The World Of The Dark Crystal

The Dark Crystal

by Brian Froud

Now 20 years old, Jim Henson's classic fantasy film The Dark Crystal--featuring the breathtaking concept design of renowned fantasy artist Brian Froud--is a soaring work of the imagination. This mystical adventure has such a huge cult following that when the film was recently re-released on video and DVD, it quickly sold a million copies. Just as remarkable is the cult status of The World of The Dark Crystal, Froud's book on the film. Originally published in 1982 and long out of print, this definitive volume--packed with brilliant artwork--has been in such demand that used copies can sell for well over $400.

Abrams is now proudly reissuing this sought-after book in a brand new collector's edition. This beautifully printed reproduction of the original volume contains all of its stunning art and text--plus a new essay by Froud, illustrated with never-before-published paintings, drawings, and sculptures from the film's archives. And this new edition features a facsimile of a 20-page booklet Froud and Henson created to present the film to backers--a gorgeous overview of the story so rare only a few copies are known to exist. This collector's edition of The World of The Dark Crystal, like the re-released film, will truly be a must-have for Henson and Froud fans.

Genres: Fantasy, Art, Fiction, Film, Picture Books, Science Fiction Fantasy, Graphic Novels

128 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1982

About the author

Brian Froud is an award-winning illustrator, author, and faery authority. His books include the international best-sellers Faeries, Lady Cottington's Pressed Fairy Book, Lady Cottington's Fairy Album, and The Faeries' Oracle. He also served as the conceptual designer on Jim Henson's films The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth. Froud lives in Devon, England.
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"I paint the spirit and soul of what I see." - Brian Froud

For over 35 years, Brian Froud has been regarded as the pre-eminent faerie artist in the world and an authority on faeries and faerie lore. His international best-selling book, FAERIES with fantasy and Tolkien illustrator Alan Lee is considered a modern classic. His landmark work with Jim Henson as conceptual designer on feature films THE DARK CRYSTAL, LABYRINTH and other Henson projects set new standards for design, puppeteering and animatronics in film and are considered landmarks in the evolution of modern day special effects and attract an international cult following . With over 8 million books sold to date, Brian's international best sellers include LADY COTTINGTON'S PRESSED FAIRY BOOK, GOOD FAERIES / BAD FAERIES and THE FAERIES' ORACLE and LADY COTTINGTON'S FAIRY ALBUM. Other works with text by Ari Berk include GOBLINS!, RUNES OF ELFLAND, LADY COTTINGTON PRESSED FAIRY LETTERS and BRIAN FROUD'S WORLD OF FAERIE. His latest books are THE HEART OF FAERIE ORACLE, authored by his wife, Wendy and HOW TO SEE FAERIES, with New York Times best-selling author, John Matthews are published by Abrams Books. He and Wendy are now working on their forthcoming book, TROLLS, to be published by Abrams in 2012.

Brian's work has been licensed by numerous licensing companies internationally. His work inspires Faerieworlds and FaerieCon, festival events that attract over 30,000 guests annually. Brian created concept designs for a sequel to THE DARK CRYSTAL, produced by the Jim Henson Company and is developing concept designs for feature film projects now in development. He and Wendy created the story concept for a graphic novel series based on THE DARK CRYSTAL to be published by Archaia Comics in 2011. His work has been featured in exhibitions throughout the world and his paintings reside in many private and public collections. Brian lives in Devon, England with his wife, internationally acclaimed doll maker Wendy Froud.

Reviews

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

The more I look at the work of Brian Froud the more I am amazed at the creative mind that not only comes up with these creations but is also able to then put them down on paper - a truly creative mind and an amazing book to read - certainly highly recommended


Now this was a bit of a surprise. I have always enjoyed the work of Brian Froud and I have always loved the film (if sometimes I was a little creeped out by it - for a young boy there are a few scary bits I can remember to this day).

However rather than finding an artwork book or a making of guide (I am sure there are both out there) I was treated instead to a mystical journey through the book of Aughra the seemingly newly discovered translations of a book long lost.

True it is in fact a series of pieces which use artwork, still and even production ideas (sorry I know I try not to create spoilers but that I doubt really applies here). However they are all woven together to create something both familiar and utterly enchanting (and different)

IF you are familiar with the film you know how the book will go - however the details woven in with the artwork give you a totally different view and one that both builds and reveals so much more.

I appreciate that so much of this book is down to the creativity of Mr Froud a man who's imagination knows no bounds and yet can focus in and create something like this. Ironically they have announced a return to the world of the Dark Crystal - I wonder how much will be familiar I guess I wont have long to wait.

[K.S. Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I still remember the first time I saw the film, “The Dark Crystal”. My sister and her friend were too young to go to the theatre alone, so my parents asked me to take them. At the wise old age of 13, I thought I was far too cool for some weird kids movie. I don't even think I knew anything about it.

As I sat in that theatre, the rest of the world drifted away and I became completely immersed in the world that Jim Henson created, with the help of Brian Froud. It was the most magical thing I had ever witnessed and would change my entire life.

This book delves deep into the story, giving us insight into the world and the characters who dwell there. Finally, we can understand who Aughra is.

“Of the race of Aughra, I, Aughra, am alone. The first and the last.”

OK, perhaps “understand” is not the right word. This character, who plays such a large part in the story and yet whose own story was unknown to us. Until now.

We also learn of the nature of the Ur-Ru and Skeksis. Divided when the crystal cracked and the shard was lost. Reunited as the Prophecy foretold.

“When single shines the triple sun, what was sundered and undone shall be whole. The two made one by Gelfling hand or else by none.”

Fans of the film will cherish this book, as I do. It has inspired me so much, not only as a writer but as a human being.

[Mackenzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't read the entire book. It was very detailed, and I would have needed a lot of time and concentration. But I did enjoy what I did read. It was really interesting, and though I didn't understand some of it, I feel like I know the world of the dark crystal a lot better than I did before.
My favorite part were the illustrations. They were so beautiful, and detailed. The best one was on pages 88-89

[Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

i love this world too much, brian froud and jim henson are geniuses

[Stephen Simpson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Attractive art, but mediocre content overall (particularly quantity). The book was padded out with exceptionally large typefaces in many cases. Very disappointed.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book is GORGEOUS and it took me forever to track it down. only one library in my state had it, and no copies were to be found at bookstores! now that I finally have The World of The "Dark Crystal" here with me on my bedroom floor, the wait has been worth it.

the art book starts with a little introduction that is similar to the "making of" documentaries about The Dark Crystal. the rest of the book reads as a study with various digressions into astrology, astronomy and anthropology, all of which is made up of course but comes across in a very convincing manner. these little explanations accompanied with scraggly diagrams and drawings are intelligently presented and a little hard to grasp at first. the entire book is also composed like some kind of holy text, but written by Aughra, the first and last. the amount of detail from the urRu's facial wrinkles representing meditative thought to the anatomical structure of the crustacean-like fauna of The Dark Crystal being a simple extension of triadic symmetry explained at the beginning of the book, is impressive!

definitely a must for all fans of Jim Henson and The Dark Crystal alike! this art book not only offers beautiful, whimsical artwork but also a revelation that there is more to The Dark Crystal film than meets the eye.

[Lacey Louwagie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can see how this book could be a real treasure to someone who adores "The Dark Crystal." Rather than simply being a "reference" book about Jim Henson's world, it's written as though it is documentation from people who are researching Thra's history, astronomy, and culture. It's put together around Brian Froud's artwork, which really takes center stage here, to the point that you could enjoy the book even if you didn't read any of the text. In truth, I think the text might be somewhat boring if you weren't either a die-hard fan or a researcher (I fall into the latter category), but I don't think this book is meant for people who aren't die-hard fans. So in that case, it speaks to its audience perfectly.

So far, the "Creation Myths" are my favorite from the Dark Crystal canon, but this serves as a highly original reference.

[Rob · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up this book expecting it to feel like an analogue for flipping through a modern-day wikia page. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised.

I describe this book more as a guided museum tour. There are a variety of wonderful images, diagrams, and icons that catch the eye, all complete with various captions, descriptions, and speculations should you wish to know more. These texts are especially immersive because they treat the world as real—each blurb treats a species, text, or event as something that exists, and many "research notes" are written as speculative, as if the writer is trying to interpret the world of Thra for the reader but hasn't uncovered all of it. This gives the reader a feeling of truly taking an educational journey through a fictional land, while withholding just enough information to keep it wondrous and mystical (pun intended).

On that note, readers will be happy to know that—old as this book is—it is considered canon in the Dark Crystal universe. The foreword indicates that its purpose is to share all of the wonderful behind-the-scenes concepts that didn't make it into the film. As a result, it does a wonderful job of enriching the world we already know and love with actual substance, without feeling like a superfluous marketing ploy to prey on nostalgia or on their fans' wallets.

A self-described "coffee table book," this didn't warrant finishing. I opened it up one afternoon with a cup of coffee and flipped through it, stopping to read the detailed descriptions and faux-historic blurbs for a few minutes at a time before skimming to the next feature that caught my eye. Next time I get the chance, I would gladly put the smartphone down and spend a short break looking through this book again for a gem that I missed last time.

I would recommend this book to any The Dark Crystal fan who is looking for a deeper dive into the world as intended by its creators. Buy it if you can; it's a wonderful thing to be able to return to when you have the time.

[Mark Dickson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is easily a 5* book based purely on the artistic merit alone. If you love The Dark Crystal then you should treat yourself to this book. Brian Froud’s art is outstanding, with this book demonstrating how deliberate and detailed every single element of this world is.

Where this book falls down to a 4* read is in its structure. The conceit of this book is that it is an annotated/translated edition of an in-world book written by Aughra.

However, it fails to properly annotate any of the art in a clear manner. There will be a stunning two-page spread of an ornate tapestry and then an accompanying paragraph (without a specific annotation) that says: “The symbol of aggression in this piece is the key part of Skeksis symbolism”.

WHERE IS THAT? WHICH PART OF THIS ENORMOUS PIECE IS THAT?

I would still unquestionably recommend this book to any Dark Crystal fans, but that did happen enough times to bug me.

[Duncan · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's amazing the level of detail that Brian Froud put into his drawings for creating the world of Dark Crystal. So much symbolism and attention to detail that isnt immediately apparent on screen and many ideas that probably never made it that far. One thing that amazes me is the complexity even matching up symmetrical geometry with designs patterns, heads and animals. This book has some lovely overlays to highlight these and David llewelyns text anhances the background detail behind these characters, creatures and environments. Just magical and sublime.

[Scott Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

The conceit of this is that archaeologists have been working on Thra and have uncovered artifacts, artwork, and the writings of Aughra. For me, the experience of the book was heightened by the physical fragility of my copy. It has to be handled with a gentle reverence.

The artwork by Froud is enchanting. It transports you to an ancient, fantastic place. The genius of Jim Henson and Froud is intimidating. The book explores extremely complex numerology, sacred geometry, and alchemy that is beyond my understanding. The explanations are, I think, intentionally fragmentary and complex but there is a sense of a real and ancient culture built on these principles. Countless hours must have been spent developing this work.

This book is a must-read companion to the film. It expands and colours the world of The Dark Crystal in a very satisfying way.

[Molly · Rating 3 out of 5]

The World of the Dark Crystal is a cool book filled with amazing art, the lore of the world of the Dark Crystal, and if you read it like Aughra screams all her text at you, very entertaining. It may be the coolest movie tie-in book written.

The problem with it is that it kind of underminds the movie in a weird way. Here are all these wild, cool ideas that could have been explored in the film, but isn't. It makes the movie more frustrating for all the things it could've had and because it's so linked to the movie, the issue becomes inseparable.

If you're a fan of the Dark Crystal, this is a great read, but if you aren't that big a fan, it may be best left alone. Then again, why would you pick this book up if you weren't?

[Steven Shinder · Rating 5 out of 5]

With the info we have from the more recent Creation Myths comics, it's clear that some of The World of the Dark Crystal has been retconned. However, the artwork is still fantastic, and you'd be lucky to own a copy of this. (I watched a video of someone flipping through it and listened to someone read it very well.)

[Riley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a wonderful book, it’s set out as a translation of a historical account by Aughra, accompanied by archeological and anthropological finds and discussions. It’s a great expansion of the lore and world, going into detail of the life and attributes for the urRu and Skeksis.
Very interesting and a quick read would recommend.
4/5

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really in-depth and interesting look into the world of Thra - I really liked how everything was presented as an almost academical research into the world and especially found the overlaying pages a cool addition!
Also Brian Froud's art is, as always, absolutely gorgeous.

[Elena Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Im a bit creep out by this one but i still love it!

[Alison · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beautiful book and an interesting way of presenting the artwork as though it were a history. I loved the facsimile booklet of the original concept drawings.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, this isn't for everyone. If you're not interested in character design, illustration, or world building, this might seem pointless to you. However, if you are into any of those things, this book is gold!

The creativity that went into the movie that inspired this book (or vice-versa) is phenomenal. In a time when most movie scripts are repetitively boring, and most special effects are about as believable as a Super Mario game, this book takes us back to the Golden Age of Imagination with Jim Henson at his proudest. The World of the Dark Crystal is complete, complex, and mystifying- just enough like our own world to be accessible, but different in all the best ways. And this book is a wealth of the drawings & writing that made the movie's unforgettable characters.

You get a short of history of Aughra in her own words, a brief description of the planet and its races, and then descriptions of each of the Skeksis and urRus individually! Combined with the pre-production notes on the Skeksis (which you can read here: http://planetirk.forumotion.com/t257-...#), you really see how much thought and originality went into these characters.

This book is one of my most jealously guarded possessions.

[Silas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have had this book for over a decade and had only flipped through it before now. I picked it up in advance of the new Dark Crystal Netflix series, and finished it up while watching the show. The art has always been impressive, but I really enjoyed the look into the world-building for the film, even if some of that has been changed for the series. While I preferred the more mystical bent of the book and film to the more realistic direction of the film, I understand why it was changed to appeal to a broader audience, though I do still wish they had stuck with the classics, personally. While I enjoyed the look into the production and some preproduction ideas, it was also a bit odd that it was presented as some historical artifact that was found in our world instead of being its own world. I think this is worth checking out if you are a fan of the film (I picked it up when liking the Dark Crystal was kind of a weird thing that I would bring up), and if you enjoy the series, this book is cool because it points out that the new Skeksis in the series were made from these original concept drawings, rather than simply newly designed, which I appreciate. The extra little facsimile edition is interesting, particularly to note the ways that the story changed along the way, but primarily, what is of interest here is the art and design work, and it's definitely worth it for that.

[Ben Chandler · Rating 5 out of 5]

I expected this book to be a somewhat biographical work, explaining the process behind the creation of this intricate fantasy world, and for the first few pages it is. But then it because more of a bible, very much a part of the world it is describing, and it spends a lot of time outlining many of the concepts and symbols and characters that helped shape the film, but couldn't be dwelt on due to the nature of cinema and the need for plot to be served foremost. As a result of this, I found myself enjoying this book far more than I expected to, and it probably does a better job of conveying the wonder of this fantastical place than any film could hope to do. Great stuff!

[Serafima Karkkila · Rating 4 out of 5]

This will always be such a special book to me. I think its succeeds in capturing the tone and atmosphere of the movie chillingly well and serves as a natural extension of that world. It is an artbook, and yet something else entirely. Man, reading this book always leaves me in awe over the sheer amount of love and creativity that went into this project <3

My only gripe would be with the technical aspect of the book - it is so large that maneuvering it is really hard :D It is also so tall that most bookshelves will not be suitable to house it, often leaving me with the conundrum of where to store it.

[Tina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really great collection of illustrations from the development of the original Dark Crystal movie, narrated from the perspective of Aughra, through the history of the world of the UrRu, the Skeksis, and the Gelflings.

[Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adored this. The way its written as a deciphering of Aughra's words and written about thra from her perspective gives a unique take on the world of the dark crystal and something I wasn't expecting. I loved every second

[Friede · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is gorgeous and well-made, I love to flip through it every now and then.

[Lorena · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved it. Pretty much love everything.

[Kai Charles(Fiction State Of Mind) · Rating 5 out of 5]

gorgeously illustrated exploration of all the research and passion put into the Dark Crystal movie. A must have for fans of the original film and those enjoying Dark Crystal Age of Resistance

[Harold Maduro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ahora tengo que re-ver la película, que no recuerdo nada...

[Fuchsia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stunning. Fascinating.

[Hillary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing lore, artwork, and overall content

[Kelly Warner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brian Froud is the GOAT
The Dark Crystal is one of the best films ever made
The cancellation of the TV series was one of the biggest betrayals from Netflix I’ve ever had
Beautiful