Hyrule Historia – Organization

Cover:

The cover of Hyrule Historia most significantly features the Gate of Time, a symbol that appeared in the Zelda game Skyward Sword. This is the largest image on the cover and what immediately grabs your attention. Incorporated prominently within the Gate of Time are the Triforce and three goddess symbols, which are easily known to anyone familiar with the Legend of Zelda series. Above the Gate and taking up the next big portion of space is the Legend of Zelda logo, which clarifies the type of content in the book for anyone who is still unsure. It is the most recognizable element that could be used in relation to the game franchise. At the very bottom of the cover is the title of the book, Hyrule Historia, which is in this case the least recognizable name/image on the cover and probably of the least interest to fans. The color of the book’s outside is also iconic: a shiny gold for the visual elements, set onto a forest green that are a part of a consistent color theme throughout the game series. The hardcover quality of the book and font choice/layout help depict it as a showpiece/collector’s book.

TOC/Index:

Hyrule Historia dedicates one page to its table of contents. It keeps the list of chapters and sections fairly simple, having the titles of each section in larger font and then the list of chapters within each section in smaller font. There is the image of the iconic Master Sword, Link’s weapon, on the left accompanying the information. The page itself is made to look like old parchment, giving off the ‘fantasy adventure’ vibe. I’m not exactly sure why they chose to have the coffee-stain shape behind the image of the sword, but it’s presumably there to play along with the ‘old parchment’ feel.

Departments/Sections:

There are three major sections in Hyrule Historia, ‘The Legend Begins,’ ‘The History of Hyrule,’ and ‘Creative Footprints.’ Each section starts off with 0ne black page featuring the triforce symbol, along with the title and subtitle of the section.

The first section is given a two-page spread illustration with a short introduction to the contents of the section. The actual content of each of the sections are laid out in very different ways from each other. The first two sections in particular seem to keep the ‘parchment’ theme of the first few pages much more in comparison to the third section, which utilizes much more white in its background.  &  vs. 

All of the pages have their page numbers in the bottom outer corner, with a short line and the number next to it. Other than by appraising the actual content on the page, there is no label as to which section you are reading. The book’s content begins and ends with letters from each of the creators of the series.