Faeries: Amazon.ca: Brian Froud, Alan Lee: Books

Product Description

From Publishers Weekly

Twenty-five years ago, self-proclaimed "faery authorities" Froud and Lee published the first edition of their imaginative faery field guide. Since then, the two have gone on to publish numerous faery books and contribute their ideas to such fantasy films as The Dark Crystal, Labyrinth, Legend and the new Lord of the Rings. This expanded version, like its predecessor, features pencil drawings and watercolors of mythical creatures, as well as brief descriptions of their origins and powers; it draws on a long history of phantasmagoric iconography in the generally occidental vein. It boasts new art and introductions by the artists, as well; in its silver anniversary, the bewitching quality of its content remains. Besides faeries, the authors also include renderings of many other denizens of faery land-goblins, dwarves and leprechauns, for instance-as well as stranger breeds, such as the Fachan, a one-armed, one-legged oddity from the Scotland highlands and the Jack-in-Irons, a "Yorkshire giant who haunts lonely roads." For the child learning the pleasures of magical worlds, or for adults who never forgot, this book remains a delight. 176 color and 38 b&w illustrations.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"Twenty-five years ago, self-proclaimed 'faery authorities' [Brian] Froud and [Alan] Lee published the first edition of their imaginative faery field guide...This expanded version...boasts new art and introductions by the artists; ...in its silver anniversary, the bewitching quality of its content remains."

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Customer Reviews

49 Reviews

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Average Customer Review

4.9 out of 5 stars (49 customer reviews)

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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful and Inspiring, Jun 26 2004

By

Justin E. Jacobson "silent_bombadil" (Fort Walton Beach, FL United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)

Ce commentaire est de: Faeries (Hardcover)

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.

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4.0 out of 5 stars The best Faery book I've ever read!, Nov 28 2003

By A Customer

Ce commentaire est de: Faeries (Hardcover)

"Faeries: 25th Anniversery edition" is a master peice! Brian Foud truley outdid himself this time! For all the Brian Froud fans and fairy lovers out there, this book is highly recommended. In this 25th anneversery addition Of "Faries", Brian Froud adds new artwork. The book is about different kinds of faeries and a lot of other mythological creatures! The book contains a lot of brilliant stories of and beautiful, detailed artwork. The only problem I saw in this book was the way some of the stories were written. They were written in a way that I could hardly read. Other than that, this book is fabulous!

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5.0 out of 5 stars great pictures and stories, Aug 30 2003

By

merrymousies (Waterford, VA USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

Ce commentaire est de: Faeries (Hardcover)

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.

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Most recent customer reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Not bad!!
I'm a lover of all things faery, so this was definitely down my alley! The pictures were great, and the information was wonderful. Lisez davantage

Published on Jun 5 2003 by Heather Dodd

5.0 out of 5 stars Ye will delight in this book, old lad!
When you imagine a fairy, the first thing that comes to mind is a pretty little girl with wings, maybe long hair, sitting on a flower, singing a song, or dancing.... Lisez davantage

Published on Mar 19 2003 by Nana