The review does not contain spoilers (too much).
A few words about dragons, magic and poems
What does the reviewed book contain? Well, these are, as I mentioned, three items from the Tales of the Dangerous Kingdom, published in 2008 . The first is a humorous story about the clash between the title host Giles and the terrible dragon Chrysophylax. It is a kind of fairy tale written on the basis of early English history, and at the same time a satire on the relations in Britain at that time. The second title is an introduction to something bigger. The blacksmith from Przylesie Wielki is, in a way, an introduction to the Legendarium. This story makes us companions of the title Blacksmith, who, as a result of a twist of fate, became the confidant of the mysterious star that allowed him to pass to the land of Faerie. In it, you can look for a version of Middle-earth, and in the queen of the elves, Galadriel or Meliana. The last item on the schedule for this book is The Adventures of Tom Bombadil . It is a collection of poems derived from Hobbit legends. The first two are about Bombadil (yes, that Bombadil from Lord of the Rings ), and the rest are either just mentioned in the pages of the Legendarium, or are spoken or sung by Sam, or other Hobbits like the Stone Troll. It is worth noting that all poems are an integral part of the Legendarium.
Translations, editions and illustrations short description
This is the third time I encounter the items contained in the book, and the second time with The Adventures of Tom Bombadil . Therefore, I believe that I have the competence to assess the changes that have occurred in the translations and in the visual layer. And yes, the translation of individual songs is the same as in the Amber edition ( Tales from the Dangerous Kingdom). Cezary Frąc is responsible for prose, and Aleksander Jagiełowicz for poems. Therefore, there are no substantive changes. The text coincides one hundred percent with the older counterpart. I have no charges here. Unfortunately, I have them regarding the graphic layer. Apart from a great cover illustration by Jędrzej Chełmiński, we won’t see any other graphics. There are no phenomenal paintings by Alan Lee from the Amber edition, or a bit infantile, but reflecting the spirit of the original, paintings by Pauline Baynes from the old edition under the banner of Iskier (transl. Maria Skibniewska). This is a huge disadvantage. I understand copyright and the like, or the desire to reduce the size of the book and the use of paper, but please, why are we publishing a book intended for children like a piece for an older reader? Was it really that hard to throw graphics here or there, even Mrs. Baynes? It would really do a lot for the book. A lot.
However, I have no criticism for the release as such. The hardcover, dust jacket and sewn-in pleat really do the job. The font is legible and the paper is of good quality. For this I give the maximum note.
All in all, a book worthy of attention to anyone, Tolkien fan or not, but it’s better to look around for an Amber release. It is richer and prettier. Profit passed the test in the edition of this book, but it is quite meager. Such four on rails. Nothing more.
