Agreed--Lloyd Alexander is probably one of the best children's/YA writers of the late 20th century, and both the Chronicles of Prydain and Westmark are some of the best series, for all the reasons you cite and more. There are actual stakes, characters that in ordinary works would have just been one-dimensional villains actually get development, people you like actually die, and the endings finish the story while still making it very clear that there are still things that need fixing and good things were lost--but yet, the world has still been changed for the better.
Thanks for reminding me of this series. I know I was aware of it when I was much younger, but I had entirely forgotten about it. I'll have to pick it up!
Agreed--Lloyd Alexander is probably one of the best children's/YA writers of the late 20th century, and both the Chronicles of Prydain and Westmark are some of the best series, for all the reasons you cite and more. There are actual stakes, characters that in ordinary works would have just been one-dimensional villains actually get development, people you like actually die, and the endings finish the story while still making it very clear that there are still things that need fixing and good things were lost--but yet, the world has still been changed for the better.
Thanks for reminding me of this series. I know I was aware of it when I was much younger, but I had entirely forgotten about it. I'll have to pick it up!
I didn't realize there were three of these, but the first is amazing!