The Prydain Companion: A Reference Guide to Lloyd Alexander's Prydain Chronicles

Very pleased, exactly what I was hoping for. As a long-time fan, student and reader of the Prydain Chronicles, it is a pleasure to have this Companion to the Prydain Chronicles as a companion.

As a lifelong fan of the Chronicles of Prydain, I was hugely excited to learn that a companion guide to the novels existed. Michael O. Tunnell's effort does not disappoint. Everything from mythological sources for places and characters to pronunciation guides for the tricky Welsh names is included in this fantastic reference guide. Given Lloyd Alexander's recent passing, I would have liked a little more about the author himself, but the brief glimpses of his life are delightful, if a little poignant. If you've read the Chronicles and loved them, you should have this book sitting next to them on your bookshelf.

It was 20+ years ago that I first entered the land called Prydain. Since then, I have read the series several dozen times. I am into The Black Cauldron as we speak. The series does not disappoint and neither does this. I am currently reading through this as well, when not reading the Chronicles. This has everything one would want and expect. If you are a fan of the Chronicles of Prydain, you need this book. It is the Cliff Notes version of every person, place and thing in Prydain. You also get some of the background as to where Mr. Alexander got his ideas for the books. All in all, this is a wonderful addition to your collection. I agree with the others though, if you have never read the series, buy it first, read it, and buy this afterward.

The Prydain Chronicles have become a fantasy classic, a collection of five novels and one short story collection that are considered by many to be up there just below J.R.R. Tolkien's works (which the Chronicles resemble, in their depth and use of mythology). Now Michael Tunnell's guide to the Prydain Chronicles has been rereleased, and it's definitely worth getting.It's in the form of an encyclopedia, with careful, detailed and well-cited entries for everything in Prydain. A lot of the entries include quotations from the books. What's more, Tunnell has done extensive research into the Mabinogion and other Celtic tales. As a result, the entries for characters like Math son of Mathonwy, Gwydion, Achren, the three witches of Morva, and many others include details about the mythological characters, adventures and legends that helped inspire the Chronicles. No character, however minor is denied attention to their mythical backgrounds.Aside from the content, this edition of the "Companion" is great. Henry Holt has rereleased the entire Chronicles series, and the "Companion" doesn't disappoint; it matches all the other hardcovers. The binding is good, the paper is nice, and the cover is glossy. While I wasn't too crazy about the colors in the cover illustration, the illustration is very well-done. Alexander has also provided a foreword in hich he praises Tunnell's work.This book (more than just an encyclopedia) is an invaluable tool for fans of the Prydain Chronicles and/or Welsh mythology. Fans of the book series should run to pick this up, and if you haven't read the novels, then do so and THEN pick this book up.

If you love the Prydain Chronicles, as I do, this companion is a must have. It's an excellent resource if you want to find out about a character in the Chronicles without going back and re-reading. It's very easy-to-use, and well done, one volume I definitely recommend adding to your personal library when you have the chance.