Spotting something Zelda related when we least expect it can expose the inner nerd in each of us.

Browsing a local book shop today, my eyes nearly popped out of my head at the mere sight of Link.

“What is this?!” I exclaimed with all the ferocity of a ten-year old.

I scrambled through Faulkner and Hemingway to grasp the Legend of Zelda manga, a Japanese graphic novel that reads from back to front.

It apparently tells a faithful version of Ocarina of Time’s timeless tale.

Published by Viz Media, the Ocarina of Time manga was written and drawn by two women who use the pen name Akira Himekawa. The first of a two-part series, it cost only $7.99 and is available now.

I haven’t had a chance to read it yet — do you really read a manga? But the anime drawings are surprisingly intense, and the opening line alone makes me want to pop in my Ocarina of Time cartridge.

“But there was one boy who, for some reason, didn’t have a fairy.”

Apparently the guys over at Starmen.net did not think it was enough to just releasing a translation patch. They went ahead and teamed up with Fangamer to compile a complete companion book/players guide for the game as well. With complete coverage of everything in the game, and they even went so far as to make clay models for some characters and enemies just like in the original Earthbound guide.

As of right now they are taking pre-orders for the hardcover book at 20 dollars a pop. If your a fan of the series, this looks like a solid investment. Hit the jump to take a peek at some of the pages.

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Kyle Orland, a generous colleague and former blogmate of mine at Joystiq, has released his first book, Wii For Dummies. It’s probably more intended for your mom and grandpa who still don’t know what a Wii Channel is, but informed Wii owners like yourself might still be interested in:

* Ways to prevent damage to — and from — Wii remotes
* How to use the Wii’s full-featured Web browser
* Tips on choosing games
* How to enjoy photos, videos, and slideshows on your Wii
* All about the Wii Message Board
* Five hot Wii-specific Web sites
* How to customize the Channels menu
* Cool Wii games you can download

Jack will have a review posted later this month. You can snag the book from Amazon for $15.