Rating: Summary: Beautiful and Inspiring Review: Faeries, like the creatures it tries to describe, is hard to classify. Pick it up - it's a large, solid, beautifully bound coffeetable book for coffeetables you've no intention on putting drinks on - and flip through it once and you'll see fantasy art that beautifully captures the otherworldly-yet-very-familiar nature of its subject matter. Perhaps some of it will look familiar, as the art from Faeries has been used in many places and set the trends that other fantasy artists now follow. Pick it up later and you'll notice text. Words. Stories, in unobtrusive print that is big enough to be nicely readable but cunningly placed to make sure the art has gotten your full attention before you do any reading. The words retell key sections of faerie lore and elucidate faerie etiquette and the polymorphic nature of these beings. The subject matter is not sugar-coated or Bowlderized as if for children, but treated with the reverence and respect due to stories that have survived numerous invasions, migrations, and changes in the dominant religion. These are hardy stories, hearty stories that have lived for longer than any of us and that will outlive us all. These are stories and works of art that can be nourishing, that can enrich and enliven like a thick hearty soup on a cold day and refresh like a crisp cool drink on a hot one. After going through this mighty book a time or two, your attention might be drawn to the names on the cover. Brian Froud is one of them, and he went on after this book to help make movies ("The Dark Crystal" and "Labyrinth") and make more books (some with the help of Terry Jones, like "Lady Cottington's Pressed Fairy Book" and "The Goblin Companion: A Field Guide to Goblins"). Alan Lee is the other, and he went on to do cover illustrations for "The Lord of the Rings" that wound up becoming the definitive art for the movies. You might smile when you see them, and know hat anyone who saw this book before seeing any of those other things was in on the great secret about what those two can do, and if you get the book, you'll be in on it too.
Rating: Summary: NOT A CHILDS BOOK Review: this book is scary and creepy, lots of blood n gore
all the stroies are from a time when the natural world was being crushed by the cristain church
the art work is great
Rating: Summary: The Kelpie, the Nuckelavee, the redcap oh my!! Review: I had this magnificant book when I was wee lass, kept me awake many a night. So happy to see a new edition print, so I can own the book of creatures and fellows realtive to dreams. Brian Froud's artwork is a passage, a glimmer reflection of a world outside human exsistence, a sparkel of what is not always seen. His ability to capture Fae folk images is a true gift or trade...as the fae are fickle that way. Buy this book and add it to ANY collection of books!!! The only sad part I have to say about this magical book, is that some of the original artwork back rounds seem to be missing. I remeber the Kelpie to be shrouded in the woods on the page, scared the wits out of me as a child. Now there seems to be alot of white, almost to much white at times... but at least I have a copy!!! I believe in Faeries and all their kin!!
Rating: Summary: Beautiful and Inspiring Review: Faeries, like the creatures it tries to describe, is hard to classify. Pick it up - it's a large, solid, beautifully bound coffeetable book for coffeetables you've no intention on putting drinks on - and flip through it once and you'll see fantasy art that beautifully captures the otherworldly-yet-very-familiar nature of its subject matter. Perhaps some of it will look familiar, as the art from Faeries has been used in many places and set the trends that other fantasy artists now follow. Pick it up later and you'll notice text. Words. Stories, in unobtrusive print that is big enough to be nicely readable but cunningly placed to make sure the art has gotten your full attention before you do any reading. The words retell key sections of faerie lore and elucidate faerie etiquette and the polymorphic nature of these beings. The subject matter is not sugar-coated or Bowlderized as if for children, but treated with the reverence and respect due to stories that have survived numerous invasions, migrations, and changes in the dominant religion. These are hardy stories, hearty stories that have lived for longer than any of us and that will outlive us all. These are stories and works of art that can be nourishing, that can enrich and enliven like a thick hearty soup on a cold day and refresh like a crisp cool drink on a hot one. After going through this mighty book a time or two, your attention might be drawn to the names on the cover. Brian Froud is one of them, and he went on after this book to help make movies ("The Dark Crystal" and "Labyrinth") and make more books (some with the help of Terry Jones, like "Lady Cottington's Pressed Fairy Book" and "The Goblin Companion: A Field Guide to Goblins"). Alan Lee is the other, and he went on to do cover illustrations for "The Lord of the Rings" that wound up becoming the definitive art for the movies. You might smile when you see them, and know hat anyone who saw this book before seeing any of those other things was in on the great secret about what those two can do, and if you get the book, you'll be in on it too.
Rating: Summary: The best Faery book I've ever read! Review: Absolutely wonderful writing and incredible pictures. I like the format of this book in that its a mix of hand written pencil notes along with regular type font for the main text. The drwaings are fantastic - wonderful expressions, outfits, colors. There are legends and such to set the stage before talking about each of the different faeries and other characters. Each faery discussed has a page devoted with a short text and drawings. The writing enlightens the imagination.
Rating: Summary: Not bad!! Review: I'm a lover of all things faery, so this was definitely down my alley! The pictures were great, and the information was wonderful. I learned quite a bit by reading this book... and it had a beautiful layout. Great job. :)
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