The High King by Lloyd Alexander

The conclusion to Taran's saga and easy to see why it was a Newberry Award winner in 1969. We have progressed from a prideful child to a humble young man. There are still many faults to Taran, but by the end of his saga, we feel his growth and maturity will make an excellent trajectory for a great man. 

There are more battles to be fought, and more scenes of those said battles occur for the majority of this novel. I now couldn't tell you many details about any of it. What I do remember, and what continues to linger in my mind, are the last couple of chapters. Despite stumbling through the war with Arawn, Taran is handed the world on a silver platter yet again.

What makes a man is how he decides to accept honor and glory given by others and then share these with the world. Taran is granted access to the Summer Kingdom despite not having the heritage. It is an earned privilege that few are capable of achieving in this mortal world filled with vices and distractions. Surprisingly, I feel because of the events in Taran Wanderer more than any other novel Taran actually deserves this invitation.

This is a tear jerker of an ending. The companions have gone through so many trials. They have lost people and ego. The transition for all of them is outstanding, and I needed some Kleenex nearby as I closed out the journey of Prydain. I'm happy to see a children's fantasy story so profoundly affecting me two decades later. I recommend that every parent read this series with their kids, then make sure the kids read it for themselves as teenagers. They might just grow into great adults if they do.