Trayaurus and the Enchanted Crystal
{{short description|2016 graphic novel by YouTuber DanTDM}}
{{Infobox book
| name = Trayaurus and the Enchanted Crystal
| image = File:DanTDM Trayaurus and the Enchanted Crystal.jpg
| caption = The book's front cover
| alt = Drawn figures representing a young, white, blue-haired male with blue-glassed, and black-strapped goggles on his head, wearing a white shirt, a brown jacket with red elbows, blue pants with yellow knees, and black shoes, a bald, white male with a monobrow and a large forehead wearing a white and gray lab coat, brown pants, and black shoes, three pink pigs, and a white skeleton dog with a red collar, appearing in front of a laboratory surrounded by a forest environment.
| author = Daniel Middleton
| illustrators = {{hlist|Doreen Mulryan|Mike Love|David Forrest|Kinetic Underground}}
| cover_artist = Doreen Mulryan
| language = British English
| genre = {{hlist|Adventure fiction|Science fiction}}
| publisher = {{hlist|Trapeze|HarperCollins}}
| pub_date =
{{Plainlist|
}}
| media_type = Graphic novel
| pages = 193
| isbn = 9781409168393
| oclc = 950638376
| dewey = 741.5942
| external_url = https://books.google.com/books?id=_fw3DAAAQBAJ
| external_host = Google Books
}}
Trayaurus and the Enchanted Crystal is the debut graphic novel by YouTuber Daniel Middleton (alias DanTDM). It is set in the sandbox video game Minecraft, and features characters that have appeared in Middleton's YouTube videos for all ages. Commercially, the book was a success, spending three weeks at the top of the list of bestselling books in the world as well as reaching the number one spot on The New York Times Best Seller list for hardcover graphic books in the US.
Background
Middleton had been considering writing a book for a number of years. In an interview with The Guardian, Middleton admitted he is not an avid reader by any standard, but in the end did decide to author a novel that would be "the kind of book that I would read". He considered the opportunity to write a book about the stock characters that he employs in his YouTube videos an "important" way to give them their own style.{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/oct/15/minecraft-books-pugs-dantdm-youtube |title=Minecraft, books, panto... and pugs! YouTube star DanTDM opens up |first=Stuart |last=Dredge |date=15 October 2016 |work=The Guardian |access-date=9 May 2017 |archive-date=4 November 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161104024141/https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/oct/15/minecraft-books-pugs-dantdm-youtube |url-status=live }}
Rights to publish the book were auctioned by Middleton's management agency OP Talent Limited, and bought by HarperCollins in the US and Trapeze (Orion) in the UK. The news that Middleton was writing a book was made public in May 2016.{{cite web |url=http://www.thebookseller.com/news/trapeze-publish-graphic-novel-youtubes-dan-diamond-minecart-330271 |title=YouTube's Dan the Diamond Minecart inks book deal |first=Katherine |last=Cowdrey |date=23 May 2016 |work=The Bookseller |access-date=9 May 2017 |archive-date=26 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160826212251/http://www.thebookseller.com/news/trapeze-publish-graphic-novel-youtubes-dan-diamond-minecart-330271 |url-status=live }}
In October 2016, Middleton promoted his book at the Cheltenham Literature Festival where he was the first author of 2016 to sell out his tickets to the event.{{cite web |url=http://www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk/hundreds-rush-waterstones-tent-at-cheltenham-literature-festival-to-get-a-glimpse-of-dantdm/story-29799439-detail/story.html |title=Hundreds rush Waterstones' tent at Cheltenham Literature Festival to get a glimpse of DanTDM |first=Andrew |last=Merrell |date=11 October 2016 |work=Gloucestershire Live |access-date=2 June 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161012235110/http://www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk/hundreds-rush-waterstones-tent-at-cheltenham-literature-festival-to-get-a-glimpse-of-dantdm/story-29799439-detail/story.html |archive-date=12 October 2016}}
Plot
Trayaurus and the Enchanted Crystal is a story about DanTDM and his scientist friend Trayaurus, who, one day, discovers a crystal that has crashed on The Overworld while shattering into five pieces. It does not take long until they discover its powerful potential. DanTDM and Trayaurus set out to find the other crystals, but are hindered in their objective by their nemesis Denton who appears in many of Daniel's old Minecraft videos. Denton is trying to gain all of that power for himself. The lead characters feel like they have no choice but to stop Denton by finding all the remaining pieces first, preventing Denton from becoming more dangerous than he already is at present.
Sales
Commercially, the book was well received in both the United Kingdom and the United States. In the UK, Trayaurus and the Enchanted Crystal was able to reach the first spot on the bestsellers list for three weeks.{{cite web |url=http://www.disarraymagazine.com/2017/02/youtube-creator-dan-tdm-embarks-on-us.html |title=Youtube Creator Dan TDM Embarks on U.S. Tour |first=Christy |last=Buena |date=15 February 2017 |work=Disarray Magazine |access-date=9 May 2017 }}{{Dead link|date=September 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} In the US, the book was able to reach the twenty-third spot on the USA Today's Best-Selling Books list{{cite web |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/books/2013/06/21/dantdm-trayaurus-and-the-enchanted-crystal/2444877/isbn/9780062574329/ |title=USA TODAY BEST-SELLING BOOKS – DanTDM: Trayaurus and the Enchanted Crystal |work=USA Today |access-date=9 May 2017 |archive-date=24 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220324184359/https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/books/2013/06/21/dantdm-trayaurus-and-the-enchanted-crystal/2444877/isbn/9780062574329/ |url-status=live }} while also reaching the first spot on The New York Times Best Seller list for hardcover graphic books and remaining there for eleven consecutive weeks.Listings on The New York Times Best Seller list per week: [https://www.nytimes.com/books/best-sellers/2016/11/13/hardcover-graphic-books/ Week 1] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220324191405/https://www.nytimes.com/books/best-sellers/2016/11/13/hardcover-graphic-books/ |date=2022-03-24 }}, [https://www.nytimes.com/books/best-sellers/2016/11/20/hardcover-graphic-books/ Week 2] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190512194534/https://www.nytimes.com/books/best-sellers/2016/11/20/hardcover-graphic-books/ |date=2019-05-12 }}, [https://www.nytimes.com/books/best-sellers/2016/11/27/hardcover-graphic-books/ Week 3] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220430021904/https://www.nytimes.com/books/best-sellers/2016/11/27/hardcover-graphic-books/ |date=2022-04-30 }}, [https://www.nytimes.com/books/best-sellers/2016/12/04/hardcover-graphic-books/ Week 4] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220324195938/https://www.nytimes.com/books/best-sellers/2016/12/04/hardcover-graphic-books/ |date=2022-03-24 }}, [https://www.nytimes.com/books/best-sellers/2016/12/11/hardcover-graphic-books/ Week 5] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220324192914/https://www.nytimes.com/books/best-sellers/2016/12/11/hardcover-graphic-books/ |date=2022-03-24 }}, [https://www.nytimes.com/books/best-sellers/2016/12/18/hardcover-graphic-books/ Week 6] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220324185901/https://www.nytimes.com/books/best-sellers/2016/12/18/hardcover-graphic-books/ |date=2022-03-24 }}, [https://www.nytimes.com/books/best-sellers/2016/12/25/hardcover-graphic-books/ Week 7] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220324192913/https://www.nytimes.com/books/best-sellers/2016/12/25/hardcover-graphic-books/ |date=2022-03-24 }}, [https://www.nytimes.com/books/best-sellers/2017/01/01/hardcover-graphic-books/ Week 8] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220423194950/https://www.nytimes.com/books/best-sellers/2017/01/01/hardcover-graphic-books/ |date=2022-04-23 }}, [https://www.nytimes.com/books/best-sellers/2017/01/08/hardcover-graphic-books/ Week 9] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220429225424/https://www.nytimes.com/books/best-sellers/2017/01/08/hardcover-graphic-books/ |date=2022-04-29 }}, [https://www.nytimes.com/books/best-sellers/2017/01/15/hardcover-graphic-books/ Week 10] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220430000748/https://www.nytimes.com/books/best-sellers/2017/01/15/hardcover-graphic-books/ |date=2022-04-30 }}, [https://www.nytimes.com/books/best-sellers/2017/01/22/hardcover-graphic-books/ Week 11] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220429234614/https://www.nytimes.com/books/best-sellers/2017/01/22/hardcover-graphic-books/ |date=2022-04-29 }}, [https://www.nytimes.com/books/best-sellers/2017/01/29/hardcover-graphic-books/ Week 12, when it fell to the second spot] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220324195942/https://www.nytimes.com/books/best-sellers/2017/01/29/hardcover-graphic-books/ |date=2022-03-24 }}.
Critical reception
Common Sense Media rated Trayaurus and the Enchanted Crystal three out of five stars saying that although the novel tells an "amusing tale" and spins a "classic good-vs.-evil" story, the action within the book is "sometimes hard to follow" and occasionally moves the plot along too slowly.{{cite web |url=https://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/dantdm-trayaurus-and-the-enchanted-crystal |title=DanTDM: Trayaurus and the Enchanted Crystal – Is it any good? |first=Darienne |last=Stewart |date=28 November 2016 |work=Common Sense Media |access-date=9 May 2017 |archive-date=7 February 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180207005555/https://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/dantdm-trayaurus-and-the-enchanted-crystal |url-status=live }} GeekDad gave a generally favourable review as well, hailing its "straightforward, easy-to-follow story" but criticizing the art style: "Lines are often roughly sketched and colors lack finesse".{{cite web |url=https://geekdad.com/2016/11/dantdms-new-graphic-novel/ |title=Take 'Minecraft' to the Next (Reading) Level With DanTDM's New Graphic Novel |first=Kelly |last=Knox |date=25 November 2016 |work=GeekMom |access-date=9 May 2017 |archive-date=14 December 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161214015915/https://geekdad.com/2016/11/dantdms-new-graphic-novel/ |url-status=live }} Night Owl Reviews was enthusiastic about the book and gave it four out of five stars. The website praised both the "outstanding" art style and "delightful" story, but did take issue with the fact that all characters are male: "I realize that most comics are read by boys but it would have been nice to see a female or two".{{cite web |url=https://www.nightowlreviews.com/v5/Reviews/Terri-reviews-Trayaurus-And-The-Enchanted-Crystal-by-Dantdm |title=Trayaurus and the Enchanted Crystal |author=Terri |date=25 January 2017 |work=Night Owl Reviews |access-date=9 May 2017 |archive-date=7 February 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180207010034/https://www.nightowlreviews.com/v5/Reviews/Terri-reviews-Trayaurus-And-The-Enchanted-Crystal-by-Dantdm |url-status=live }}
References
{{Portal|Children's literature}}
{{reflist|30em}}
{{Minecraft}}
Category:Adventure graphic novels
Category:British graphic novels
Category:Books about video games
Category:Minecraft in popular culture
Category:British children's books
Category:Hachette (publisher) books