Deltora Book of Monsters

by Emily Rodda

Hoping to set things straight, the Deltora Palace librarian has secretly compiled this volume that, based on "The Deltora Annals," portrays the monsters living in this land and recounts stories from those who have faced them.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Childrens, Dragons, Middle Grade, Young Adult, Picture Books

Library Binding

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

Emily Rodda (real name Jennifer Rowe) was born in Sydney, Australia and graduated from the University of Sydney in 1973 with an MA (Hons) in English Literature. Moving into a publishing career, first as a book editor, and finally as a publisher at Angus & Robertson, Rodda's first book was published in 1984.

Reviews

[Sheralyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series. and I was so happy it went on and on, though it would not have if it wee not a children's book. Clean, thoughtful, a little scary, very good for your preteen children.

[Jasmine · Rating 2 out of 5]

After reading door trilogy I really expected something much more. mainly it was just a retelling of Deltora Quest. we already know most of the information that was there and there were just some small points that were new. about Thaegan, the Glus, and the shifting sands beast. I guess I had to go back to my strategy of never reading the extra explanation books that usually are published after a series turn out to be successful...

[k-swiss · Rating 5 out of 5]

i just like the pictures

[Kathryn]

At the time this book came out I was a HUGE DQ fan (I was about 12-13 years old) :P I won a copy after winning some DQ trivia competition - Anyway, the art in this book is AMAZING!

[Harumichi Mizuki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gilaaaaa! Lukisan Marc McBride di sini beneran gilaaaa! Rasanya langsung nancep di otak. Memang sepanjang aku membaca Deltora, aku agak kesulitan membayangkan beberapa wujud monsternya (kecuali yang memang sudah digambarkan di kover depan maupun belakang). Sering aku mikir kenapa sih kok nggak dilengkapi ilustrasinya sekalian? Ternyata ilustrasi para monster itu dirapel dan disuguhkan semua di sini.

Bersyukur ternyata buku ini ada di www.openlibrary.org, meski saat meminjamnya aku sempat harus antri segala. Untung antrinya nggak lama.

***

Buku ini ceritanya ditulis oleh Joseph, pustakawan istana yang kabur dan menyamarkan kematiannya setelah disuruh Prandine memusnahkan catatan sejarah Deltora: Deltora Annals. Joseph merasa perintah itu nggak beres, kenapa harus menghancurkan catatan sejarah Deltora? Maka ia pun memutuskan untuk kabur dari istana dan membawa Deltora Annals bersamanya setelah memalsukan kematiannya dengan membakar ruang penyimpanan tempat ia "membakar" catatan itu. Sebelum kabur ia meninggalkan pesan palsu yang menyatakan bahwa ia ingin mati bersama Deltora Annals.

Ia kemudian kabur dan menulis ulang The Annals dengan ditambahi catatan yang ia buat selama berkelana menjelajahi Deltora sambil berlindung di tempat pembuatan tembikar di Del atas saran seorang pedaganh bernama Steven. Joseph kabur di masa Raja Alton, ayah Endon. Ia juga yang menulis buku Sabuk Deltora dan menyelipkannya di sudut perpustakaan, berharap agar entah Jarred atau Endon akan menemukan dan mempelajarinya.

***

Ada banyak info yang tidak dicantumkan di buku utamanya, jadi buku ini benar-benar berfungsi sebagai pelengkap yang asyik. Jika sudah membaca semua buku Deltora Quest di season 1 mulai Forest of Silence sampai Return to Del, maka akan lebih nyambung dengan para monster yang dideskripsikan di sini.

Gorl dari Forest of Silence, rupanya adalah ksatria Jalis. Dua saudara laki-lakinya yang ia bunuh pun memiliki nama dengan awalan huruf G. Mungkin itu tradisi penamaan di Jalis. Sayang sekali suku itu sudah punah dan hanya menyisakan Glock.

Penyihir Thaegan rupanya memiliki seorang ibu penyihir putih yang dicintai masyarakat karena kemampuannya membuat ramuan cinta dan melakukan sihir pengobatan. Sungguh ironis. Thaegan sejak muda sudah sangat cantik, namun juga kejam. Sihir putih membuatnya bosan maka ia pun beralih pada sihir kegelapan untuk memuaskan hasratnya akan kekuatan. Ibunya bisa berubah wujud menjadi burung gagak. Karena itulah Thaegan suka menyantap gagak karena teringat pada ibunya.

Ilustrasi paling menggiriskan hati di sini adalah ilustrasi anak-anak Thaegan. Joseph mendapatkan informasi ini dari seorang pengelana yang berhasil lolos saat hampir disantap oleh mereka. Ia berkata dua rekan seperjalanannya sudah dipanggang dan dimakan hidup-hidup. Kondisi fisik dan mentalnya sangat memprihatinkan. Dari cerita si pengelana, Joseph bisa mendeskripsikan anak-anak Thaegan dan menggambarnya. Hoeks banget dah ilustrasinya. Nightmare!

Ilustrasi Gellick, kodok raksasa beracun di Gunung Kengerian, mengingatkanku pada Jabba The Hut-nya Star Wars. Sedangkan ilustrasi Vraal mengingatkanku pada desain alien ganas di film Alien.

Yang paling mencengangkan buatku adalah informasi soal Naga Deltora dan burung ak-baba. Ternyata ak-baba bisa mengalahkan Naga Deltora bahkan jadi salah satu penyebab mereka terancam punah, loh! Lima sampai tujuh ak-baba biasanya keroyokan dan mengalahkan naga. Segede apa burung ini? Di Deltora Season 1 mereka hanya berperan sebagai mata-mata. Jadi aku nggak nyangka mereka bisa sekuat itu.

Nantinya Josef dan muridnya, Ranesh akan muncul di buku pertama season 2, Cavern of Fear untuk mengantarkan Deltora Annals pada Lief. Membaca buku ini sebelum memulai season 2nya terasa dapat pembekalan. Namun, tampaknya tak semua makhluk Deltora dijabarkan di sini. Pada Cavern of Fear ada monster bernama Granous dan itu nggak diceritakan di sini. Sayangnya ilustrasi Kin juga nggak disertakan, padahal muddlet aja dibahas. Apa bakal ada buku ilustrasi world of Deltora yang lain?

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been reading this book alongside the main Deltora Quest series, and it has been a useful resource not just for the additional backstory it provides to many of the monsters and how they came to be, but also because the drawings really help you to visualise them. Some people may prefer creating an image in their own minds, but in my case, some things were helpful to see illustrated. For example, Thaegan's 13 children were too many for me to have a clear image of each. The drawing of the Hive also helped me to picture how exactly the pyramid within looked.

It is worth noting that from page 44 onwards (Blood Lillies, and Dragons), none of these appear in the first Deltora Quest series. I haven't read Deltora 2 or 3, but I believe 3 is called "Dragons of Deltora", so perhaps the last few pages of this book relates to the later series.

In any case, I liked this book. I only wish I had a proper copy of it so I could truly appreciate the colour drawings.

[Sarah Eagle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I will never say ‘no’ to an Emily Rodda book, and I cherish all things Deltora. When I came across this bestiary of Deltora monsters, it was a no-brainer.
This is an especially good read if you have read or are about to read the first Deltora Quest book, as the “author” of this work is an important character in the beginning of that book. You could honestly read the whole series AND Dragons of Deltora AND The Shadowlands and this book will be great.
The writing in the novels are solid and descriptive enough for a pretty vivid picture of these creatures, like the Ak-Baba, the Greyguards and the Vraal, but to see them visually is a real treat. I don’t agree with *all* the illustrations persay, but most are really close in my opinion.

[Mella · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Deltora Book of Monsters is a compendium style companion book featuring all the monsters Lief, Jasmine and Barda encounter or hear about during the first series of Deltora Quest.

"Written" by the head librarian, Josef, each entry details a monster, the weaknesses or strengths and where or how the monster came into being and details of how Josef heard about it.

Most of these entries are included in the updated Deltora Quest books, split up into the book which deals with each monster but I enjoyed the collected version and the informal diary entry style it was written in. There are lots of illustrations of the monsters too, although I'm not really a fan of the style but they are definitely sufficiently scary.

A worthwhile inclusion to the Deltora Quest world but only really for diehard fans. 3 stars.

[Emmy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been wanting to read this since I first completed the original Deltora Quest books. And I'm glad I finally got my hands on a copy! It's a short book, though--much shorter than I was expecting (thought it would look more like Tales of Deltora at about 100+ pages). Still, lots of interesting information that will certainly appeal to readers of the series. One suggestion, however, is that I would NOT read this until you finish Deltora Quest, Deltora Shadowlands, and Dragons of Deltora, because there are some spoilers.

[Sol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who doesn't love a good picture book? All the cover monsters get illustrated, as well as a good number of the minor ones. Marc McBride's grungy-yet-colourful style is wonderful for the subjects, and really sets the tone for the series as a whole. The accompanying text both relates extra information about the monsters not found in the main books, and tells a little story of its own about the fictional author Josef. This was one of my favourite books as a kid, and I believe it was what got me into the series in the first place.

[Libri Sempra · Rating 3 out of 5]

The art as always is amazing on this series and really shines here. As far as the physical book goes though, I ordered it online and really expected it to be larger, like the sizes of Tales of Deltora and Secrets of Deltora. It's not a big deal though, because those are hardcovers, and this one was not. I wish I could've found a hardcover version of this, if one was even made, to complete the collection.
No matter! Not really much new info in here compared to the other companion Deltora books, but it was a quick read, and if anything is worth having just for the art. :)

[Caleb · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice companion piece to the Deltora children series, this picture book provides fun and exciting images of the central monsters and villains of the series. For those who struggle to create spectacular monsters in their minds, this book is especially helpful. An additional helpful structuring of the book is that it speaks of it's monsters mostly in chronological order for the series, so you can find the monster you're looking for pretty easily.

[Alina the Goblin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick yet excellent companion read to the Deltora Quest world. Showcasing the richly detailed and horrifying talents of the illustrator Marc McBride, the backgrounds and illustrations of Deltora's most disgusting and majectic creatures serve a great purpose at providing the backdrop to the scenes and battles in the actual series.

[Querida · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this however it made me confused on Ranesh and his age since the book was written before the second invasion and Ranesh was already older but I thought that Ranesh met Josef after the invasion but idk

[Skye · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every time I read a book, I imagine the world, the creatures and the characters that have been laid out before my eyes. However, the world of words will only get you so far. Sometimes, it’s a nice benefit to have a visual representation of what you are reading. After all, why else would people read books with pictures?

Written like an informative booklet, The Deltora Book of Monsters not only provides an insight to the monsters which appear throughout the Deltora Quest books, but also the backstory for Josef and the kingdom. They are a reminder of the dangers that a lack of care and vigilance can leave, and help to further show the depths of planning which the Shadow Lord has commenced.

[riverri · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it. Do I need to have a reason other than it’s nostalgic to me? Nope!

[Megan Kammeyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this in gradeschool.

[Ruth Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love how this is written like it actually exists in Deltora! The illustrations were fantastic, and really helped me understand what some of the monsters actually were.

[Zoe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Full of nostalgia. Fun and visually interesting illustrations, and enticing lore. I heavily appreciate how it is framed as an in-universe book. Nice, short read.

[Bruno Rodrigues · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty fun read! Fun bits of monster trivia from the Deltora Quest series. Illustrations are neat.

[Anaide · Rating 3 out of 5]

Illustrated book of monsters. Pretty cool and nicely short.

[Krish · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nice addition to the main series although just repeats everything you know already if you’ve read the main series. Would’ve been good to have something new or something that wasn’t already known about in depth. The illustrations are good, although not a fan of the overall drawing style, but most of them do fairly closely match the images I had in my mind.

[Wayne Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Both of our boys have enjoyed reading fiction books about dragons, and we have quite a few, including those by Bryan Davis, Donita K. Paul, and Dave Marks, among others. However, we have never read the “Deltora” series of books written by Australian author Jennifer Rowe, under the pen name Emily Rodda. There are actually three sets of them: the Deltora Quest Series of eight books (The Forests of Silence, The Lake of Tears, City of the Rats, The Shifting Sands, Dread Mountain, Maze of the Beast, The Valley of the Lost, and Return to Del); the Deltora Shadowlands Series of three books (Cavern of the Fear, The Isle of Illusion, and The Shadowlands); and the Dragons of Deltora Series of four books (Dragons Nest, Shadowgate, Isle of the Dead, and The Sister of the South); plus some add-on books like Tales of Deltora and Secrets of Deltora.

They follow the adventures of three companions as they journey across the fictitious land of Deltora, endeavoring to recover the magical Belt of Deltora and defeat allies of the evil Shadow Lord. Though we have not read them, they have been recommended by friends. The Deltora Book of Monsters is another bonus book. It is purportedly written by Josef, the palace librarian of the kingdom of Deltora. He had been ordered by Prandine, chief advisor to King Alton, to destroy The Deltora Annals but through a ruse was able to escape with them and go into hiding. The foreword gives a short history of Deltora, telling how the great leader Adin drove the Shadow Lord’s hordes back across the mountains and formed the seven tribes into a united Deltora. Apparently Prandine and Alton are afraid to let the Deltoran people know their true history.

The rest of the book is a fantastical look at the world of Deltora with descriptions of the different Deltoran creatures identified throughout the series and exquisite four-color drawings of the creatures by illustrator Marc McBride. Our younger son Jeremy, who likes reading about monsters, saw it in a discount bookstore and asked to buy it. I suspect that it might have made a little more sense if we had read the Deltora books first, but for those who have read or are reading them it would be a very helpful companion because it gives information on many of the creatures mentioned in the books, so that the reader can have a better visual of the story, sort of like a field guide. However, parents might want to keep the book away from small or sensitive children, especially those who could be given to bad dreams based upon what they see.

[TEENS Holmes County · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed by Sarah M.

Contains information about the creatures that roam the magical lands of Deltora and the stories behind their creation and creators.

The author describes the creatures in a way that young adult readers can easily understand. There were also detailed illustrations of the creatures. However, it did not describe what creatures protected what gem.

[Auz · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing, beautiful book. When I first got it I couldn't touch the page about Thaegan's thirteen children, much in the same way I couldn't touch photos of spider or other creepy crawlies.

I was quite a bit younger than I am now though, embarrassingly, not that much. Please don't judge.

[Daisy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was obsessed with this as a child and bought it from a bookstore when I didn't really give a flying crap about Deltora quest itself (I'd never Read it and knew nothing about it except from this book). I then started reading DQ BECAUSE of this book.

[Gabby · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book allowed me to really understand the creatures seen throughout the series. I enjoyed reading it and the pictures were beautifully rendered. I just found it nowhere near as fun or informative as I was expecting. Given that a lot of the information was already in the stories.

[Patrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

I grew up as a big fan of the series. I must say the book is imformative and the artwork is absolutely amazing.

[Colin · Rating 5 out of 5]

really just a picture book. ya im pretty sure im to old for these oh well.

[Tyler · Rating 2 out of 5]

it was cool