Generations of youngsters have struggled in vain to pronounce the names in The Chronicles of Prydain, a five-book series of fantasy novels by the late American author Lloyd Alexander. Based (very) loosely on the Mabinogion and taking place in the fantasy world of Prydain, which bears no small resemblance to Wales, the novels feature a series of epic adventures in a land of High Fantasy, but place more emphasis on the protagonist's growing maturity and his journey into manhood. The series contains five books as well as one anthology which also serves as a prequel: