Hyrule Historia (or the Tome of the Hylians)

Is it weird to love a book? Well, no, but I am in love with this one especially. Even though I've only actually finished one game out of the whole series (Oracle of Seasons), The Legend of Zelda series still something I find myself coming back to over and over again (with promises of me finishing them, over and over again). The adventure and the mysticism of the Hyrule world is always a draw for folks no matter the story, as it tends to deliver on fans' expectations.

Hyrule Historia was initially available to the people of the Rising Sun, but Dark Horse took on them to publish the book here. And it's had a fun time all around. It knocked Fifty Shades of Grey off the top of the best-seller list when it came out, and the bookstore I work at (amongst others) have had a heck of a time keeping it on shelves. That's the power of Zelda at work, folks.

And it's all for good reason. Even the person that's not too keen on TLZ will find this to be a gorgeous book. The innards are structured well, with beautiful artwork permeating each page. Most of it, according to the quote on the back, has never been seen by the public before. Additionally the actual timeline of the series, something that has been the point of contention for years now, is explained inside. Though, it is easy to get confused with all the explanations and dialogue they toss at you.

On top of this, a quick manga details the adventure of the very first Link. And the pages even have a slight weight to them as you turn each one.

The book is nothing short of pure quality. The detail of each game section, the amazing art and a definitive timeline of the games...merely holding this thing makes you feel like a sage, ready to crack it open and read a verse from the timeline. It is nothing short of amazing.