And so ends our time with the Taran the Assistant Pig-Keeper and his valiant companions in their quest to save Prydain from Arawn Death Lord and his evil cronies. What a fabulously fantastical time we had! This is a classic fantasy series at its best, and 
I am so glad we took the first half of 2014 to discover it. The High King takes Taran on a journey to recover the sword Dyrnwyn. This requires an assembling of all the hosts of Prydain, as is only fitting in the last book in a series. In this book, Taran grows into manhood and accepts his rightful destiny, one that we saw coming several books ago (of course!) Taran’s observation here encapsulates the message of the series:
“Long ago I yearned to be a hero without knowing, in truth, what a hero was. Now, perhaps, I understand it a little better. A grower of turnips or a shaper of clay, a Commot farmer or a king–every man is a hero if he strives more for others than for himself alone.”
The Chronicles of Prydain is just the sort of literature that I want my children to be inspired by–full of noble adventure that depicts what it means to act with honor. We give the series a Highly, Highly Recommended.
My thoughts on the other books in the series:
I never wanted this book to end. It was true when I first read it in sixth grade and every subsequent re-reading as an adult.
Lovely quote on heroism. Now I really want to get my hands on this book.