The Arkadians (book review)

In The Arkadians, by Lloyd Alexander, a young clerk named Lucian finds himself on the run from a pair of evil soothsayers. Fronto, a poet-turned-donkey, and a pythoness named Joy-in-the-Dance join him along the way. With their help, young Lucian manages to elude his enemies for long enough to escape from the kingdom in safety. He meets Joy-in-the-Dance's mysterious mother, the Lady of Wild Things, and helps Fronto return to his former shape. During his journey, Lucian finds himself accomplishing things he never imagined. He leads a pack of wolves, becomes an expert horseman, finds his sea legs, and fights a furious bull. But in the end, will Lucian discover his destiny as well?

I enjoyed this book much more than The Book of Three, which was also written by Lloyd Alexander. I also liked his book Time Cat. The characters in The Arkadians were unique and engaging, and the plot was enriched with the fantastic stories told by characters throughout the book.