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The Dark Crystal #3
Tides of the Dark Crystal
The third book in an original series of novels set in the world of Netflix's The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance.
Tides of the Dark Crystal is the third book in a series of original young adult novels set in the world of Jim Henson's The Dark Crystal. As the Skeksis turn on the Gelfling, Amri must learn what it means to be a leader before the Gelfling clans--and his friends--become fragmented beyond repair.
Tides of the Dark Crystal is the third book in a series of original young adult novels set in the world of Jim Henson's The Dark Crystal. As the Skeksis turn on the Gelfling, Amri must learn what it means to be a leader before the Gelfling clans--and his friends--become fragmented beyond repair.
296 pages, Paperback
First published December 24, 2018
47 people are currently reading
856 people want to read
About the author
J.M. Lee
10 books210 followersJ.M. spent his formative years searching for talking animals and believing he could control the weather. After pursuing nerdy interests in comparative film studies, screenwriting, and Shakespeare, he graduated with a much nerdier degree in linguistics.
In addition to writing novels, he enjoys teaching his dog new vocabulary words and updating his snooty coffee blog.
The Dark Crystal Author Quest
In 2013, the Jim Henson Company and Grosset & Dunlap launched the Dark Crystal Author Quest. The winner would be awarded a publishing contract to write the first official prequel novel to Jim Henson’s beloved fantasy classic The Dark Crystal (1982). After winning the contest and completing the first novel, Shadows of the Dark Crystal, Joe signed on for three more. The third installment in the quadrilogy, Tides of the Dark Crystal, out now. The finale of the series, Flames of the Dark Crystal, is scheduled for summer 2019.
Joe is also a staff writer and creative consultant on The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, a 10-episode Netflix prequel series released in August of 2019.
In addition to writing novels, he enjoys teaching his dog new vocabulary words and updating his snooty coffee blog.
The Dark Crystal Author Quest
In 2013, the Jim Henson Company and Grosset & Dunlap launched the Dark Crystal Author Quest. The winner would be awarded a publishing contract to write the first official prequel novel to Jim Henson’s beloved fantasy classic The Dark Crystal (1982). After winning the contest and completing the first novel, Shadows of the Dark Crystal, Joe signed on for three more. The third installment in the quadrilogy, Tides of the Dark Crystal, out now. The finale of the series, Flames of the Dark Crystal, is scheduled for summer 2019.
Joe is also a staff writer and creative consultant on The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, a 10-episode Netflix prequel series released in August of 2019.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews
May 13, 2020
See this review and more like it on www.bookbastion.net!
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I’m three books into the Dark Crystal series now and dare I say it, I’m beginning to feel a bit of Dark Crystal burn out? Don’t get me wrong – I still love the world of Thra and the universe that Jim Henson and Brian Froud initially conceptualized. And I enjoyed the first two outings in this series as well, but this book just fell flat to me.
It doesn’t help that the formula of this series really became apparent with this book. Just like the last novel moved away from Naia and onto Kylan, this book shifts the Point of View character again into Amri as he works through his own inner conflicts precipitated by the external conflicts of the Skeksis dominion of Thra. Although when this book starts with Amri questioning his strengths and capabilities to aide his friends, I found myself thoroughly confused.
Mostly because Amri had (to me) already thoroughly proven himself as a pivotal member of their gang by the ending of the previous book. Framing his inner monologue around these fears felt false to me, especially after the last book saw him scaling cliff faces in order to face danger.
If Amri had to be the focus character for this outing, I think the plot needed to be more complex or steer away from the basic internal character conflict structure of the last two novels. We already know the characters are brave – they’re fighting the genocide of their species without being asked to – there’s no need to have them keep questioning if they are.
The thing about any book/television or movie series is that because we’ve already witnessed characters capable of growth and finding their inner strength in earlier issues of the story, the plotting has to become more complex in order to keep readers interested. Because the plot didn’t really deviate from the formula of the first two books, it ended up feeling very young to me.
I will again give credit where it’s due to JM Lee for being very creative in terms of the way he describes characters, creatures and settings with his writing though. That always felt lush, vivid and intriguing to me. There’s also an original Skeksis introduced here – one of the few female ones too with the character of SkekSa. Lee actually managed to make the seafaring aspects of the story interesting by tying a lot of it to the culture of one of the Gelfling clans, which I thought was a cool take on the “stories set on the sea” trope.
Another minor complaint I have is with the cover art of Amri. It is definitely trivial, but he doesn’t look like a Gelfling at all to me. He looks like some sort of racoon/squirrel hybrid. I actually thought he was going to be a brand new type of creature when I first bought this book.
All in all, this was a decent read. Certainly it’s essential to understand the resolution of the story, so worth it if you’re planning on binge reading the full series in a weekend or something.
★★★ = 3 out of 5 stars!
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Follow me on instagram @bookbastion for more pics of the books I read!
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I’m three books into the Dark Crystal series now and dare I say it, I’m beginning to feel a bit of Dark Crystal burn out? Don’t get me wrong – I still love the world of Thra and the universe that Jim Henson and Brian Froud initially conceptualized. And I enjoyed the first two outings in this series as well, but this book just fell flat to me.
It doesn’t help that the formula of this series really became apparent with this book. Just like the last novel moved away from Naia and onto Kylan, this book shifts the Point of View character again into Amri as he works through his own inner conflicts precipitated by the external conflicts of the Skeksis dominion of Thra. Although when this book starts with Amri questioning his strengths and capabilities to aide his friends, I found myself thoroughly confused.
Mostly because Amri had (to me) already thoroughly proven himself as a pivotal member of their gang by the ending of the previous book. Framing his inner monologue around these fears felt false to me, especially after the last book saw him scaling cliff faces in order to face danger.
If Amri had to be the focus character for this outing, I think the plot needed to be more complex or steer away from the basic internal character conflict structure of the last two novels. We already know the characters are brave – they’re fighting the genocide of their species without being asked to – there’s no need to have them keep questioning if they are.
The thing about any book/television or movie series is that because we’ve already witnessed characters capable of growth and finding their inner strength in earlier issues of the story, the plotting has to become more complex in order to keep readers interested. Because the plot didn’t really deviate from the formula of the first two books, it ended up feeling very young to me.
I will again give credit where it’s due to JM Lee for being very creative in terms of the way he describes characters, creatures and settings with his writing though. That always felt lush, vivid and intriguing to me. There’s also an original Skeksis introduced here – one of the few female ones too with the character of SkekSa. Lee actually managed to make the seafaring aspects of the story interesting by tying a lot of it to the culture of one of the Gelfling clans, which I thought was a cool take on the “stories set on the sea” trope.
Another minor complaint I have is with the cover art of Amri. It is definitely trivial, but he doesn’t look like a Gelfling at all to me. He looks like some sort of racoon/squirrel hybrid. I actually thought he was going to be a brand new type of creature when I first bought this book.
All in all, this was a decent read. Certainly it’s essential to understand the resolution of the story, so worth it if you’re planning on binge reading the full series in a weekend or something.
★★★ = 3 out of 5 stars!
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Follow me on instagram @bookbastion for more pics of the books I read!
September 28, 2019
2 stars. I’m seriously starting to become bored with the series now. I once stated that book 1 was to set up for greater events in book 2 and that ended up being half true. For those that have read the second book, not much actually really ended up occurring in terms of plot. Now, this third book is again, sort of like that. The entire story has now become a repetitive slog of, we have to go to this location on the map now and now that we have accomplished that we have to go to the next place of the map and continue that for 3 entire books and it gets very boring.
Each book also gradually adds more places to the map at the front of the book, in which whether they have not thought of the other places before or that they did this on purpose. This ended up bothering me as you know exactly where they are going to go next simply based on the new locations they added. For what I once thought was going to be this vast magical fantasy world almost feels isolated as the characters do not bypass any other locations but the ones they travel to and I’m here like, where is everything else in this world? Do Gelflings only live in a select few areas, are there no more towns or farms spread across the world?
Each book also introduces a new character from each tribe that they go to which has slowly increased the number of characters per book. Each book also centres on a different character which is a bit strange, starting with Naia, then Kylan and this time, Amri. Even this formula has become repetitive with teach character doubting themselves, and dare I say it, whining about how amazing everyone else around the is and how forgettable they are before finding their own talents by the end of the book. While this is great for individual character development, we don’t need to see the same thing three times in a row and it possibly could have been made more interesting, especially since this is targeted towards a younger audience, if it only focussed on one main protagonist.
The whole book feels quite bland and nothing feels exciting like it should be, with the plot twists being overly obvious due to the standard quest style trope giving little excitement to things that could have been made more exciting, which is a real shame.
My favourite out the the three that I have read so far would be book 2, but after reading this book, I have become distanced from the story unfortunately. 4/10
Each book also gradually adds more places to the map at the front of the book, in which whether they have not thought of the other places before or that they did this on purpose. This ended up bothering me as you know exactly where they are going to go next simply based on the new locations they added. For what I once thought was going to be this vast magical fantasy world almost feels isolated as the characters do not bypass any other locations but the ones they travel to and I’m here like, where is everything else in this world? Do Gelflings only live in a select few areas, are there no more towns or farms spread across the world?
Each book also introduces a new character from each tribe that they go to which has slowly increased the number of characters per book. Each book also centres on a different character which is a bit strange, starting with Naia, then Kylan and this time, Amri. Even this formula has become repetitive with teach character doubting themselves, and dare I say it, whining about how amazing everyone else around the is and how forgettable they are before finding their own talents by the end of the book. While this is great for individual character development, we don’t need to see the same thing three times in a row and it possibly could have been made more interesting, especially since this is targeted towards a younger audience, if it only focussed on one main protagonist.
The whole book feels quite bland and nothing feels exciting like it should be, with the plot twists being overly obvious due to the standard quest style trope giving little excitement to things that could have been made more exciting, which is a real shame.
My favourite out the the three that I have read so far would be book 2, but after reading this book, I have become distanced from the story unfortunately. 4/10
October 27, 2022
This ends on a horrible cliffhanger, so you will want to make sure you have book 4 before you finish.
I loved the places they visited, but didn't really like some of the personality choices made for beloved characters. Hoping things get better in the last book.
I loved the places they visited, but didn't really like some of the personality choices made for beloved characters. Hoping things get better in the last book.
February 6, 2022
Der dritte Band der Reihe hat wieder einen wunderschönen Stil, der einen mit sanfter Spannung durch die Handlung und durch die Welt führt. Zusammen mit den Protagonisten, die mittlerweile zu einer kleinen Gruppe angewachsen sind. Dieses Mal aus der Perspektive von Amri, einem Gelfling aus dem Grottan Clan.
Sie alle wollen verhindern, dass die bösen Skekse weiterhin ihre tödlichen Machenschaften betreiben und müssen die anderen Gelfling-Clans zu einem gemeinsamen Widerstand aufrufen - doch das ist einfacher gesagt als getan.
Die Reise geht somit weiter und der Autor zeigt uns die unterschiedlichsten Lebensweisen der Clans. Die Sümpfe, Wälder und Höhlen haben wir schon kennengelernt, jetzt geht es weiter ans Meer und in die Wüste. Die Beschreibungen sind anschaulich und lassen jeden Schauplatz vor dem inneren Auge entstehen, als wäre man selbst dort.
So verschieden die Clans auch sind - sie alle sind Gelflinge und die Botschaft ist deutlich: nur zusammen können sie sich den Skeksen entgegenstellen.
Aber auch andere schöne Botschaften klingen immer wieder durch, denn das miteinander, das Vertrauen, der Respekt und die Toleranz gegenseitig, die in der Gruppe zwischen Amri, Kylan, Naia und den anderen entsteht, ist wunderschön zu beobachten.
Sie versuchte nicht, seine Faust zu öffnen, sagte auch nicht zu ihm, dass er nicht traurig sein solle. Schimpfte nicht mit ihm und versuchte auch nicht, ihn seine Empfindungen auszureden. Sie ließ einfach nur ihre Hand auf seiner Faust liegen, und in diesem Augenblick war das alles, was er brauchte.
Zitat Seite 152
Ich denke, das Zitat trifft es sehr gut, was ich meine. Die Stärke, die Hoffnung und der Glauben einer Gemeinschaft, die zusammenhält, bewegt vieles: im großen und im kleinen und lässt sie den Mut finden, ihrem Ziel wenn auch nicht furchlos, jedoch stetig weiter entgegen zu gehen.
Diese sanften Schwingungen finden sich auch in der Schreibweise wider, auch wenn es natürlich zu gefährlichen Situationen und kleinen Kämpfen kommt, ist die Geschichte nicht von Action oder aufbauschender Spannung geprägt - eher einem ruhigen Abenteuer, voller Staunen und Wunder einer fremden Welt, die der unseren doch so ähnlich ist.
Ich kann euch nicht viel neues erzählen zum dritten Band und kann mich nur wiederholen, dass mich die Stimmung wieder total gefangen genommen hat, ich die Charaktere wunderbar gezeichnet finde und das Abenteuer viel Unterhaltung bietet.
Auch hier gibt es immer wieder schwarz-weiße Bilder zu den Szenen der Geschichte, wobei sie mir in den ersten beiden Bänden besser gefallen haben.
Weltenwanderer
Sie alle wollen verhindern, dass die bösen Skekse weiterhin ihre tödlichen Machenschaften betreiben und müssen die anderen Gelfling-Clans zu einem gemeinsamen Widerstand aufrufen - doch das ist einfacher gesagt als getan.
Die Reise geht somit weiter und der Autor zeigt uns die unterschiedlichsten Lebensweisen der Clans. Die Sümpfe, Wälder und Höhlen haben wir schon kennengelernt, jetzt geht es weiter ans Meer und in die Wüste. Die Beschreibungen sind anschaulich und lassen jeden Schauplatz vor dem inneren Auge entstehen, als wäre man selbst dort.
So verschieden die Clans auch sind - sie alle sind Gelflinge und die Botschaft ist deutlich: nur zusammen können sie sich den Skeksen entgegenstellen.
Aber auch andere schöne Botschaften klingen immer wieder durch, denn das miteinander, das Vertrauen, der Respekt und die Toleranz gegenseitig, die in der Gruppe zwischen Amri, Kylan, Naia und den anderen entsteht, ist wunderschön zu beobachten.
Sie versuchte nicht, seine Faust zu öffnen, sagte auch nicht zu ihm, dass er nicht traurig sein solle. Schimpfte nicht mit ihm und versuchte auch nicht, ihn seine Empfindungen auszureden. Sie ließ einfach nur ihre Hand auf seiner Faust liegen, und in diesem Augenblick war das alles, was er brauchte.
Zitat Seite 152
Ich denke, das Zitat trifft es sehr gut, was ich meine. Die Stärke, die Hoffnung und der Glauben einer Gemeinschaft, die zusammenhält, bewegt vieles: im großen und im kleinen und lässt sie den Mut finden, ihrem Ziel wenn auch nicht furchlos, jedoch stetig weiter entgegen zu gehen.
Diese sanften Schwingungen finden sich auch in der Schreibweise wider, auch wenn es natürlich zu gefährlichen Situationen und kleinen Kämpfen kommt, ist die Geschichte nicht von Action oder aufbauschender Spannung geprägt - eher einem ruhigen Abenteuer, voller Staunen und Wunder einer fremden Welt, die der unseren doch so ähnlich ist.
Ich kann euch nicht viel neues erzählen zum dritten Band und kann mich nur wiederholen, dass mich die Stimmung wieder total gefangen genommen hat, ich die Charaktere wunderbar gezeichnet finde und das Abenteuer viel Unterhaltung bietet.
Auch hier gibt es immer wieder schwarz-weiße Bilder zu den Szenen der Geschichte, wobei sie mir in den ersten beiden Bänden besser gefallen haben.
Weltenwanderer
July 19, 2020
5 *
This book was published before the Netflix series "The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance", but is based on the stories and events in this book, and others in the series.
As I have already seen the Netflix series, I already know the background storyline. Also, as I have already seen the film "The Dark Crystal" from which all these spin-offs are based, I know the world and the storyline well.
As a hardcore fan of the original film, the Netflix series and "The Creation Myths" books, I am naturally bias towards this book and the rest in its series, so reviewing this will be a challenge!
To start with, it helps to already have a basic knowledge of the world (Thra), it's politics, geography and ecology as this isn't greatly elaborated on within the book. There is an index and appendix to help you out which is appreciated. It is also important to know that this story takes place some time (decades perhaps?) before the events of the original film.
This book follows on from the events of the second book and things start get serious! With the Skeksis watching the group of Gelfling, it's becoming more dangerous to search for allies.
As this book follows Amri and how he learns to adjust to the world outside of the Grottan Caves, he begins begins to understand that his people are just as important as any other of the Gelfling clans, and that he has a place amongst the other Gelfling.
Seeing his friendship develop with Naia was so cute. She gives him enough courage to trust his instincts and follow his gut, and will do what she can to help him fulfil his task.
Within this story, we see Tavra reunited with her lover, Onica, whom she has been worried about, but hopes that she will help them with their cause. The reunion is really sweet and Onica accepts Tavra despite all she has been through and provides to be a crucial ally, even when it seems all hope is lost.
They're both strong women who can stand their own ground but really appreciate and admire each other. I was so happy when they reunited! My heart ached though, with how much of what has happened to Tavra and how she has suffered...
I really liked their relationship, and would love to see more of this starting from the very beginning of their meeting to after the series of these books.
I feel justified in not liking spiders though...
This book was published before the Netflix series "The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance", but is based on the stories and events in this book, and others in the series.
As I have already seen the Netflix series, I already know the background storyline. Also, as I have already seen the film "The Dark Crystal" from which all these spin-offs are based, I know the world and the storyline well.
As a hardcore fan of the original film, the Netflix series and "The Creation Myths" books, I am naturally bias towards this book and the rest in its series, so reviewing this will be a challenge!
To start with, it helps to already have a basic knowledge of the world (Thra), it's politics, geography and ecology as this isn't greatly elaborated on within the book. There is an index and appendix to help you out which is appreciated. It is also important to know that this story takes place some time (decades perhaps?) before the events of the original film.
This book follows on from the events of the second book and things start get serious! With the Skeksis watching the group of Gelfling, it's becoming more dangerous to search for allies.
As this book follows Amri and how he learns to adjust to the world outside of the Grottan Caves, he begins begins to understand that his people are just as important as any other of the Gelfling clans, and that he has a place amongst the other Gelfling.
Seeing his friendship develop with Naia was so cute. She gives him enough courage to trust his instincts and follow his gut, and will do what she can to help him fulfil his task.
Within this story, we see Tavra reunited with her lover, Onica, whom she has been worried about, but hopes that she will help them with their cause. The reunion is really sweet and Onica accepts Tavra despite all she has been through and provides to be a crucial ally, even when it seems all hope is lost.
They're both strong women who can stand their own ground but really appreciate and admire each other. I was so happy when they reunited! My heart ached though, with how much of what has happened to Tavra and how she has suffered...
I really liked their relationship, and would love to see more of this starting from the very beginning of their meeting to after the series of these books.
I feel justified in not liking spiders though...
February 26, 2019
My favorite book and character of the series so far. Amri is a cool character to follow in his development. He battles fear and doubt in order to be lead bravely even when he doesn't realize it. His story teaches the reader that you don't have to be fearless to be courageous, but carrying on the right path (instead of the easy path) in spite of fear makes you brave. His humility makes his heroism even more meaningful. And again, he's another hero who's not afraid to accept help, which is good in a culture which historically is individualistic. Plus his haircut is super chill. I'm so excited to see him in the flesh in the Netflix series.
February 23, 2022
Das Finale rückt in greifbare Nähe
Von der ersten Hälfte des Buches ist tatsächlich nicht so viel hängengeblieben, was finde ich sehr schade, denn ab der Hälfte wurde es tatsächlich spannend und fesselnd.
Die Freunde wandern weiter und lernen neue Teile der Welt kennen, sowieso neue Verbündete, aber auch (mehr oder weniger) neue Feinde. Doch sie schaffen es auch ein paar der Feuer des Widerstands zu entfachen. Sogar einen Baum erwecken sie wieder zum Leben.
Mir hat es gut gefallen, wie gesagt, schade ist, dass die erste Hälfte so richtig unspektakulär war, dass ich nichts mehr weiß. Vielleicht sollte ich die Serie doch einmal schauen.
Jedenfalls bin ich sehr gespannt auf Band 4 und das große Finale. Ich hoffe sehr, dass Naya und ihre Freunde die Skekse besiegen können und das Land mit seinen Bewondern frei sein kann. Vielleicht kann man den Kristall ja auch wieder heilen, wer weiß.
Trotzdem ist das eher was für jemanden, der sich mehr mit der Welt und den Völkern und sogar mit der Serie beschäftigt hat, denn da ist der Durchblick nochmal besser. ich als Unwissende bin zwischenzeitlich wirklich aufgeschmissen, wenn das letzte Buch schon eine Weile ist, zumal der Schreibstil jetzt nicht der Berauschendste ist und die Details mich immer noch erschlagen.
Von der ersten Hälfte des Buches ist tatsächlich nicht so viel hängengeblieben, was finde ich sehr schade, denn ab der Hälfte wurde es tatsächlich spannend und fesselnd.
Die Freunde wandern weiter und lernen neue Teile der Welt kennen, sowieso neue Verbündete, aber auch (mehr oder weniger) neue Feinde. Doch sie schaffen es auch ein paar der Feuer des Widerstands zu entfachen. Sogar einen Baum erwecken sie wieder zum Leben.
Mir hat es gut gefallen, wie gesagt, schade ist, dass die erste Hälfte so richtig unspektakulär war, dass ich nichts mehr weiß. Vielleicht sollte ich die Serie doch einmal schauen.
Jedenfalls bin ich sehr gespannt auf Band 4 und das große Finale. Ich hoffe sehr, dass Naya und ihre Freunde die Skekse besiegen können und das Land mit seinen Bewondern frei sein kann. Vielleicht kann man den Kristall ja auch wieder heilen, wer weiß.
Trotzdem ist das eher was für jemanden, der sich mehr mit der Welt und den Völkern und sogar mit der Serie beschäftigt hat, denn da ist der Durchblick nochmal besser. ich als Unwissende bin zwischenzeitlich wirklich aufgeschmissen, wenn das letzte Buch schon eine Weile ist, zumal der Schreibstil jetzt nicht der Berauschendste ist und die Details mich immer noch erschlagen.
May 9, 2022
This was an unexpected fun and thrilling read, infinitely better than its predecessor Song of the Dark Crystal. This would have to be my favourite of the series.
An action-packed journey with new characters tagging along. And when I say action-packed I mean breathlessly action-packed. I love every single Gelfling, their personalities are SO unique and compelling, but I was really glad to see Onica make an appearance as I loved watching her in the TV show. Never thought I could ship Gelfling but oh boy do I! Naia and Amri are so lovable together, and my heart was with them with every interaction they had together. Both are phenomenal characters that make you instantly hooked to them.
The author has done such a good job at capturing the essence of Jim Henson's whimsical world into writing. All of Thra is showcased brilliantly in such a rich environment, each clan and their land represented with rich imagery. Everything is tied together in a perfect harmony.
Friendships grow, lovers are reunited and new love blooms, alliances are forged and broken, and betrayal is always lurking around the next page. The third novel is a gripping read in the series and sets anticipation for the fourth and final book
An action-packed journey with new characters tagging along. And when I say action-packed I mean breathlessly action-packed. I love every single Gelfling, their personalities are SO unique and compelling, but I was really glad to see Onica make an appearance as I loved watching her in the TV show. Never thought I could ship Gelfling but oh boy do I! Naia and Amri are so lovable together, and my heart was with them with every interaction they had together. Both are phenomenal characters that make you instantly hooked to them.
The author has done such a good job at capturing the essence of Jim Henson's whimsical world into writing. All of Thra is showcased brilliantly in such a rich environment, each clan and their land represented with rich imagery. Everything is tied together in a perfect harmony.
Friendships grow, lovers are reunited and new love blooms, alliances are forged and broken, and betrayal is always lurking around the next page. The third novel is a gripping read in the series and sets anticipation for the fourth and final book
March 16, 2023
Reading this was the equivalent of watching a 5 hour long Naruto filler episode where a random side character chased around a bug the entire time until the last 20 minutes, where the character gets involved in the actual (but subpar) plot. I was going to give this book 1 star until the last three chapters or so, but I feel as if 2 stars is still generous, as have all my ratings for this series been. The entire story was dry, and was part of the reason for my reading burn out. Before, I was more sympathetic to the long build up and the grande finale, but the formula has been used so extraneously in this case that I cannot forgive it. It’s the same old thing as the last book, go to new location on the map, meet new people, spread the word of the revolution, blah, blah, blah. At least the first book mixed it up a bit with the way the down time and action was balanced.
Also, the romance? It’s weird. Naia and Amri (the protagonist of this instalment) have the same pacing in their romance as the plot does. They have little (but barely noticeable) moments throughout that are the equivalent of tasting the hint of lime in a La Croix drink, then have more obvious moments of their interest at the end. It feels very forced and strange, as if the writer is unweaving the romance built between Naia and Kylan, and restitching haphazardly it with an obnoxious neon green. In addition, Naia and Amri have very much a younger brother and older sister dynamic, whereas Kylan and Naia have a two parents that balance eachother and work together like clockwork. It feels…uncomfy to read. Technically Naia and Amri aren’t related, but it feels incestuous all the same. I think a wiser and more appealing option for Naia’s love interest would have been Kylan.
One final thing, while Amri’s development is mildly interesting, he is very annoying to read about. He often acts out of character too, in fun and new annoying ways unimaginable to his already annoying character.
P.S these were some of the main issues, but not all of them. Just to list a few: uninteresting characters, unintelligible descriptions of environment, uninteresting plot developments, assuming the reader knows this world better than master cartographer who’s lived in the world for decades, conflict in certain details (the deck of Onica’s ship for example), and out of character actions throughout by previously developed characters.
Also, the romance? It’s weird. Naia and Amri (the protagonist of this instalment) have the same pacing in their romance as the plot does. They have little (but barely noticeable) moments throughout that are the equivalent of tasting the hint of lime in a La Croix drink, then have more obvious moments of their interest at the end. It feels very forced and strange, as if the writer is unweaving the romance built between Naia and Kylan, and restitching haphazardly it with an obnoxious neon green. In addition, Naia and Amri have very much a younger brother and older sister dynamic, whereas Kylan and Naia have a two parents that balance eachother and work together like clockwork. It feels…uncomfy to read. Technically Naia and Amri aren’t related, but it feels incestuous all the same. I think a wiser and more appealing option for Naia’s love interest would have been Kylan.
One final thing, while Amri’s development is mildly interesting, he is very annoying to read about. He often acts out of character too, in fun and new annoying ways unimaginable to his already annoying character.
P.S these were some of the main issues, but not all of them. Just to list a few: uninteresting characters, unintelligible descriptions of environment, uninteresting plot developments, assuming the reader knows this world better than master cartographer who’s lived in the world for decades, conflict in certain details (the deck of Onica’s ship for example), and out of character actions throughout by previously developed characters.
August 18, 2023
2.5/5 stars. I feel as though I was the most letdown by this installment.
Amri, the Shadowling from the Caves of Grot, joined the Gelfling company in book two and was depicted as a younger companion interested in the world beyond the underground realm where he grew up. As the narrator in book three, he's brash, reckless, and completely unlike the youngling we first met. During a point of conflict, Amri changes his tune yet again to become stoic, brave, and a source of inspiration for his companions. I thought it was a drastic shift to show his maturity evolving, but I was completely wrong a few pages later when he reverted back to his impulsive, immature behavior.
Not understanding J.M. Lee's thought process for this character made me unable to connect to him. Again, Lee's use of modern speech for dialog destroys the integrity of the world of Thra. The ultimate blow was when dreamfasting was used as a metaphor for intercourse. It was a passing exchange of dialog and could be easily missed, but pandering to the young adult audience while casting aside canon is infuriating as a life-long fan.
I would not recommend this book, but it is a necessary evil to progress the story and reach book four.
Amri, the Shadowling from the Caves of Grot, joined the Gelfling company in book two and was depicted as a younger companion interested in the world beyond the underground realm where he grew up. As the narrator in book three, he's brash, reckless, and completely unlike the youngling we first met. During a point of conflict, Amri changes his tune yet again to become stoic, brave, and a source of inspiration for his companions. I thought it was a drastic shift to show his maturity evolving, but I was completely wrong a few pages later when he reverted back to his impulsive, immature behavior.
Not understanding J.M. Lee's thought process for this character made me unable to connect to him. Again, Lee's use of modern speech for dialog destroys the integrity of the world of Thra. The ultimate blow was when dreamfasting was used as a metaphor for intercourse. It was a passing exchange of dialog and could be easily missed, but pandering to the young adult audience while casting aside canon is infuriating as a life-long fan.
I would not recommend this book, but it is a necessary evil to progress the story and reach book four.
January 19, 2020
If I had to pick two things to change about this series, it would be the flow and the character management. An additional action scene or a tigers conversation would improve the process, and sharper, cleaner handling in scenes where there are a handful of Gelfling would improve the coherence as well. These are minor suggestions, however, in a series I really enjoy! This is perhaps the recurrence of a problem I've identified prior--being a nearly-40 year old reading books intended for a much younger audience. Oh well.
July 16, 2025
Despite absolutely loving the Dark Crystal series I had to take a break from this book. Both due to life reasons and the story itself. In my opinion some scenes seemed to drag on for too long while others felt rushed and too short to really convey what was going on. Still a great read though!
September 10, 2020
Wow! I really love this series; the characters, the various settings, the mythical creatures. It all just comes together so beautifully.
In this particular novel, we witness Amri undergo HUGE character development. Like Kylan, Amri felt like he wasn’t contributing to the group. You have Naia the Fierce, Kylan the SongTeller, Tavra the soldier/princess and then there’s Amri the what? With him being a Grottan (a clan of the Gelfing that reside in caves aka Domrak), he struggles with adapting to daylighters everyday lives. Living in caves has made his eyes sensitive to excessive light so he had a hard time traveling with his group and had to keep his cloak constantly covering his face. It was neat to see how this later becomes an advantage within the book. I also loved how when the group was attempting to complete a mission, they were able to witness what Amri was enduring during the daylight. It was a really touching moment.
There were some moments that had me having to take a second to gather myself. Definitely some plot twist that I personally wasn’t expecting.
5/5 💫
In this particular novel, we witness Amri undergo HUGE character development. Like Kylan, Amri felt like he wasn’t contributing to the group. You have Naia the Fierce, Kylan the SongTeller, Tavra the soldier/princess and then there’s Amri the what? With him being a Grottan (a clan of the Gelfing that reside in caves aka Domrak), he struggles with adapting to daylighters everyday lives. Living in caves has made his eyes sensitive to excessive light so he had a hard time traveling with his group and had to keep his cloak constantly covering his face. It was neat to see how this later becomes an advantage within the book. I also loved how when the group was attempting to complete a mission, they were able to witness what Amri was enduring during the daylight. It was a really touching moment.
There were some moments that had me having to take a second to gather myself. Definitely some plot twist that I personally wasn’t expecting.
5/5 💫
June 15, 2019
I don't really write reviews. But I thought I'd give it a try for this particular series.
I just finished this third installment of the series. And I'm very much looking forward to the fourth book. Like quite a few people my age I grew up watching The Dark Crystal. I found it both scary and fascinating at the time. As I grew older I fell in love with the movie. So when I found out there was a series written set in a time before the movie I was intrigued.
The books are definitely an easy read, which allowed me to finish all three within a week and a half (work cut into my reading time). I like that. Not every book has to be an overly complicated 600 page read.
The story itself is great. The characters and their development are absolutely wonderful.
Naia was an instant favorite. Her development over the course of the three books has been wonderful. It's a bit like watching your little sister grow into herself, and become a badass warrior.
While reading the first two books I thought I wouldn't like anyone more then Kylan. The second book sold me on him and I thought there could be no better companion for this journey. But Amri came along and completely proved me wrong. He has become my favorite character. The way he views each situation and problem with a different mindset from the others is refreshing. He brings to the group so much more then they even knew they needed. He has become a vital aspect to their quest. Though, I do wish there would have maybe been a bit more added in about the mixtures he makes. I thought it was a nice little tidbit about him. But it seemed to only be mentioned at the beginning simply for the whole Sifa fire dust in the eyes scene? Either way, with each new situation faced his confidence grows and he just gets that much better. Which is why I really love his character. I am really hoping that there is some sort of closure/finality/work of magic or something that will bring Tavra and Onicas relationship to a decent place. And I'm hoping that Kylan becomes more prominent. It seemed throughout this book he was just there. Sort of in the background. As if he were just an afterthought. In book two Kylan had a very decent character development and it seemed like it was just tossed to the side. I didn't really feel a true unity in the group because of that. But that could just be me.
Now, one of the more enjoyable aspects about this series is that each book shows the journey this little group of Gelfling are on, from the perspective of a different character. I've read so many books where the author does this every chapter, or every other chapter and in doing so, personally, I lose interest in the story pretty fast. But the way JM Lee has gone about this in each book is brilliant. I've also loved learning more about the Gelfling tribes. I think that's been one of my ultimate favorite things about reading this series, other than the actual story. And then the mystics...enough said.
The world Jim Henson created is so incredibly unparalleled to anything else I've seen. The characters are so uniquely their own. And this series, I think, really captures that world. Thra is a beautiful and strange world. And it's a world that so many stories can be drawn from. In sticking with The Dark Crystal I think JM Lee has captured a good portion of that childhood wonder felt in watching The Dark Crystal for the first time. At least that's how it's felt for me.
I just finished this third installment of the series. And I'm very much looking forward to the fourth book. Like quite a few people my age I grew up watching The Dark Crystal. I found it both scary and fascinating at the time. As I grew older I fell in love with the movie. So when I found out there was a series written set in a time before the movie I was intrigued.
The books are definitely an easy read, which allowed me to finish all three within a week and a half (work cut into my reading time). I like that. Not every book has to be an overly complicated 600 page read.
The story itself is great. The characters and their development are absolutely wonderful.
Naia was an instant favorite. Her development over the course of the three books has been wonderful. It's a bit like watching your little sister grow into herself, and become a badass warrior.
While reading the first two books I thought I wouldn't like anyone more then Kylan. The second book sold me on him and I thought there could be no better companion for this journey. But Amri came along and completely proved me wrong. He has become my favorite character. The way he views each situation and problem with a different mindset from the others is refreshing. He brings to the group so much more then they even knew they needed. He has become a vital aspect to their quest. Though, I do wish there would have maybe been a bit more added in about the mixtures he makes. I thought it was a nice little tidbit about him. But it seemed to only be mentioned at the beginning simply for the whole Sifa fire dust in the eyes scene? Either way, with each new situation faced his confidence grows and he just gets that much better. Which is why I really love his character. I am really hoping that there is some sort of closure/finality/work of magic or something that will bring Tavra and Onicas relationship to a decent place. And I'm hoping that Kylan becomes more prominent. It seemed throughout this book he was just there. Sort of in the background. As if he were just an afterthought. In book two Kylan had a very decent character development and it seemed like it was just tossed to the side. I didn't really feel a true unity in the group because of that. But that could just be me.
Now, one of the more enjoyable aspects about this series is that each book shows the journey this little group of Gelfling are on, from the perspective of a different character. I've read so many books where the author does this every chapter, or every other chapter and in doing so, personally, I lose interest in the story pretty fast. But the way JM Lee has gone about this in each book is brilliant. I've also loved learning more about the Gelfling tribes. I think that's been one of my ultimate favorite things about reading this series, other than the actual story. And then the mystics...enough said.
The world Jim Henson created is so incredibly unparalleled to anything else I've seen. The characters are so uniquely their own. And this series, I think, really captures that world. Thra is a beautiful and strange world. And it's a world that so many stories can be drawn from. In sticking with The Dark Crystal I think JM Lee has captured a good portion of that childhood wonder felt in watching The Dark Crystal for the first time. At least that's how it's felt for me.
September 4, 2020
This series just gets better and better, I’ll say this you better have the next book close by coz that ending!!
I really enjoyed reading from Amir’s POV and seeing how he adjusted and moved about through the world. The story is great, and when you think you know what’s going on there is a great twist coming.
5/5
I really enjoyed reading from Amir’s POV and seeing how he adjusted and moved about through the world. The story is great, and when you think you know what’s going on there is a great twist coming.
5/5
August 24, 2019
This one is from Tamri's perspective. And in hindsight, I guess the title should have told me that skekSa the mariner would be featured. I recall reading that the Skeksis were originally supposed to be genderless, and then it seemed that they were all male in the film. But now I've learned that skekSa here is female, and she makes for an interesting adversary. The plot of this novel series does progress, but part of me wonders whether the events of all of these books could have been covered within just one novel. In any case, this was a good read, and I'm looking forward to reading the last book, Flames of the Dark Crystal.
April 11, 2019
As you can see, my love for these books has increased with each one! This is also the first of a long list of preorders that I’ve fallen very behind on. And oh, it’s so good to return to these characters! Especially as I’ve just discovered there’s been a fourth book announced that’s coming out in August, and you can bet I’ve already preordered it. Again, this picks up right where the second one left off, and with another new narrator! This time, we’re following along in Amri’s POV, which I was super excited to get. I enjoyed him a lot as a character, and it was really nice to see the daylighter world through his cave-dwelling perspective.
And though I loved this, it wasn’t as great as the second one. A lot happened in very little time, and I thought this could have easily been a solid 100 pages longer. The traveling bits took a paragraph at most when they were traveling massive distances. We visited three very distinct cities in Thra in the blink of an eye. I did enjoy getting to see the different cultures, though I wish we’d had more time with the Dousans as we did with the Sifas, even if it only came in more description. Overall, this was good. I’m excited for the next one!
And though I loved this, it wasn’t as great as the second one. A lot happened in very little time, and I thought this could have easily been a solid 100 pages longer. The traveling bits took a paragraph at most when they were traveling massive distances. We visited three very distinct cities in Thra in the blink of an eye. I did enjoy getting to see the different cultures, though I wish we’d had more time with the Dousans as we did with the Sifas, even if it only came in more description. Overall, this was good. I’m excited for the next one!
December 11, 2019
I very rarely latch onto characters the way I did Amri, but he resonated with me in a way that made me devastated to have to put the book down, knowing that he would never be the narrator again. Seeing Thra through his eyes, as an outsider so completely out of his element, was fascinating.
This book has *a lot* of content squeezed into it. It doesn't quite fit a three act story structure, but it's well written and even as the characters bounced between settings I never found myself feeling jarred or lost. The worldbuilding continues to stun and enhance the world of Thra, and I can't wait to dive into the final book to see where this all will take me.
This book has *a lot* of content squeezed into it. It doesn't quite fit a three act story structure, but it's well written and even as the characters bounced between settings I never found myself feeling jarred or lost. The worldbuilding continues to stun and enhance the world of Thra, and I can't wait to dive into the final book to see where this all will take me.
October 31, 2019
I am really enjoying this series and cannot wait for the final book in this series! I have been a huge Jim Henson fan all of my life and love diving into new works as often as possible! It is such a wonderfully nostalgic stroll down memory lane.
July 31, 2019
This book took me a little more time to get into, but with that said I still very much enjoyed it!!😍💕😊🥰❤️🧝🏻♀️
May 17, 2020
This series just keeps getting better as it expands its world and introduces more characters who add so much to the story being told. And, this book ends on a cliffhanger, getting the reader prepared and jazzed for the concluding novel of this fantastic series. I will also add that I'm really happy I'm reading this group of books after watching the Netflix television show because I would have been really disappointed with the show because it veered so much from the books. Instead, I'm really happy with both the books and the show as they are very different but intermingle in a way that just adds to my overall enjoyment of both.
This novel continues the journey of its main protagonists - Naia, Kylan, Tavra, and Amri. This book, however, places Amri as the main storyteller. The first book was Naia's, the second Kylan's, and this one as I've already mentioned Amri's, the Grottan Gelfling who was ordered to join the group in the world above his caves to help bring down the Skeksis. This book brings the reader to parts of the Gelfling world never explored before in the original movie or tv show. J.M. Lee takes us into the ocean world of the Sifa and the deserts of the Dousan as the heroes attempt to unite the seven clans to rise up against the Skeksis who are draining the life force of the Gelfling to prolong their lives.
I like how these two trips introduce us into the worlds of other Gelfling clans. It adds a richness to the book as the cultures are very different as are the rituals. Everything is so vivid and detailed. It was so easy for me to see this entire world in my head. These two trips also move the story along as the heroes have to help the clans overcome their skepticism and their devotion to the Lords of the Crystal. The characters also grow and evolve and the group forms an even stronger and tighter gang fighting for freedom. The book concludes in the land of Ha'rar with betrayal, lots of action, and a great cliffhanger with the characters in peril. I can't wait to start book 4!
This novel continues the journey of its main protagonists - Naia, Kylan, Tavra, and Amri. This book, however, places Amri as the main storyteller. The first book was Naia's, the second Kylan's, and this one as I've already mentioned Amri's, the Grottan Gelfling who was ordered to join the group in the world above his caves to help bring down the Skeksis. This book brings the reader to parts of the Gelfling world never explored before in the original movie or tv show. J.M. Lee takes us into the ocean world of the Sifa and the deserts of the Dousan as the heroes attempt to unite the seven clans to rise up against the Skeksis who are draining the life force of the Gelfling to prolong their lives.
I like how these two trips introduce us into the worlds of other Gelfling clans. It adds a richness to the book as the cultures are very different as are the rituals. Everything is so vivid and detailed. It was so easy for me to see this entire world in my head. These two trips also move the story along as the heroes have to help the clans overcome their skepticism and their devotion to the Lords of the Crystal. The characters also grow and evolve and the group forms an even stronger and tighter gang fighting for freedom. The book concludes in the land of Ha'rar with betrayal, lots of action, and a great cliffhanger with the characters in peril. I can't wait to start book 4!
February 8, 2022
I am single handedly responsible for every book but the first of this series being present at my local public library. Did you know that YA that can be read by those older than picture books but younger than high school is the hardest budget to justify. This book qualifies. So if a patron requests it, the youth librarians get to claim justification for their budget. Which is all to say that friends don’t let friends buy this book without making a purchase request at their library. Y’feel me?
Tides of the Dark Crystal is the third book in the Dark Crystal series, not that you’d have any way of knowing that from the markings on the books. Remember when series number was printed on spines or mentioned anywhere at all even in the card catalog information? Yeah, I mourn for those days. How bad would it be, really, to just write a “#3” in the public library book, do you think?
This book was very much about world building and world exploration. Not much happened in terms of plot save the death of a character and the ascension of another character to fill the role of the dead individual. Wars, man, why can’t they happen more snapily? That said, I chilled out and just enjoyed the tour of Thra from major tree to major tree.
We also meet the first confirmed female skeksis: skekSa. skekSa attaches herself to a Gelfling clan less in a friend way and more in a pet owner way where so long as the pets are behaving they are delighted but as soon as the pets show any autonomy then they deserve punishment.
I highly recommend reading the reading notes I made as I went through the book for more individualistic thoughts.
Tides of the Dark Crystal is the third book in the Dark Crystal series, not that you’d have any way of knowing that from the markings on the books. Remember when series number was printed on spines or mentioned anywhere at all even in the card catalog information? Yeah, I mourn for those days. How bad would it be, really, to just write a “#3” in the public library book, do you think?
This book was very much about world building and world exploration. Not much happened in terms of plot save the death of a character and the ascension of another character to fill the role of the dead individual. Wars, man, why can’t they happen more snapily? That said, I chilled out and just enjoyed the tour of Thra from major tree to major tree.
We also meet the first confirmed female skeksis: skekSa. skekSa attaches herself to a Gelfling clan less in a friend way and more in a pet owner way where so long as the pets are behaving they are delighted but as soon as the pets show any autonomy then they deserve punishment.
I highly recommend reading the reading notes I made as I went through the book for more individualistic thoughts.
December 31, 2021
Unfortunately this installation in the series was ultimately uninteresting to me, but for a few snippets here and there that could have been reduced down to a short series of vignettes. I found the POV character in this book to be pretty bland (and not just because he wasn't Deet from the TV series! Though at this point the TV series certainly demonstrates how it improved on this book series) and what looked to be his character arc (making a name for himself) never actually came to any kind of conclusion by the end.
The plot itself was very repetitive, visiting the various clans to sow the seeds of rebellion, and the author lacks the narrative flair to make the reading enjoyable in its own right. Indeed, I generally found the descriptions of the various locations lacking, and would be hard pressed to imagine any of it if it weren't for the TV series. This is something where I think the choice of artwork for the illustrator was poor too; focusing instead on characters than the world itself. While it's nice to see the characters drawn out, I felt they were adequately described already.
There was also barely any denouement, a mere chapter at best; this instead presumably being reserved for the final book of the series, but the narrative stopped suddenly enough that I wondered if the book had some pages missing.
In terms of redeeming features, I certainly enjoyed the diversity of Skeksis introduced here, though I thought the Mystics were a little overused (perhaps only because the TV series keeps them hidden). It was a lovely surprise to have a character in a same-sex relationship .
The plot itself was very repetitive, visiting the various clans to sow the seeds of rebellion, and the author lacks the narrative flair to make the reading enjoyable in its own right. Indeed, I generally found the descriptions of the various locations lacking, and would be hard pressed to imagine any of it if it weren't for the TV series. This is something where I think the choice of artwork for the illustrator was poor too; focusing instead on characters than the world itself. While it's nice to see the characters drawn out, I felt they were adequately described already.
There was also barely any denouement, a mere chapter at best; this instead presumably being reserved for the final book of the series, but the narrative stopped suddenly enough that I wondered if the book had some pages missing.
In terms of redeeming features, I certainly enjoyed the diversity of Skeksis introduced here, though I thought the Mystics were a little overused (perhaps only because the TV series keeps them hidden). It was a lovely surprise to have a character in a same-sex relationship .
January 27, 2024
We are introduced to what appear to be two nomadic clans of the gelflings, the Sifa and the Dousan, and their domains. We learn about the intricacies of their societies and how they operate, which is great and builds more upon Thra than the original movie, or the Netflix series ever did (at least from what was shown to the viewer). The downside is that our heroes arrive just shortly before disaster breaks out, and only our heroes’ unique abilities can save the clan and secure their participation in the resistance.
This has the effect of feeling formulaic and episodic, much more so than the Netflix series ever was - which is in turn rather oxymoronic.
The introduction to the Mariner, skekSa, is interesting and the first character in this series I cannot truly figure out immediately. I am unsure because of
Tae’s injuries after their fight against
Favourite quote from the book:
This has the effect of feeling formulaic and episodic, much more so than the Netflix series ever was - which is in turn rather oxymoronic.
The introduction to the Mariner, skekSa, is interesting and the first character in this series I cannot truly figure out immediately. I am unsure because of
Tae’s injuries after their fight against
Favourite quote from the book:
December 1, 2021
The third part of the prequel set follows Amri the Grottan as he struggles to adjust to the outside world and make himself feel like less than a burden to the crew. He is rife with self-doubt, but contrasts that with constant adoration for those around him and his capabilities. Luckily so as the whining inward mastication on his self esteem is almost unbearable at times.
Perhaps the weakest of the set insofar, the story rapidly expands the cast as they are now venturing into civilizations trying to build alliances and muster rebellion against the Skeksis. These new characters are brought on fast and with little preamble and then carried forward without the prerequisite character building that feel required for the crew to bond and meld so quickly. This leaves several characters feeling as though they have no distinct voice for entirely too long.
There are some other new introductions to the flora and fauna category that do quite a lot to expand this world setting and make it feel even more fantastic. Although some of these are again bounced across rather quickly and with little cook time to allow for a clear picture to form. These moments are where these books shine and it is quite disheartening.
Overall the story suffers from a huge leap in tempo that the first two were not burdened with. It's one thing to see a cast struggling with things happening way too fast for them to keep up, but another thing entirely to see a story suffer from a lack of necessary pages to fill out the impending series of events. Too much to tell in four books, perhaps.
Perhaps the weakest of the set insofar, the story rapidly expands the cast as they are now venturing into civilizations trying to build alliances and muster rebellion against the Skeksis. These new characters are brought on fast and with little preamble and then carried forward without the prerequisite character building that feel required for the crew to bond and meld so quickly. This leaves several characters feeling as though they have no distinct voice for entirely too long.
There are some other new introductions to the flora and fauna category that do quite a lot to expand this world setting and make it feel even more fantastic. Although some of these are again bounced across rather quickly and with little cook time to allow for a clear picture to form. These moments are where these books shine and it is quite disheartening.
Overall the story suffers from a huge leap in tempo that the first two were not burdened with. It's one thing to see a cast struggling with things happening way too fast for them to keep up, but another thing entirely to see a story suffer from a lack of necessary pages to fill out the impending series of events. Too much to tell in four books, perhaps.
February 4, 2019
This is the third book in this series. A group of Gelfling, including one in the body of a spider, are out to try to warn the other Gelfing about the true nature of the Skeksis and get some kind of resistance movement going. They meet other clans, talk to various leaders, try to survive a terrible storm, try to bring a tree back to life, fight a Skeksis and try to use their abilities to warn all Gelfling everywhere of just what is going on.
The story is done well and the scenes are interesting. This is well before the time of Jen and Kira and shows that the Gelfling had the ability to use boats to go to other places and that there is a large desert area on the planet, neither of which were hinted at in the movie.
The main problem I have with this series is that we already know how it turns out even from the first paragraph of the first book. These Gelfling lose. Jen and Kira are the only surviving Gelfling at the time of the movie and the Skeksis are still around. This means that, no matter how brave the Gelfling in this series of books were, their efforts failed.
There was also no mention of any attempt to develop any kinds of weapons that could be effective against the Skeksis enemy. The Gelfling seem to have a rather limited technology but surely such a threat as the one in the series should have spurred at least some of them to think along offensive lines.
The story is done well and the scenes are interesting. This is well before the time of Jen and Kira and shows that the Gelfling had the ability to use boats to go to other places and that there is a large desert area on the planet, neither of which were hinted at in the movie.
The main problem I have with this series is that we already know how it turns out even from the first paragraph of the first book. These Gelfling lose. Jen and Kira are the only surviving Gelfling at the time of the movie and the Skeksis are still around. This means that, no matter how brave the Gelfling in this series of books were, their efforts failed.
There was also no mention of any attempt to develop any kinds of weapons that could be effective against the Skeksis enemy. The Gelfling seem to have a rather limited technology but surely such a threat as the one in the series should have spurred at least some of them to think along offensive lines.
January 30, 2019
Yikes.
Of the three books that have been released, this one I think suffered in terms of plot. Nothing really was happening and it was full of character development. Character development however isn't enough to cover this book's ass.
Another thing: I dislike books that most of the scenes take place on a boat. I've seen some books where it works, aka Robin Hobb's The Liveship Traders. But boy oh boy, nothing happened on the boat and or the boat wasn't that determental to the plot. I groaned every time I had to slog through a chapter on a boat or various other boats by other characters.
While I did enjoy the character development and where we are at now in the story, I do think more could have happened and or this was something that could have been wrapped up or tied up in less chapters than it was needed.
We have the show to focus on now, so I'm thinking the author did not want to get too involved so things wouldn't be revealed or explained before the show came out. Let's hope?
Of the three books that have been released, this one I think suffered in terms of plot. Nothing really was happening and it was full of character development. Character development however isn't enough to cover this book's ass.
Another thing: I dislike books that most of the scenes take place on a boat. I've seen some books where it works, aka Robin Hobb's The Liveship Traders. But boy oh boy, nothing happened on the boat and or the boat wasn't that determental to the plot. I groaned every time I had to slog through a chapter on a boat or various other boats by other characters.
While I did enjoy the character development and where we are at now in the story, I do think more could have happened and or this was something that could have been wrapped up or tied up in less chapters than it was needed.
We have the show to focus on now, so I'm thinking the author did not want to get too involved so things wouldn't be revealed or explained before the show came out. Let's hope?
April 23, 2023
I'm torn rating this book. On one hand, I am still really enjoying learning about the wider world of the Gelflings in this series, and I definitely plan on finishing the fourth book. On the other hand, this book dragged quite a bit, and it clearly took me pretty long to read it, in comparison tot he first two. Part of this is that the Gelflings standing up the the Skeksis are traveling all over the land with a quest in mind, and each new group brings some kind of change or adventure. Part of it is also that I was really having trouble in this book remembering that it is Amri's perspective (on the cover) we follow, not Kylan or Naia, and keeping all these names straight has been a challenge. I now have a sticky note on the inside cover of my book with notes about who each people is, if they appear to be more than just a passing introduction. That obviously slows down my reading, when I need to consult the sticky note.
April 28, 2020
Actual rating: 4.5 stars
I liked this one much more than I liked Songs. It didn’t have the problem of starting out slow as if the author needed a lot of filler, and Amri was a pretty good main character, a good sweet boy for sure, and more interesting as a POV character than I found Kylan. AND it’s the book where **spoilers** we find out Tavra has a cute sailor girlfriend!!!! I fully expected the book to be classically heterosexual so I was and am SO pleased by this lovely wlw pairing.
I also really like skekSa as a character—I mean, a female skeksis?? Heck-yes-sis! And then of course her female urRu counterpart who wasn’t in the book nearly enough but who I am intrigued by also.
Can’t wait to start the last book, although I’ll be sad to finish the series.
4.5 stars, 9/10, would recommend and will read again.
I liked this one much more than I liked Songs. It didn’t have the problem of starting out slow as if the author needed a lot of filler, and Amri was a pretty good main character, a good sweet boy for sure, and more interesting as a POV character than I found Kylan. AND it’s the book where **spoilers** we find out Tavra has a cute sailor girlfriend!!!! I fully expected the book to be classically heterosexual so I was and am SO pleased by this lovely wlw pairing.
I also really like skekSa as a character—I mean, a female skeksis?? Heck-yes-sis! And then of course her female urRu counterpart who wasn’t in the book nearly enough but who I am intrigued by also.
Can’t wait to start the last book, although I’ll be sad to finish the series.
4.5 stars, 9/10, would recommend and will read again.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 25, 2021
I think I built this one up a bit too much in my head, though it's still very good.
Calling them young adult does them a disservice though. They're middle grade books. That's not a negative, they're fantastic middle grade, but if someone wanted a young adult novel they're going to be disappointed.
The Mariner is a great character, having a grey morality instead of just being evil. She stood by the Sifa (a gelfling clan) and did not support the Skeksis .
I wish these books were a bit more in depth. Characters that were big parts of previous books barely speak in this one (despite being present and supposedly involved).
This book was from Amri's pov but he just feels like Kaylen (who says about two words the whole book).
Calling them young adult does them a disservice though. They're middle grade books. That's not a negative, they're fantastic middle grade, but if someone wanted a young adult novel they're going to be disappointed.
The Mariner is a great character, having a grey morality instead of just being evil. She stood by the Sifa (a gelfling clan) and did not support the Skeksis .
I wish these books were a bit more in depth. Characters that were big parts of previous books barely speak in this one (despite being present and supposedly involved).
This book was from Amri's pov but he just feels like Kaylen (who says about two words the whole book).
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