Lloyd Alexander, Rest in Peace

[Pielorinho]

Lloyd Alexander died May 17 at the age of 83. He survived his wife by fifteen days, his daughter by seventeen years. And his Prydain Chronicles remain among my favorite fantasy books ever written.

Rest in peace, Mr. Alexander.

Daniel

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

I've known of the author for a long time, and I thought for sure I had read some of his work, but looking at his bibliography I don't think I ever actually did.

I'll have to remedy that after I finish the book I'm reading now.

 

[crazy_monkey1956]

The Prydain Chronicles were my entry into fantasy-fiction along with the Chronicles of Narnia. If not for Mr. Alexander, I would not be a gamer.

 

[Pielorinho]

I've known of the author for a long time, and I thought for sure I had read some of his work, but looking at his bibliography I don't think I ever actually did.

I'll have to remedy that after I finish the book I'm reading now.

You won't regret it, I think. The Book of Three is pretty lightweight children's fare, but as the 5-book series goes on (I don't think The Foundling is properly part of the series, even though it's in the same world), they get pretty complex and often seriious (though never humorless).

More than once as an adult I've picked up a book I loved as a child and cringed at how badly it's held up. That was not at all the case with the Prydain Chronicles. They're really good.

Daniel

 

[Mycanid]

*SIGH*

Rest in peace dear Mr. Alexander, and thank you for your work....

His fantasy books also were a big catalyst for me in my gaming directions.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

Alas. Though I read one or two of the Chronicles of Prydain when I was a kid, I didn't read the whole thing until a year or two ago. Amazing, mythic work.

 

[Mycanid]

I just heard his obituary read on the local NPR station ... he musta been more famous than I had thought. Nice to know.

 

[jonathan swift]

Like others have said, he and Lewis were the first two fantasy authors I ever read. Both his fantasy novels with their Cauldron-Born and his other series with the Kestrel character have influenced me interests to this day. Just the other day I was thinking about the ending of The Black Cauldron for some reason.

 

[Wombat]

I found Mr. Alexander's works somewhat later in life, tracking down sidepaths of my Arthuriana obsession.

Taran lives in my heart. I cannot say finer than that.

Peace to you, Lloyd.