It's written by Barbara Randall Kesel and illustrated by Heidi Arnhold and Max Kim.

The story is a prequel, set several centuries before the film, about two Gelflings, Lahr, a herder and musician, and Neffi, a weaver, who put up a resistance against the oppressive Skeksis, and their destructive army of giants, the Garthim.

Lahr and Neffi soon reach the Namopo Valley, where a secret Gelfling village lies secure in a maze of canyons.

Neffi plays a game with some Gelfling children where they get tangled up in a thread of yarn and can't break it.

Meanwhile, back at the Dark Castle where the Skeksis live, Emperor SkekSo is worried that the supply of Gelfling essence is running out.

SkekVar begs for forgiveness, and SkekSo says he's forgiven the incident, but asks him to cooperate with SkekLach with his Gelfling collecting.

Chamberlain SkekSil, who is eavesdropping, thinks that SkekSo is becoming paranoid, and believes he can take advantage of this.

Panicked, Lahr urges everyone to run, but Neffi says she counted the votes, and the elders want to stay.

Meanwhile, in Dark Castle, SkekTek is about to harvest the captured Gelfling's essence, but is confronted by SkekLach.

Tempers are running hot, since Gelflings are peaceful by nature, but Lahr assures them this is their only chance of survival.

Neffi has weaved a large net lined with spikes across the entrance to the valley to keep the Garthim out.

It's a difficult fight, but the Garthim aren't used to being stood up to, so they become confused, and eventually retreat.

Kelsee - A female Gelfling that acts as a lookout for Namopo Valley, and later commands an aerial unit to combat the Garthim.

He is advanced in age, and thus concerned about the supply of Gelfling essence, which grants youth.

He's hungry for power, and is constantly scheming to get ahead, and to take revenge on the Gelflings.

The first volume of Legends of the Dark Crystal was received favourably by critics,[1] earning a score of 9.7 out of 10 by IGN.