The Black Cauldron
Series: The Prydain Chronicles, Book 2
By: Lloyd Alexander / Narrated by: James Langton
Length: 5 hrs and 27 mins
Darker than the first, but I sailed through it with such delight!
I have loved The Prydain Chronicles so very much that when Disney decided to skip the first in the series and just jump to Book 2? You can well imagine that I avoided it like the PLAGUE! Nope, instead I chose to keep the version I’d had in my head for eeeeeons alive and untainted. And even tho’ I loved the audiobook version of The Book of Three well and good, I knew that here in The Black Cauldron there’d be a PLEthora of new characters, and would James Langton be up to the task of NOT tarnishing the bejesus outta how they all lived within me. EsPECially as Iiiiiiii did the characters so well whenst I’d read the five books to a group of 10-11-year old boys as bedtime stories (I must say I ROCKED!).
So let’s just get the narration outta the way here. I know, I know, the entirety of the tales are looooosely based on Welsh myths and folklore, but I stiiiill get all twitchy when the thickest of accents are used for each of the characters, in particular Eilonwy and Coll. Add new character Adaon to this work, and I’m a tad befuddled. Same for a few others, but some of the rest have untarnished Brit voices, so I’ve been just a bit dismayed. STILL, Langton infuses plenty of drama and action into the companions’ adventures in this Book 2, and as the text and writing are somewhat darker than the first, evil is getting closer at hand, hags drive a hard and painful bargain, Langton keeps us going with somber tones, making things ultra painful when the story goes down those dark abysses.
A council of war takes place at Caer Dallben with a gathering of some of the mightiest Kings and warriors: Prince Gwydion has decided that now MUST be the time to strike Annuvin and take the Black Cauldron where Arawn steeps the corpses of the dead and turns them into the never-to-be-killed Cauldron Born warriors. All goes super well, textbook (Other than Eilonwy and Gurgi turning up outside the Dark Gates as they would NOT be left behind), except for one tiiiiiiny thing: The Cauldron is gone! It’s already been pilfered and when Taran and his companions get separated from all others, and when they get word of where it might be, the crew set off on their own to find it and bring it back to Gwydion to destroy (No time to waste as it might be used by another with evil intent).
Along for the ride this time are Adaon the Chief Bard’s son who dreams and has visions, Prince Ellidyr who TOTALLY riles Taran again and again, the two sparring constantly, and there’s a drop-in performance by Gwystyl of the Fair Folk whose post is outside the Gates of Annuvin.
And I didn’t like the voices for any of them, and I fully realize that’s just me being peevish and all put-out. So there’s that.
ANYway, the search sends the companions to the Marshes of Morva and the introduction of three hags who would rob them of their most prized possessions in exchange for the Cauldron which good and faithful Gurgi has found for them. Here, we’re faced with the question of How Far Would You Go to do the Right Thing. And is there such a thing as Not Good but Not Evil, all of Life just hanging in the balance as three women/dark enchantresses watch and weigh.
But the price is more than anyone can bear, and to destroy the Cauldron means the greatest of sacrifices. There are many adventures, much strife, much bearing of heavy burdens in this book, and yeh yeh yeh, I’m whinging and whining about how I would do things differently with my voice (Which, I might point out, is rather warbly, so I dunno HOW those little boys put up with me and found it all delightful…), and Langton carries Lloyd Alexander’s writing, his deeper meanings, and the grand characters well and with steady pacing (At least at my usual x1.5 speed…). There! I’ve come out and said it:
Huzzah for Langton! and a GREAT HUZZAH for Alexander as he continues to develop much-loved characters as Taran grows toward manhood, learning that honor comes with the small things done well and with a good heart rather than via battles and bloodshed. And Eilonwy, that sharp-tongued Princess, starts finding it within herself to listen a bit before brandishing barbs like so many weapons. Good old Doli, Ever loyal Gurgi, Enthusiastic Fflewddur Fflam?
How can anyone NOT love this?!
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.