If Lloyd Alexander is remembered for anything, it's probably his Chronicles of Prydain series; a pioneering cycle of children's fantasy novels based on Welsh mythology. Famous for its whimsical humor, solid storytelling and incredible characters, the first book was released in 1964 (one year before Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings would officially be published in paperback and launching a global phenomenon) and was concluded in 1968 (with some supplemental material interspersed). Both the second volume (The Black Cauldron) and the final volume (The High King) won the Newbery Award for best children's literature (don't worry, no dogs die in them). It also, rather notoriously, was the inspiration for Disney's animated box office bomb The Black Cauldron (though I love that movie to bits).
But Alexander was a prolific author, and he wrote dozens of other books over his career. In particular, he wrote a trilogy of quasi-fantasy/quasi-historical novels called the Westmark trilogy.
These three books may very well be Alexander's crowning achievement in literature for young people, and yet it sadly did never get the recognition of Prydain (though the first book, Westmark, did win the National Book Award for children). It takes place in what can only be described as 'not-France' (called Westmark) during the twilight years of the 'not-Ancien Regime', where the people are becoming increasingly fed up with their stodgy and corrupt monarchy. Revolution is in the air, and a young printer's devil named Theo gets caught up with a group of con artists after nearly killing a King's Inspector in a scuffle. At the same time, the aging and grieving King (who has not gotten over the apparent death of his daughter) is being manipulated by his Chief Minister (named Cabbarus) into conceding more and more power to him, while the Queen and her court physician are actively attempting to curtail Cabbarus's schemes.
Then Theo and his group come across a charismatic republican activist named Florian, and things get really interesting.
What's so astonishing about these books is their ideological and moral depth: the nature of violence and its morality in the service of freedom and political change is a constant theme that comes about. Florian, a staunch liberal and republican, is convinced that the monarchy is stifling their country and actively holding it back from progressing, and he views a violent conflict between the Monarchy and the people as an inevitability. The Queen's physician, a man named Doctor Torrens, is a staunch conservative and monarchist who, while acknowledging the crimes of Cabbarus in the King's name, simply cannot let go of the centuries of culture and perceived stability that the monarchy provides. Both men are portrayed as morally good, and both are allowed to give equally compelling arguments on their stances.
Then things get serious in the second volume, when the neighboring state of Regia invades. We get several scenes of war, and for children's literature it is grim. Alexander himself served on the Western Front during WWII, and he brings a degree of realism that is, quite frankly, shocking in its down-to-earth yet compassionate approach. Even when the revolution happens and we get a Robespierre-like figure named Justin, even he is not portrayed as wholly evil (because in spite of everything, he isn't wrong).
And remember: these are children's books I've been talking about.
by Adonisus