A review by tasharobinson
Shadows of the Dark Crystal #1 by J. M. Lee

3.0

This book has Ye Olde Prequel Problem — it's all about characters discovering things that the readers almost certainly already know. (And if they don't, because they haven't seen The Dark Crystal, this actually isn't a very good place to start the story, because it takes so much about this world for granted, and explains so little of what readers need to know.) That said, I enjoyed reading it for the way it expands the background and culture of the Gelflings, and the Gelfling perspective on the Skeksis in particular — just the idea of what it would be like being a small, sophisticated race in service to a much physically larger and culturally very different one. It feels well-researched and fully in sync with the movie. I just can't help but wonder if the Gelflings are all going to get Rogue One'd at the end of this series, since the movie tells us they aren't exactly bound for a happily ever after.