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    The Black Cauldron
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    The Black Cauldron
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    The Black Cauldron
    Audiobook5 hours

    The Black Cauldron

    Written by Lloyd Alexander

    Narrated by James Langton

    4/5

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    About this audiobook

    Peace reigns in Caer Dallben, where Taran works as Assistant Pig-Keeper, but evil threatens the rest of Prydain. The diabolical Arawn's army grows every day, and his terrible warriors never die. They are born in the Black Cauldron from the stolen bodies of slain soldiers. If evil is to be defeated, the cauldron must be destroyed. Taran volunteers to travel to Arawn's stronghold and assist in the destruction of the dreaded cauldron. With his faithful friends reassembled, Taran marches off to face great danger with a courageous heart.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Random House Audio
    Release dateFeb 24, 2004
    ISBN9780807223185
    Author

    Lloyd Alexander

    Lloyd Alexander (1924-2007) was the author of more than forty books for children and adults, including the beloved children's fantasy series, the Chronicles of Prydain, one of the most widely read series in the history of fantasy and the inspiration for the animated Disney film, The Black Cauldron. His books have won numerous awards, including the Newbery Medal, the Newbery Honor, and the National Book Award for Juvenile Literature.

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    Reviews for The Black Cauldron

    4/5

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    • 3/5
      The whole Chronicles of Prydain series is well-written, imaginative, and was my introduction as a kid to a lifetime love of fantasy fiction. These books tackle large philosophical issues like bullying, the nature of heroism, social responsibility, altruism, and good vs. evil. Appropriate for middle-schoolers or even 5th and 6th graders.
    • 5/5
      In the second book of the Chronicles of Prydain, Taran sets out for adventure once more, slightly more prepared than he was in The Book of Three. He is once more accompanied by Gurgi, Fflewddur and Eilonwy, and the whole group is led by Gwydion. Some new characters are introduced: the chief bard Aadon, the cunning King Morgant, the jovial ham-handed King Smoit, and the egotistical prince Ellidyr.Gwydion has learned that since the Horned King was killed, Arawn has been using the magical device known as the Black Cauldron to produce more and more of the deathless cauldron-born warriors. The plot of the novel revolved around the heroes' attempts to recover and destroy the object, preventing Arawn from increasing his army. It turns out that the cauldron has been stolen from Arawn already, but eventually Taran locates it, and bargains with its new owners to obtain it. After various betrayals and deaths, the cauldron is destroyed, but at a significant cost.For a book aimed at young adults, the book is quite somber. Several notable characters die, characters one thought would be allies turn out not to be, Taran is forced to give up something very valuable, and the Caulrdon itself can only be destroyed if someone willingly gets in it while still alive, which will kill them (which draws directly upon the original Welsh legend the cauldron is based upon). Unlike the crappy Disney hack-job movie in which Gurgi came back to life after destrying the cauldron, in the book, the death is irrevocable. While The Book of Three was more of a romp, this book seems to up the ante, showing that defeating Arawn will be neither easy or painless.
    • 3/5
      In which Taran sets out to put an end to an army of undead grotesques, and can't seem to avoid a heck of a lot of familiar faces.

      Picking up where The Book of Three left of, the second novel in the Chronicles of Prydain series is overall a better experience. Alexander's prose still sometimes seems to skip through entire sequences at breathtaking speed, and characters are prone to overtly state elements of the author's mission statement, but - as I said in my review of the first book - that is only because the Chronicles are that rare type of children's fiction meant only for children, and not older readers too.

      The world of Prydain is further expanded here, and all the characters are back. Taran gets a greater emotional journey here, although most of the other characters are given short shrift in favour of (admittedly interesting) new ones. In some cases that's quite sad - Eilonwy deserves more than to be an outspoken follower, and there's more to the bard's tale that can surely be examined. Others, however, seem like they could become quite one-note if they mysteriously appear on every journey just to provide another voice. We'll see. I remain optimistic about this series because, once you except the obvious limitations of Alexander's prose, it's a captivating and easy-to-read novel. My favourite element of the first book remains: Alexander is a staunchly moral writer, and the lessons Taran and his gang learn are always important and honest. Yet, he's refreshingly mature. The fates of numerous heroes and villains are often truly tragic or horrific. This is a novel about going from the innocence of childhood into the dark complexities of the real world - and the fact that it creates a world which is genuinely real is a treat.

      As a sequel it more than lives up to the first novel, and overall The Black Cauldron is a success. I look forward to finding out what happens next to Taran, Eilonwy, Gurgi, and the gang.
    • 4/5
      Taran's adventures continue in another fantastical tale that I believe aims to define heroics for young adults. It is a great story that is an easy read. It has great moments where Taran and the other characters really mature. Big decision have to be made, and the story does a good job of detailing Taran going through them. I feel it also opens up the discussion about gender roles and trying to break through them. Great book and very entertaining.
    • 4/5
      I first read all five of Lloyd Alexander's Chronicles of Prydain in my early teens, and frankly, it's hard for me to remember much about them beyond general emotional impressions: the first two were adventurous, the third a bit odd, the fourth dry and philosophical, and the fifth - well, it all went to hell in the fifth book. The announcement of these new yearly 50th Anniversary editions, therefore, are a great excuse not just to revisit the series but to separate them out and consider them somewhat more...individually.The big surprise for me is that in many ways, The Black Cauldron does not feel like its own story. It feels something like an extended coda to The Book of Three. I kept having to think back to the events and characters of the first book, and it seems obvious that Alexander (or his editor) assumed that the eager child reader of 1965 would have read and probably reread that earlier adventure shortly before starting the new one. The first third or so of The Black Cauldron drags a little as we bridge from what happened before, reintroduce familiar friends, and set up an "easy" goal that pretty clearly won't go easily at all.Fortunately, once things start to go wrong for the characters, things start to go very right for the book. The eponymous cauldron (or "Black Crochan") is a golden goose, a total MacGuffin - what it does is ultimately far less important than what it drives people to do. Alexander is examining classical, heroic concepts of pride and honor, along with a more modern treatment of the fine line between light and dark. In Prydain, the greatest heroes still have flaws, and traitors were once good men who should still be remembered for their former, braver deeds. Most intriguing of all are Orddu, Orwen and Orgoch, supernatural figures (implied to be the Three Fates) who are also totally amoral. Their interactions with Taran and his friends are both funny and unsettling in turn. Although Alexander's prose is both straightforward and spare, his gentle contemplations on the complexity of morality are surprisingly effective.The Black Cauldron ends definitively, but the reader is left with the unspoken impression that this is only one small battle in a much bigger war. (Again, it feels like Alexander was writing installments of a series from the outset.) I'm going to be very interested to return next year for The Castle of Llyr; already, we're moving away from simple adventure stories and more into a philosophical examination of Taran's growth. As a child, I found the progression of the series confusing because it defied my "fantasy lit" expectations. As an adult, however, I'm finding it both intriguing and surprisingly rewarding.
    • 5/5
      The Black Cauldron is one of my favorites among the Chronicles of Prydain for its perfect storytelling, maturing characters, and sense of high heroics. In this tale, Lloyd Alexander again draws on Welsh mythology to spin a fast-paced story with subtle moral choices and consequences. Taran, Assistant Pig-Keeper of Prydain, has already met with danger and adventure in the previous story, The Book of Three. Now a new evil threatens Prydain, as Arawn builds his deathless army by means of the Black Cauldron (or Crochan). If he isn't stopped, he will soon overrun all the land with warriors who cannot be killed. Gwydion is emphatic that the Cauldron must be captured and destroyed, but how? The whole cast is here: Princess Eilonwy of latent magical powers, Fflewddur Fflam, a sometime king turned bard, Doli the irascible but goodhearted dwarf, and faithful Gurgi, a talking beast poised between the worlds of animals and men. Prince Gwydion is also present, and some new characters: the proud and scornful Ellidyr, the bard Adaon, and of course the the always-entertaining Orwen, Orgoch, and Orddu, the three mysterious Fates who may be found (or not) in the Marshes of Morva. This is a high adventure that keeps you reading for its own sake, but even as a young reader I appreciated Taran's struggles in dealing with proud people like Ellidyr (who are, sadly, all too common). Even more, I learned to look for the factors that make such people so abrasive: a more profound lesson I am still studying. Never in the least bit preachy, nevertheless Alexander imparted some helpful truths to me that have application far beyond the boundaries of his Prydain. I'm sure others have mentioned the Disney movie of the same title, lamenting its flattened simplification of the more subtle thrusts of story and character (besides its rather unforgivable sin of smashing several books into one very short cartoon). I can't quite share the hate, having enjoyed the movie for what it tries to do, but of course the books are infinitely better. Prydain is such a wonderful series to reread as an adult. Next time I revisit it will probably be with my sons!
    • 3/5
      I understand why people enjoy this adventure, and why it wears the Newbery Honor badge, but you really need to be interested in magical stories to keep your focus while reading (or in my case listening to the audio book). Even though the performance was good enough, I still found my thoughts constantly drifting away from the action. This is most likely because fantasy books need to do a lot of work to hold me captive, since it is not my favorite genre. In this regard, my review is mildly biased, though I admit that some of the Newbery books that I have read with the same type of theme have been able to convert me into a fantasy believer for a little while. This just wasn't one of them.
    • 2/5
      SUMMARY:Darcy is quickly assimilating into her new pack, the Mystic Wolves, including the love of her life, alphas Mason, and her soon-to-be sister-in-law, Jasmine. However, when a simple errand takes a turn for the worse, the pack is thrown into turmoil and it soon becomes apparent someone is out to get Mason... or those he loves.THE GOOD:OK, to be honest, I didn't much care for this book. But... I enjoyed the relationships between Darcy and some of the minor characters, such as Jasmine and Mason's second-in-command. These relationships seemed genuine. THE BAD:In this book, I found two of my biggest gripes. One: Editing, editing, editing. This is pretty much a constant for self-published ebooks, but I will not get used to it. A few errors in a book are to be understood, especially in a self-published book. But when the misspellings, grammatical errors and absence of punctuation distracts the reader from the story, this is a major flaw.Second, world building. In a fantasy world, you need to create rules and histories to make your world believable. Even if you don't tell your reader all of this, the fact that the author knows this backstory makes the story stronger. JK Rowling has said that she has boxes of information about her world and characters--stuff that never comes up in her books, but the fact that she knows gives credence to her writing. There were questions I had that has no clear answers. For example, the protagonist and her mate met on a blind date. But I thought these werewolves lived and functioned in packs. So... that brings up a lot of quetsions. Did they live in a pack? Can a werewolf just trespass on another wolf's pack land to go on a blind date? Did she need permission of her alpha to marry outside her pack? Where are these other packs? etc. Then there's the issue of the Mystic Wolves' alpha, Mason (the love interest). He's presumably young. He's said to be an excellent, wise, good leader. So... how long has he been alpha? Was it when he was 18? And why is he alpha? If I were a werewolf, I'd want an older wolf as my alpha, someone who has more experience. Did he get to be alpha by fighting? By inheritance? By strength of will? Who knows?Then you have the whole romance. It feels sort of fake to me. A lot of it has to do with poor dialogue. Another part is the fact that Darcy is a virgin. Maybe I'm crazy, but if this is her first time getting close to a man (and it seemed to indicate that--not just that she hadn't had sex, but that she hadn't been close to any other guy), that she would have been more shy in their interactions, especially since they pretty much did everything but the act.Then we have the emotions. The characters are dealing with a major tragedy. They cry and comfort each other, as they should. But it's like they're bipolar or something. One minute they're crying and then they're laughing and having a good time. Sure, they need to put aside their sorrow to handle current events, but when a major tragedy strikes, I think it's always at the back of people's minds. And those times between grieving didn't ring true to me.The plot didn't really make a lot of sense. The initial tragedy was instigated by a non-major player. It's not clear, even in the end, exactly how this guy fit in or if what happened was what the major villain expected to happen in this situation. And the motivations for the villain just seem dumb. At one point, he attacks the Mystic Wolves (used in a broad sense to not give away the plot). He's at a point of power--he has something the Wolves hold dear. But then he releases his hold as just a "warning." Doesn't really make a lot of sense...Finally, huge turn-off. The ending scene has some woman running in, hugging Mason and claiming to be his mate. Stupid, stupid. I suppose if you're in love with the story and characters, it might make you want to read the sequel. Me? Just turned me off and made me gag. I hate soap-opera like events. So unnecessary in well-written books.
    • 5/5
      One of my favorite books, much better than the movie! I loved the tale, and the characters became like family.
    • 3/5
      I liked this book slightly less than, "The Book of Three", the first book in the chronicles of Prydain. I found parts of the writing flat and some of the action just happening as if it were to allow the story to proceed to the next point. The characters in this have grown from the first book, apart from Doli, I believe, his character was pretty much a rehash of himself in the first book. Although to be fair he was missing a lot for most of the tale.
    • 4/5
      The Chronicles of Prydain are an original fantasy. The characters are very true-to-life and the quests are unpredictable.
    • 5/5
      As with the first book, I was pleased to see how well it has held up over time. Good characters and motivations, nice growth throughout, just a really enjoyable introduction to the fantasy genre for the 8-10 set.
    • 5/5
      I saw the Disney movie of this title before reading any of the books in the series, and still think it is excellent. The movie is actually a condensed version of "The Book of Three" and "The Black Cauldron" in one. I finally managed to obtain these books, and read the second hot on the heels of the first. In the end, I think you could enjoy all three of these experiences separately, and perhaps even in any order. That is to say, having seen the film does not spoil the book (you will actually get quite a surprise at the end, as some things obviously had to be changed to condense two novels into 81 minutes), and if you have an open enough mind to appreciate that the film was not trying to be a faithful retelling but an adaptation, you can probably still enjoy it if you've read the book(s) first. Further, though most people will read "The Book of Three" before reading "The Black Cauldron," it seems like it would be possible to pick up the second book without its prequel and to follow the story without too much problem.As for the book "The Black Cauldron" itself, I found myself comparing it a lot to "The Book of Three" and thinking, particularly in the beginning, that the story seemed very similar, but that the introduction of so many new characters at once was a bit overwhelming. However, Lloyd Alexander just has such a lovely way of describing things that it pulled me right along into the story. Good thing, too. About a third of the way in, you get a little mystic taste of what might be coming. And by two-thirds of the way, the story is just fantastic.I don't want to give away spoilers, but the novel explores your classic themes of good and evil, but from a much more accurate perspective than most sources: they are "woven together" as part of the same web. Thus, good and evil co-exist in several characters, as they do in all of us. Since so many of these characters were left out of the movie, even if you've seen it, you really don't know what to expect of them at any given point in time. There is just enough darkness in the book for the reality of evil to be threatening, but not so much that parents should be concerned about their children reading it. I'm very sorry not to have grown up with this book, but I'll make sure any future children in my life don't share the same fate. It is at once a great work of both suspense and philosophy, and has found its way onto the short list of books that actually made me cry.
    • 4/5
      I am reading these to my son this time around. He loves them (age 6). The Black Cauldron is rather dark in tone. Most of the adventure takes place in chilly, leafless forests or drab grey marshes. Taran must make many grim choices. He also has to deal with the scornful Prince Ellidyr of Pen-Llarcau.
    • 5/5
      The Black Cauldron is even better than The Book of Three. Alexander's world is lush and vivid, and I have no trouble envisioning the setting of these books. I love that the choices the characters face are nuanced and difficult. They rarely have all of the information they need to feel confident they're choosing well, and---just like in real life---every decision is a leap of faith. They make mistakes and they treat people they care about poorly when they don't mean to. The morals in these books are complex and raise just the questions I want my kids to consider as they grow and take on more and more responsibility for themselves.

      Aside from this, though, the books are just fun to read (or "listen to," since we're going through the audiobook versions of the Chronicles of Prydain).
    • 3/5
      More Lord of the Rings/Dark Is Rising-lite.
    • 4/5
      Excellent continuation of the series, if a bit darker than the first. Alexander deftly weaves action and character development, especially with Taran (who apparently needed to relearn some lessons about true heroism), and the mythology is fascinating. My one objection is the cover art; the version we have has the Disney animated film promo, and the characters don't look like anything in the book. (Gurgi especially looks too small and puppyish; I always envisioned him as a human-size, twiggier and leafier version of Chewbacca.)
    • 4/5
      To my mind, The Black Cauldron and The Castle of Llyr are the two best of the Prydain chronicles, and the best of Alexander's work that I have read. They have a seriousness that takes them beyond The Bok of Three, but though they are grim in places, the do not leave me with the sour feeling of the Westermarck series.
    • 5/5
      The second part of the Prydain chronicles, in which Taran sets out on a quest to find the cauldron. Along the way he faces ego, two-timing, and three unusual women. And he learned that there are few absolutes when it comes to good and evil and perhaps is not so ready to grow up.
    • 4/5
      Lloyd Alexander's writing is light but distinctive. The high language of the characters, especially Taran, contrasts humorously with their sometimes ridiculous predicaments.The reading does a lot for the book. It's funny that the bard appears to be an Englishman with a tiny kingdom while all the Welsh kings are mighty and have significant kingdoms.The books are somehow rather gentle and yet the predicaments and monsters, although drawn from Welsh mythology, are freshly and originally described.I read some of the Mabinogian when I was young, and I found the black cauldron to be a neat kind of magic.In the end, when both the traitor king and the arrogant prince are buried with honor, and Prince Gwydion says that they honor the one for what he had been and the other for what he had become, he has found a better way of "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all." than most characters.
    • 5/5
      The second in the series of Taran the Assistant Pig keeper. In this volume, Taran is included in Prince Gwydion's plans to attack Arawn's domain, steal the Black Cauldron and destroy it. This inclusion makes Taran pretty full of himself, as one might expect, remembering that Taran is all of 14 or 15. Eilonwy and Gurgi are left out, which, predictably, annoys them. Others, of a more questionable moral fiber (as we later find out) are included in the operation.Everything goes according to plan, except that the heros find the Cauldron already missing. From there, everything goes to hell in the proverbial hand-basket. The parties are fragmented. Taran's group is unable to receive new orders. As they flee from Arawn's soldiers, then discover that the Cauldron has been taken into the Marshes of Morva by three entities - Orrdu, Orgwen, and Orgrech. Perhaps unwisely, they decide to enter the Marshes to find the Cauldron.After much searching, grief and loss, they find and acquire the Cauldron only to find that it's too large and heavy to get back to Caer Dallben. Amazingly, the find a lost comrade who helps with the Cauldron. But doesn't stop there. Then, our heros meet up with another group from the original expedition who has recovered the Cauldron but has succumbed to lure of its potential power. Gwydion arrives in the nick of time and through an act of ultimate sacrifice, then Cauldron is destroyed.Definitely a darker volume. Betrayal's galore. Deaths. Loss. But it's good to see Taran begin to learn that being a man does not mean that you get to do what you want - it means that you're forced to do what you have to do.
    • 4/5
      Based on Welsh folklore and a rollicking good yarn. Highly recommended for middle-grade readers.
    • 4/5
      As I said for the first, I liked the Disney movie growing up but had never read the series. I loved this book more than the first, it was completely different from the movie too. I felt that I was able to stay with this story better and I continued loving all of the characters... and of course as usual I liked the guy who ends up being evil... but hey, whatcha gonna do?
    • 4/5
      Moving in the right direction. Working their way to a solid four stars. I liked this better than the first, and I liked the first. There's more substance to the adventures and conflicts and there's growth in the characters and relationships. There's more suspense. I'm looking forward to the next one.
    • 2/5
      Pretty second-rate in comparison to Alan Garner for the fantasy elements or Rosemary Sutcliff for the atmosphere of Dark Ages Britian. I won't be looking for any more of this series.
    • 3/5
      Same goes for this, pretty much, as for the first book. I'm sure I would have enjoyed it a lot more if I'd been younger when I came across it: as it is, I've found a lot of much more developed fantasy, even aimed at the same age-group. It can be a bit unsubtle for me, now.

      On the other hand, Lloyd Alexander's writing is pretty fun to read, fast-paced and interesting and it goes down easy. I still like Eilonwy, and watching Taran develop and come to new understandings is quite interesting. I was sad about Adaon, and wished that Ellidyr had got more development, so that his final actions were more affecting.

      Still, again, fun to read.
    • 4/5
      The kids and I enjoyed this book. It's similar in nature to its predecessor. Taran's still a bit impulsive; Eilonwy's still a bit overbearing; Fflewdur's still a bit free with the embellishments; and Gurgi's still hilarious. The stakes feel a bit higher this time around, but on the whole I'd describe it as I did the first book: Serious and adventurous with a touch of comedy - a perfect combination.
    • 5/5
      An excellent narrative about the young Taran, Assistant Pig Keeper.
    • 4/5
      Taran the Assistant Pig Keeper has another quest to lead. They seek to steal and destroy the Black Cauldron, used by the evil Arawn to manufacture his deathless warriors, the Cauldron Born. Young Taran learns even more about wisdom and what it means to be a hero. The journey is suspenseful and fraught with peril. Taran's companions lighten the story with their quirky characteristics and heartwarming friendship. Recommended.
    • 3/5
      I had a hard time getting into this, but once I hit the middle, when they are in the marsh, it got really good. It tapered off some towards the end, though. I did enjoy it more than The Book of Three.