Newbery Medal Winner
The High King
by Lloyd Alexander
Summary
In this climactic fifth volume of the Chronicles of Prydain, the assistant pig keeper Taran and his companions march to a final confrontation against the death lord Arawn, whose forces threaten to plunge the land into eternal darkness. Drawing on Welsh mythology, the story brings the saga of Taran's journey from boyhood to heroic maturity to a powerful and bittersweet close. Alexander combines epic fantasy adventure with themes of sacrifice, leadership, and the true meaning of heroism.
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Historical Context & Significance
The High King won the Newbery Medal as the concluding book of Lloyd Alexander's five volume Chronicles of Prydain, a fantasy cycle inspired by the Welsh Mabinogion.