Taran Wanderer

Engaging story for 8 yr old brother

Taran Wanderer was not given the Newbery Award like it's successor The High King; nor was it awarded a Newbery Honor medal such as it's predecessor The Black Cauldron. However, Taran Wanderer is the most complete book in the Chronicles of Prydain. Lloyd Alexander deftly tells the tale of Taran's quest to find his parentage in hopes of being decendant from noble blood. Gurgi, Taran's faithful sidekick journeys with him through... Read Full Review

This book is definitely the most unique of all the Prydain Chronicles. Instead of urgent quests to find magical pigs, destroy evil cauldrons or rescue a beautiful princess--with good constantly pitted against the forces of evil--this volume is instead focused on Taran finding out about himself.Instead of a quest resolved in a matter of weeks or months, this story covers a couple of years, years in which Taran travels from... Read Full Review

Taran Wanderer, the fourth book of the Prydain chronicles, is, in my opinion, the best book in a wonderful series. All four books focus on the character of Taran of Caer Dallben, an orphan who is raised by a wizard (Dallben). The plot of Taran Wanderer focuses on Taran's quest to find out who his parents were. Taran hopes that he will find that he has the "noble" blood that he believes would give him the right to ask the... Read Full Review

Though "Taran Wanderer" didn't win a Newbery, it should have. It's different from the other Prydain Chronicles; there are no grand battles, no high councils, and worst of all, no Eilonwy. Instead, Alexander focuses on Taran alone, who seeks to know the truth about himself. The book is clever, of course, especially in the early quarrel between Gast and Goryon, but dark as well. Taran finds that he is capable of doing things... Read Full Review