Book Review: The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug Chronicles: Cloaks & Daggers

This is the fourth Chronicles book in the Hobbits film series. Fans and readers who like the previous three books will find that this is produced with as much care and effort as the previous three. In other words, this book is extremely detailed and insightful.

This companion book focuses on the props and costumes to the first and second Hobbit films. It's a beautiful hardcover that's 256 pages thick.

Everything in the film has to be made. It's only going through this book that one can even begin to imagine how much work there is. This book really gives you a good idea of that scope. The company responsible is 3Foot7, and production designer is Dan Hennah.

It goes through each and every costumes, weapons and accessories used by the characters, whether they are dwarfs, orcs, elves or others. All pictures used are of high resolution.

The writer and art director for this book is Daniel Falconer, who's also a designer at Weta Workshop for more than 15 years. He has included extensive writeup and commentary from the staff, the sculptors, costume makers, dyers, prop-makers, armourers, jewellers, weavers, and other craftsmen. An immense and diverse set of skills is certainly on display. The prop designs are really detailed.

The staff talks not just about the design, but also how they actually make the props, such as the fabric, shoes, belts, jewellery, rings, etc. In many cases, they actually case the metal themselves. You'll read about the many hats of Gandalf, the coins in the Dragon's treasure hoard, furniture and ornaments that decorate the sets.

After reading the book, you'll probably watch the film again with new appreciation.

Highly recommended to fans of the film.

The earlier books in the series are:

• The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Chronicles: Art & Design
• The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Chronicles II - Creatures and Characters
• The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug Chronicles: Art & Design

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug Chronicles: Cloaks & Daggers is available at Amazon (US | CA | UK | DE | FR | IT | ES | JP | CN)

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