The Book of Three
First edition dustjacket with Ness artwork
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| Author | Lloyd Alexander |
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| Cover artist | Evaline Ness |
| Country | United States |
| Series | The Chronicles of Prydain |
| Genre | Children's fantasy novel |
| Publisher | Holt, Rinehart and Winston |
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Publication date
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March 12, 1964 |
| Media type | Print (hardcover) |
| Pages | 217 pp. (first) |
| ISBN | |
| OCLC | 17720934 |
| LC Class | PZ8.A37 Bo |
| Followed by | The Black Cauldron |
The Book of Three (1964) is a high fantasy novel by Lloyd Alexander, the first of five volumes in The Chronicles of Prydain. The series follows the adventures of Taran the Assistant Pig-Keeper, a youth raised by Dallben the enchanter, as he nears manhood while helping to resist the forces of Arawn Death-Lord.
In 2012 The Book of Three was ranked number 18 among all-time best children's novels in a survey published by School Library Journal, a monthly with primarily U.S. audience. The concluding novel, The High King, was also among the top 100.
The series was inspired by Welsh mythology and by the castles, scenery, and language of Wales, which the author experienced during World War II army combat intelligence training.
The planned title of the first book was once The Battle of the Trees, the title of a Welsh poem featuring the sons of Don led by Gwydion against the forces of Arawn.
The youth Taran lives at Caer Dallben with his guardians, the ancient enchanter Dallben and the farmer and retired soldier Coll. He is dissatisfied with his life, and longs to become a great hero like the High Prince Gwydion. Due to the threat posed by a warlord known as the Horned King, Taran is forbidden from leaving the farm and charged with the care of Hen Wen, the oracular white pig. When the pig escapes, Taran follows her into the forbidden forest. After a long, fruitless chase he is attacked by a host of horsemen galloping toward his home, led by the Horned King himself. He manages to escape, but drops, wounded, to the ground. He awakes to find his wound treated by none other than Gwydion, the crown prince in Prydain's ruling House of Dôn, who has been traveling to Caer Dallben to consult Hen Wen. Gwydion, determined to find the pig, takes Taran along with him. Led by Gurgi, a hairy humanoid living in the forest, they reach the Horned King's camp, and learn that his target will be Caer Dathyl, the home castle of the House of Dôn. Gwydion determines to warn the royal court, but the group is attacked by the deathless and powerful Cauldron-Born soldiers, who capture Gwydion and Taran, and take them to Queen Achren in Spiral Castle.
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