Trollhunters - Hardcover

Del Toro, Guillermo; Kraus, Daniel

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1423125983 ISBN 13: 9781423125983

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion, 2015

Synopsis

The book that inspired the Netflix original series Trollhunters, from Dreamworks Animation.

"You are food. Those muscles you flex to walk, lift, and talk? They're patties of meat topped with chewy tendon. That skin you've paid so much attention to in mirrors? It's delicious to the right tongues, a casserole of succulent tissue. And those bones that give you the strength to make your way in the world? They rattle between teeth as the marrow is sucked down slobbering throats. These facts are unpleasant but useful. There are things out there, you see, that don't cower in holes to be captured by us and cooked over our fires. These things have their own ways of trapping their kills, their own fires, their own appetites."

Jim Sturges is your typical teen in suburban San Bernardino-one with an embarrassingly overprotective dad, a best friend named "Tubby" who shares his hatred of all things torturous (like gym class), and a crush on a girl who doesn't know he exists. But everything changes for Jim when a 45-year old mystery resurfaces, threatening the lives of everyone in his seemingly sleepy town. Soon Jim has to team up with a band of unlikely (and some un-human) heroes to battle the monsters he never knew existed.

From the minds of Guillermo del Toro and Daniel Kraus comes a new illustrated novel about the fears that move in unseen places.

About this title

About the Author

Guillermo del Toro is one of the most creative and visionary artists of his generation whose distinctive style is showcased through his work as a filmmaker, screenwriter, producer and author. Born in Guadalajara, Mexico, del Toro first gained worldwide recognition for the 1993 Mexican-American co-production "Cronos," a supernatural horror film. In 2004, del Toro directed and co-wrote the action-adventure sci-fi thriller "Hellboy" starring Ron Perlman in the title role. Del Toro earned international acclaim as the director, writer and producer of the 2006 fantasy drama "Pan's Labyrinth." In all, the film garnered more than 40 international awards and appeared on more than 35 critics' lists of the year's best films. In 2013, del Toro wrote and directed the epic sci-fi action-adventure "Pacific Rim" starring Charlie Hunnam and Idris Elba, which has grossed over $400 million worldwide.

Del Toro has also turned his attention to publishing. With novelist Chuck Hogan, he co-authored the vampire horror novel "The Strain," which was published in June 2009 by William Morrow. They have since collaborated on "The Fall" and "The Night Eternal" which make up "The Strain Trilogy." All three books debuted as The New York Times top-ten bestsellers. Dark Horse Comics has also issued a graphic novel series adapted from the trilogy. In October 2013, Harper Design published "Guillermo del Toro Cabinet of Curiosities," a lavishly illustrated book that contains notes, drawings, and untold creatures from del Toro's private journals and filmmaking diaries, with never-before-seen characters, art, and ideas of things to come.

Daniel Kraus is the award-winning author of Scowler and Rotters, and is the director of six feature films. He lives with his wife in Chicago.

Sean Murray is an illustrator, concept artist, author and teacher known for his work on video games such asDungeons & Dragons Online and The Lord of the Rings Online, as well as the creator of The World of Gateway, which includes his fantasy guidebookGateway: The Book of Wizards and the upcoming card game Gateway Uprising.

Reviews

Gr 7 Up—Featuring plenty of edge-of-your-seat action, this offering from the director of Pan's Labyrinth and the author of Scowler (Delacorte, 2013) won't disappoint. In the late 1960s, eight-year-old James Sturges and his brother Jack were riding bikes at dusk, racing to get home before dark. Taking a shortcut under a bridge in the woods, they were attacked by a monstrous, shadowy creature with razor-sharp claws, glowing red eyes, and shaggy black fur. Though James barely escaped with his life, he never saw his brother Jack again. Now, many years later, James's 15-year-old son Jim suddenly starts seeing terrifying red-eyed monsters that no one else seems to see. When one creature pulls Jim under his bed one night, Jim learns of his own troll-hunting legacy and reluctantly enters an epic battle between trolls and humans. This work features an eclectic and endearing cast of troll and human characters. Even though the pacing is a bit choppy, moving from fast-paced in one chapter to slow in the next, the heart-pounding opening chapter would make an excellent library or classroom read-aloud. This funny, gory first series installment may engage reluctant readers, particularly those familiar with del Toro's horror films. Beautifully creepy, full-color artwork is sprinkled throughout, but it often appears well after the scene it depicts. VERDICT More gruesome than scary, this title will be a hit with teens and adults who love action-packed, dark fantasy adventures.—Leigh Collazo, Dulwich College, Suzhou, China

Edition details

• Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
• Publication date: 2015
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1423125983
• ISBN 13: 9781423125983
• Binding: Hardcover
• Illustrator: Murray Sean
• Number of pages: 320