emilybulger's review
adventurous
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
prettyflyforascienceguy's review
adventurous
dark
inspiring
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
destiny44's review
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
crider's review
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
marydrover's review
3.0
I was going to say that I probably had too high expectations for this book, but then I read about how the Jim Henson Company went on this Author Quest to find the perfect author to write the story, and now I’m even more frustrated at how poorly written this was. The story relied heavily on the fact that its readers have seen the original movie. And while I have, that was probably almost 20 years ago, and I was a small child when I first saw it. Yes, there were illustrations in the book, which helped–and which were beautiful–but the world and the races both were not described well. It was really hard for me to find my footing in this book and to understand what it looked like. I could follow the plot well enough, but it was pretty hard to figure out what the Skeksis Lords, the different Gelfling characters, and uvRa (is that his name?) looked like, not to mention the Dark Wood, Sog, and the Crystal Castle. Stone-in-the-Wood was pretty easy, but that’s because we only spent a chapter there.
Overall, I gave this novel 3 stars because I enjoyed the characters and the plot. It was interesting to dive back into the world of the Dark Crystal, and to find out where it all began. If you’ve never seen the movie, though, I don’t recommend this as you’ll feel pretty lost.
Overall, I gave this novel 3 stars because I enjoyed the characters and the plot. It was interesting to dive back into the world of the Dark Crystal, and to find out where it all began. If you’ve never seen the movie, though, I don’t recommend this as you’ll feel pretty lost.
mariahsnerdynotes's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
gingin's review
5.0
I'm a sucker for anything Dark Crystal so I couldn't wait to jump into this series! I loved it, and the illustrations were lovely! This book focused on Naia, or as I like to refer to her, my sister-in-law. (Gurjin is bae, I don't care that he's a puppet. He's beautiful. Fight me.)
This story follows Naia as she sets off on an adventure, to find the truth and clear her brothers name.
She manages to get a traveling companion, Kylan (also a babe)
, along the way, and adventures and hard truths are, indeed, had! I can't wait to start the next book.
This story follows Naia as she sets off on an adventure, to find the truth and clear her brothers name.
She manages to get a traveling companion, Kylan (also a babe)
, along the way, and adventures and hard truths are, indeed, had! I can't wait to start the next book.
noragracereads's review
2.0
**2/5 stars**
Fans of The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance: save yourselves some time and spare yourself from reading Shadows of the Dark Crystal. Its greatest weakness is how far it strays from the show's narrative and world building. And don't expect to be pulled magically into the world of Thra: the weak writing style, poor character development, and slow narrative leave the audience with something to be desired.
Probably at no fault of the author, this prequel novel to Jim Henson's The Dark Crystal contradicts the Netflix prequel show in a multitude of ways. There are plot choices made that are such a departure from the film/show canon that retconning them would be a task and a half. Lee's Naia and Kylan are not Netflix's Naia and Kylan even though you're supposed to read these "before you watch the upcoming Netflix series." Major, narrative-defining moments in the show are turned upside down in the novel, and even the entire nature of "The Darkening" is challenged by Naia's healing abilities in the novel.
For example, in The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, Naia, Kylan, Tavra, and the Captain of the Guard (Rian's father) find Rian hiding in a podling tavern. Naia and Kylan want to turn Rian in so that Naia can exchange him for her brother, Gurjin, who she believes is being wrongfully imprisoned for Rian's treason at the Castle of the Crystal. Rian manages to convince the other gelfling to dreamfast with him so that they can see for themselves the skeKsis' crimes. In Lee's novel, the story goes as far into the plot of the show to the point where Gurjin is freed from the skeKsis and the Hunter is on the prowl. Except Naia never meets Rian before she does this and she hasn't met Tavra yet either. The show says that Naia learns of the skeKsis crimes from dreamfasting with Rian, while the book says she doesn't know the truth until she actually gets to the castle. She also doesn't know Tavra at all in the show before meeting her in the podling tavern, but one of the central relationships in the novel is that between Naia and Tavra.
It is difficult to try to explain the contradictory nature of the novel in clear terms because it really was such a puzzling reading experience. I was constantly thinking, "Wait, when could this have happened?" and, "Hold on, that's not how the Darkening works!" In the end I was extremely dissatisfied. Age of Resistance is one of the best-written shows in a very long time. I was so excited to read something that would feed my need to keep living in the story for as long as possible while I wait for Season 2. But I was let down, to say the least. And I don't blame Lee; I blame whoever is in charge of overseeing the whole narrative that combines the show, books, and original film into one canon.
I spent a great deal of time talking about the asymmetry between the novel and show so I will only briefly touch upon the technical flaws of Shadows of the Dark Crystal. All of the characters are hollow husks for gelfling. They all have the same voice and everyone except for Gurjin, Naia, urVa, and the Hunter seemed to have little purpose in the actual plot. The presence of these four characters mostly provided key context for understanding important world building details. The writing style feels empty, too. Sometimes the imagery was pretty, but mostly the prose felt very "She did this. He did that." It just felt... rookie. As if the author is just too inexperienced. Either that or just not inspired. However, there's plenty of room for improvement! There are at least three books that follow this one. I'm actually curious to see if Lee's writing improves. After all, I believe this was his first novel.
So will I keep reading the series? Yeah, probably. I'm desperate for The Dark Crystal content at the moment; I'll take what I can get. I also have a ridiculous desire to make myself mad by discovering just how much they can mess up the symmetry between the books and the show. Supposedly the most recent book is very well done, so we shall see.
Recommended for: Fantasy-hungry young adults; desperate fans of the The Dark Crystal; anyone who wants to be bored
Fans of The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance: save yourselves some time and spare yourself from reading Shadows of the Dark Crystal. Its greatest weakness is how far it strays from the show's narrative and world building. And don't expect to be pulled magically into the world of Thra: the weak writing style, poor character development, and slow narrative leave the audience with something to be desired.
Probably at no fault of the author, this prequel novel to Jim Henson's The Dark Crystal contradicts the Netflix prequel show in a multitude of ways. There are plot choices made that are such a departure from the film/show canon that retconning them would be a task and a half. Lee's Naia and Kylan are not Netflix's Naia and Kylan even though you're supposed to read these "before you watch the upcoming Netflix series." Major, narrative-defining moments in the show are turned upside down in the novel, and even the entire nature of "The Darkening" is challenged by Naia's healing abilities in the novel.
For example, in The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, Naia, Kylan, Tavra, and the Captain of the Guard (Rian's father) find Rian hiding in a podling tavern. Naia and Kylan want to turn Rian in so that Naia can exchange him for her brother, Gurjin, who she believes is being wrongfully imprisoned for Rian's treason at the Castle of the Crystal. Rian manages to convince the other gelfling to dreamfast with him so that they can see for themselves the skeKsis' crimes. In Lee's novel, the story goes as far into the plot of the show to the point where Gurjin is freed from the skeKsis and the Hunter is on the prowl. Except Naia never meets Rian before she does this and she hasn't met Tavra yet either. The show says that Naia learns of the skeKsis crimes from dreamfasting with Rian, while the book says she doesn't know the truth until she actually gets to the castle. She also doesn't know Tavra at all in the show before meeting her in the podling tavern, but one of the central relationships in the novel is that between Naia and Tavra.
It is difficult to try to explain the contradictory nature of the novel in clear terms because it really was such a puzzling reading experience. I was constantly thinking, "Wait, when could this have happened?" and, "Hold on, that's not how the Darkening works!" In the end I was extremely dissatisfied. Age of Resistance is one of the best-written shows in a very long time. I was so excited to read something that would feed my need to keep living in the story for as long as possible while I wait for Season 2. But I was let down, to say the least. And I don't blame Lee; I blame whoever is in charge of overseeing the whole narrative that combines the show, books, and original film into one canon.
I spent a great deal of time talking about the asymmetry between the novel and show so I will only briefly touch upon the technical flaws of Shadows of the Dark Crystal. All of the characters are hollow husks for gelfling. They all have the same voice and everyone except for Gurjin, Naia, urVa, and the Hunter seemed to have little purpose in the actual plot. The presence of these four characters mostly provided key context for understanding important world building details. The writing style feels empty, too. Sometimes the imagery was pretty, but mostly the prose felt very "She did this. He did that." It just felt... rookie. As if the author is just too inexperienced. Either that or just not inspired. However, there's plenty of room for improvement! There are at least three books that follow this one. I'm actually curious to see if Lee's writing improves. After all, I believe this was his first novel.
So will I keep reading the series? Yeah, probably. I'm desperate for The Dark Crystal content at the moment; I'll take what I can get. I also have a ridiculous desire to make myself mad by discovering just how much they can mess up the symmetry between the books and the show. Supposedly the most recent book is very well done, so we shall see.
Recommended for: Fantasy-hungry young adults; desperate fans of the The Dark Crystal; anyone who wants to be bored
briananderson's review
4.0
If you’ve read my comics or my blog you know I’m a Dark Crystal fanatic. That was the movie that installed my love of puppets. That’s not to say the story in the movie holds up. I love it anyway. And yes, I adore the Netflix series and all the recent comics. In other words, nothing’s going to dampen my enthusiasm for all things Dark Crystal.
That said, as much as I enjoy getting to visit Thra, this book left me a tad disappointed. I don’t think it was the writer's fault. I think it was the attempt to tie it in to the Netflix series. This became a secondary and not as important story to tell. That, and it lacked a overshadowing villain, or at the least, an impending doom (that was saved for Netflix). Also, I’m a huge Cory Godby fan and I wish his illustrations were printed a wee bit too dark.
Still, I do recommend it to any and all Dark Crystal fans. Any dive into Thra is worth the trip.
That said, as much as I enjoy getting to visit Thra, this book left me a tad disappointed. I don’t think it was the writer's fault. I think it was the attempt to tie it in to the Netflix series. This became a secondary and not as important story to tell. That, and it lacked a overshadowing villain, or at the least, an impending doom (that was saved for Netflix). Also, I’m a huge Cory Godby fan and I wish his illustrations were printed a wee bit too dark.
Still, I do recommend it to any and all Dark Crystal fans. Any dive into Thra is worth the trip.