Westmark (The Westmark Trilogy, 1)

It's a shame this novel is out of print. I bought a used copy from Amazon because I've long been a fan of Lloyd Alexander's Prydain Chronicles and wanted to try some of his other work.Westmark has all the trappings of a typical fantasy novel -- princesses disguised as paupers, a boy hero from the streets who longs for more, even a dwarf -- but it's also more grounded than you might expect in a YA fantasy novel. There's no magic, no epic quest. And the story is unusually concerned with morality: what's right, what's wrong, what can be excused by warfare and necessity?The story moves quickly, but never feels rushed. The characters start out as broad archetypes, but never feel clichéd. I won't say I enjoyed this as much as the Prydain novels, but I did enjoy it. I'll definitely hunt down the next two in the trilogy.

Another one that is a classic. One of his best. It's the first in a trilogy and the sequels are much different than this first one, which is more like his adventure stories.

I loved this book so much as a teenager, and I wondered if it would hold up to everything I remembered. I think I loved it even more as an adult. It's in the style of Megan Whalen Turner's The Thief and Jennifer Nielsen's The False Prince, but a little older and more violent (not terrible, just a bit).What I loved best was Theo. As a teenager, I'm sure I would have wanted to marry him. As an adult, I want to be him. The way he wrestles with the ideals and reality is so real. "Who decides what's right?" he asks, as he notes good people on both sides and bad people as well. He believes that killing is wrong, but when someone has a gun pointed at his friend, he also wonders does his inability to shoot make him a good person or a coward. I want to wrestle with these questions. I want our society to wrestle with these questions. In this book, Theo stands in the middle of an increasingly polarized society, and sees reality, and asks questions of the people on both sides, and I love him for it.I also loved how throughout the entire book, you see Theo making choices. He isn't just thrown into his fate. He chooses to stay or leave. He chooses to speak or be silent. And while he always seems surprised at the outcomes of his choices, the outcome doesn't determine what choice he makes. He is determined to make the best choices, even when some might seem misguided, and stays true to himself. I think that would make him good.All of the characters were wonderful and most were over the top, something I have come to expect from and love about Lloyd Alexander's writing. It's an incredibly underrated trilogy, one that I look forward to reading again many more times.

well written and entertaining story. The plot and the twists are interesting and well done. The characters dissatisfaction with the way the country is mis-run has several parallels with modern society. I would recommend it to Middle School and up, mostly because they would get more out of it than a younger child.I wish the two other books in the trilogy were on here - The Kestrel and The Beggar Queen,

Lloyd Alexander is the best author since Tolkien for the fantasy genre. Clare B Dunkle’s The Hollow Kingdom are also excellent.

This was a purchase for my children as I like them to keep reading and learning to further their education. They enjoyed it.

I am enjoying my book very much. I love that it is hardcover and it will last for a long time.

great

As described.

I liked the humor on the first pages. I didn't like the predictability.