Reviews

Tides of the Dark Crystal #3 by J. M. Lee

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riley_97ri's review

5.0

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

punkcalf's review against another edition

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1.0

This one has skekSa so a lot of people like it for that, I didn't.

Maybe I'm being overly cruel to these books but I adored the show and the movie so much that I find it glaring that these books are just so boring.

I think that's my main issue with them all. The characters go somewhere, they talk to people, it's a back and forth for a while, the convince the people to rebel anyway and move on. Rinse and repeat each novel and you have the entire series. I know the author probably didn't get a lot of creative freedom considering it's basically a huge commission but... c'mon.

Also it gets predictable what is going to happen. I don't know. I wished it was more, so much more.

graphic16's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging inspiring mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

reixma's review against another edition

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5.0

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...

kapellosaur's review

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2.0

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

Spoiler

and to not be killed off later in the novel