a far cry from the boy in "The Book of Three" but he has retained all of his humanity. He too has despicable thoughts, he too feels shame, he too is tempted to make the wrong decision. There is so much to learn from Taran, and I must say this book will always have a special place in my heart.
I can't wait for when I will have children of my own and read these books together with them.
I still have to read the last book in the series, but I am already having a hard time deciding if my favourite is "The Black Cauldron" or if it's this one. The former is filled with adventure, redemption, sacrifice, and has my very favourite bittersweet aftertaste to it. But this one, oh... Seeing Taran grow from a boy, who makes rash decisions without taking into consideration their results, to a man who is accountable, who is trustworthy, and who more than anything is human, this was a wonderful experience. The book was filled with beautiful language, and I must say it even helped me in understanding a few things about myself.
[Spoiler ahead]
I also loved how Taran went through this phase of learning different skills. And while a little unrelated, my favourite 17th century samurai, Miyamoto Musashi, wrote in his book that a true warrior must know all and every craft from tilling the earth to carpentership, etc. I couldn't help but think of these as I was reading the book, to me Taran was not only on his way of finding who he was, but also on the journey of perfecting himself as a swordsman and a mighty warrior.
[Spoiler over]
This was a perfect book about a journey of a young man trying to find who his parents are but meanwhile discovering who he truly is at heart. Taran was not the perfect hero who made no mistakes. He is now a far cry from the boy in "The Book of Three" but he has retained all of his humanity. He too has despicable thoughts, he too feels shame, he too is tempted to make the wrong decision. There is so much to learn from Taran, and I must say this book will always have a special place in my heart.
I can't wait for when I will have children of my own and read these books together with them.
I wasn't really a fan of this book, but I have not read it's predecessors. I feel like it was confusing out of context and while past events were constantly alluded to, they were never explained or briefed, which made this a hard read. For this, I blame my professor, not the author. Maybe one day I will go back and read the others, and hope they make more sense.
Wow, I was really touched with this book! Although it may not seem to have the fun parts of the other books, the lessons in it are some of the most important ones in life. I learned from Taran that although one may have done the deeds of a hero, that is not what defines oneself if they do not know and accept who they are. This isn't a typical "be yourself" story, but goes deeper than that, and the reader gets to feel with the main character. Taran learns to "scratch for his own worms", and whether he finds what he is searching for or not, I encourage whoever wants to find out to read this great book for themselves!
This is a really great coming of age story. It's different from the rest of the series, and I was slightly disappointed at the lack of Eilonwy, but it's still an amazing story, fantastically written, and many of the new characters (my favorite is Llonio), as well as Taran's growth as a person, make up for it. There are some really great villains in this book, as well; while it doesn't have the same sort of heroic quest goal that the other books do, it does have the best antagonists of the series.
adventurous
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is definitely, at least for me, the best book of the series. Perhaps it is because I to ask the question "Who am I?". Taran's journey in "Taran Wanderer" is one that I found myself identifying with on a deeply personal level, and it is for that reason that I find this to be the best book in the series.