I read 'The High King' by Lloyd Alexander wednesday night. Alexander did a lot of things right.

Our heroes are overwhelmed. They get defeated a lot.

Our hero, Taran, finally has matured beyond seeking glory and honor. He seeks to do his duty now, but appreciates the value of humble pursuits.

The end is very well done. Like Tolkien, much of the magic of the past passes away, the House of Don like Tolkien's elves. However, in Tolkien, this passing is more bitter than sweet. In Alexander, the bitter and sweet are matched: humans are coming into their own and the future is truly one worth living. In Tolkien I'm left only longing for the past, settling for the present.

The defeat of Arawn, however, was too easily accomplished once they got to Annuvin. The cauldron-born were too easily dispatched, as was Arawn. This is my one major complaint.

All in all, though, very well done and much appreciated. Worth reading.