Thursday, October 6, 2016

Book Review: Shadows of the Dark Crystal by J.M. Lee


Title: Shadows of the Dark Crystal
Author: J.M. Lee
Illustrator: Brian Froud
Series: Jim Henson's The Dark Crystal #1
Publisher: Grosset & Dunlap
Publication Date: June 28, 2016
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Length: 272 pages
Format: Hardcover
Source: gifted


Synopsis:
The first series of original novels ever set in the world of Jim Henson's The Dark Crystal.

Jim Henson's The Dark Crystal: Shadows of the Dark Crystal is set years before the events of the classic film and follows the journey of a young Gelfling woman who leaves her secluded home to uncover the truth surrounding the disappearance of her brother who has been accused of treason by the sinister Skeksis Lords.

My Thoughts:
Naia, is a Drenchen Gelfling who dwells within the Sog far south of the Crystal Castle. Her twin brother was sent to work in the Castle where the Skeksis' live but when a Gelfling soldier from the castle comes to the Sog and tells them that Gurjin has committed treason, Naia is determined to prove him innocent. She travels to the castle with the soldier and her father but they are waylaid before they even leave the Sog and Naia is sent ahead on her own. She makes friends along the way but this is not a journey for the lighthearted. A darkness has begun to plague the land, deep down in the roots of Thra, and both the earth and it's creatures are being affected. Can Naia figure out what this dark violet source of light is while also attempting to save her brother? 

Shadows of the Dark Crystal was everything I was hoping it would be. I felt re-immersed into the world that Jim Henson and Brian Froud created all those years ago. I grew up in love with the movie and couldn't wait to get my hands on this book when I first heard of it. I am so very glad that they decided to turn this into a work of fiction. 


This is a sort of prequel to the movie so we already have a sense of what is going to happen in the end but getting a new perspective in addition to what led up to the movie makes this very much worth reading. We get a more detailed sense of the world and how the Crystal works, the Gelfling clans, and the horrors that awaits this world and it's creatures. 

I was honestly just amazed at how well this was written. J.M. Lee did an amazing job of bringing us back to this amazing world. I sincerely hope that this series is continued soon and am eagerly awaiting it! 


My Rating: 5 stars

2 comments:

  1. Wow, this sounds good. And I noticed that Brian Froud did the illos- I've seen his work on faeries before and he has a way of drawing them that really captures that mystical feel. So kinda cool he worked on this! Sounds fun!

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    1. His fairy art is amazing! I used to have a tarot deck done by him and it was just so gorgeous! I really love his style. :)

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