38. The Book of Three

by Lloyd Alexander (224 pgs)

Rating: 3

Taran, an orphan without name or clear origin lives on a farm and dreams of honor, glory, and feats of bravery. Unfortunately, as Assistant Pig Keeper, he's in charge of Hen Wen, the oracular albino pig. Oh well. One day Hen Wen, indeed all the animals on the farm, flee blindly into the woods and poor Taran plunges after Hen Wen, promptly getting himself lost. Adventure leads on from here and many unexpected revelations are in Taran's path..

The world of The Book of Three is unfortunately (as I've just learned) more well known from the Disney movie The Black Cauldron which meshes the first two books in the five book series together. Unfortunate I say because Disney really screwed it up making it watered down and bland, including the obligatory dead pet (which isn't in the book, by the way) and taking away a great deal of its inherent intelligence. This might seem harsh but if you read the books you'll understand my distaste.

Now that I'm done expressing my outrage: Alexander based his world loosely on welsh folklore and it creates a very interesting back drop. Taran is a believable young man although impulsive in a way I cannot myself relate too very well. The rest of the characters are very colorfully written although, at this stage, more caricatures than characters. One gets the sense that the over all arch of the series is a basic coming of age story. I'm looking forward to the next book.

Recommended to most adults as a fun quick read, kids for a good look at messing up and growing because of it, and anyone who's seen that abomnible movie to correct the damage.