The Chronicles of Prydain #1: The Book of Three by Lloyd Alexander

My name is Taran, and I dream of being warrior hero. Alas, I can only call myself Assistant Pig-Keeper. I can't even do that job well, since Hen Wen, the oracle pig, has escaped her pen and is now lost in the forest. I had no choice but to follow her trail, but I happened to come upon the great Lord Gwydion. Unfortunately, we were captured by the Cauldron-Born, and I've been forced to mourn Gwydion's death as he was buried under the rubble of the Spiral Castle. I must now complete his quest to warn Caer Dathyl that the Horned King is amassing a fearsome army of Cauldron-Born. These warriors, risen from the dead within the Black Cauldron, cannot be stopped. I feel I should complete the mission alone, but I've been joined by an infuriating girl, a wandering bard, and a strange creature named Gurgi. I pray we do not cross paths with the Horned King along the way.

Lloyd Alexander was my favorite fantasy author back when I started teaching, so I thought I'd revisit some of his books. Taran has aspirations to become a hero, but the adventure transforms him. The loss of Gwydion causes him to become selfless, and he's determined to warn the kingdom of the impending dangers. He also finds himself missing the small farm he once wanted to escape. The most fun comes from his interactions with Eilonwy. This girl constantly questions his intelligence and stifles any signs of cockiness. She carries a powerful sword but won't let Taran touch it, although it seems like it should be destined for his hands. The bard adds some amusement due to his magical harp. He's prone to exaggerate, and the harp strings tend to snap when he goes too far. Overall, I'm enjoying this book once again and plan to start the The Black Cauldron soon. Books written many years ago aren't any less entertaining today, so give this series a shot.