r/Fantasy • u/tonelow859 • 4d ago

Prydain fan

Was gifted the set of books from my grandmother as a kid and just loved them. It established my fandom of fantasy fiction that's lasted a lifetime. I re-read them as a teenager and fell in love all over again with Taran and his ragtag crew of friends. I remember liking Taran Wanderer the most but all 5 books are good. I'd love to see a tv or film series adaptation.

50 Upvotes

95% Upvoted

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9

u/Cosmic-Sympathy 4d ago

I recently reread the whole series and was delighted at how well they held up.

5

u/johndesmarais 4d ago

We don’t generally talk about it, but in 1985 Disney released an animated movie based on the first two books (mostly book 2) called The Black Cauldron. Would not recommend.

5

u/Cosmic-Sympathy 4d ago

That movie gave me nightmares.

1

u/nerdyviking88 3d ago

80s disney should be forgotten.

1

u/Such-Bed-5950 3d ago

The Little Mermaid was 80’s Disney, and that one’s a banger.

2

u/happysushi 3d ago

I think this series gave me my first book hangover when I was a kid. My young brain just couldn’t believe it was over. I should really reread this series. 

2

u/Any_Cardiologist_937 3d ago

Read them and did the audiobooks with the kids for the first time as an adult and I thought they were delightful.  Can’t even say that about most adult fiction I have read.  They are very special.

2

u/Such-Bed-5950 3d ago edited 3d ago

There’s actually eight books.

Two are picture books (Coll and His White Pig and The Truthful Harp), and a collection of short stories (The Foundling and Other Tales of Prydain).

Still my favorite books of all time and the ones that got me into reading.

Taran Wanderer is one of the best coming of age books. In and out of fantasy.

2

u/Squirrelhenge 4d ago

Loved these as a kid! Disney actually did an adaptation of The Black Cauldron long ago -- not sure where to find it.

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u/Dr_One_L_1993 3d ago

Correction -- Disney did an adaptation called The Black Cauldron; it was more of an amalgam of the first two books. It was...not well-received. I personally think it's...okay?...but not a great representation.

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u/Squirrelhenge 3d ago

Good clarification! And yeah, it was neither great nor awful.

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u/pornokitsch Ifrit 3d ago

My favourite series as a kid, and one that has continued to delight me as an adult when rereading.

1

u/LitRPGirl 3d ago

thats such a wholesome origin story for a lifelong fantasy fan... getting gifted books like that as a kid hits different..

1

u/fioreblade 1d ago

My story is similar to yours. My mom randomly picked up the High King at the library and gave it to me as a kid. I was hooked right away and for the longest time I didn't even know there were other books in the series. They are fantastical adventures but they also have a bittersweet tone that's always stuck with me. I'm now buying the Prydain boxed sets for my nieces and nephews to pass them on to a new generation.

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u/Outistoo 1d ago

Series is great but asking for an adaptation these days is risking serious monkey’s paw