’80s kids rejoice: There’s a new prequel series to “The Dark Crystal”

The Dark Crystal is a beautifully creepy film from the ’80s that developed a serious cult following. It was one of the first of its kind, creating a love for creature design and really creepy story telling. Other cult classics like LabyrinthThe Never Ending Story and Little Monsters followed suit.

Some really good news for fans of the Jim Henson classic film: It’s making its way back into our lives in the form of a new prequel book series. We finally get to relive the beautiful creepiness of The Dark Crystal, but this time from the very beginning.

Shadows of the Dark Crystal is the first book in the series, and it’s written by author J.M. Lee, who won 2013’s The Dark Crystal Author Quest — a competition put on by Grosset & Dunlap and The Jim Henson Company. Lee’s story beat out 500 other submissions.

The story is set in the world of the Skeksis and Mystics, and takes places years before The Dark Crystal. According to Nerdist, “The prequel takes place years before the events of The Dark Crystal and follows the journey of a young Gelfling woman who leaves her secluded home to uncover the truth surrounding the disappearance of her brother, who has been accused of treason by the sinister Skeksis Lords.” The powers of good vs. evil live on.

To make things especially nostalgic, the book’s cover art was created by the film’s original creature designer Brian Froud.

Nerdisthas provided the first two chapters of Shadows of the Dark Crystal. That should hold us over until the book is available for purchase on June 28.

For old time’s sake, here’s the trailer for the The Dark Crystal: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=

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