The High King

My paperback copy matches a different cover. [bc:The High King 2976852 The High King (The Chronicles of Prydain #5) Lloyd Alexander https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1407292113l/2976852.SX50.jpg 1561725]

A true classic, the powerful finale to one of the greatest bildungsroman series of novels ever. Worthy of all the praise I could heap upon it, Lloyd Alexander creates one of the most endearing group of main characters in literature.

I've tried to read this series a dozen times and I've always given up until now. This time I started with the last book in the series and I couldn't put the book down. The author assures the reader in the introduction that though this is the final book in his series it is a stand alone; I found this to be so. The characters are slowly led on the stage, with their past exploits clearly delineated. I never felt unclear or confused. I grew to love all the characters, even the whiny Glew and the shifty Achren. The author, without revealing any of the clever twists of the plot, brings everything to a firm, though not always happy, conclusion.