Amazon.com
Jude Fisher's Lord of the Rings Visual Companion is a real treat for Tolkien fans and brings readers up close to some of the amazing detail they will find in the big-screen version of this fantasy classic. Not just a straightforward movie guide, this is more of a Middle-earth encyclopedia with information on the people and places to which moviegoers will be introduced. The text is informative and never presumes any level of knowledge, making this book more than accessible for Tolkien fans or those who have yet to discover his work. The pictures are full color and quite simply superb, showcasing the movie's epic scope and exciting special effects. There is even a foldout map of Middle-earth in the center pages using shots from the movie to illustrate key locations, giving it a more realistic feel. Not an average movie tie-in book, Fisher's wonderful guide has been as lovingly put together as the movie itself and has "quality" stamped all over it. This is definitely one to add to your collection. --Jonathan Weir, Amazon.co.uk
Book Description
Houghton Mifflin is proud to present a full-color, large-format, guide to the characters, cultures, and locations of J.R.R. Tolkien's extraordinary creation Middle-earth, as depicted in the movie The Fellowship of the Ring - the first of three blockbuster films from New Line Cinema.
Filled with stunning imagery and with a thorough, informative narrative text, The Fellowship of the Ring Visual Companion will provide the reader with a rich feast of detail and information. Featuring exclusive photos of Frodo, Gandalf, the Ringwraiths, elves, and all the other main characters and creatures of the first film, the book also includes breathtaking pictures of Hobbiton, Rivendell, and Moria.
The first of a projected three-book series that no Tolkien fan, from novice to expert, should be without, The Fellowship of the Ring Visual Companion contains a special eight-page gatefold of large-format images unique to this book.
Customer Reviews:
A great book to cuddle up with.......2005-02-18
This book was literally my companion while I waited for the DVD to be available for purchase, allowing me to get my "LOTR fix" whenever I needed it. The pictures are wonderful, as are the descriptions of the characters.
There were several references and pictures to scenes that weren't in the theatrical version (but were in the extended version). This may have been confusing or irritating to some, but I found it exciting as it gave a hint of what I had to look forward to in the extended version.
I prefer it to the "making of...." books, because it portrays the characters instead of the actors. You can really become immersed in the story, and in Middle Earth, by cuddling up with this book.
An exceptional book.......2004-01-08
I have loved Lord of the Rings forever so when I saw this book, I HAD to have it. My impulses were right, this book was fantastic! It had incredible pictures, wonderful character analysis, and cool, interesting movie tidbits. For a movie as unforgettable as the Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring visual companion is the only book that could possibly do it justice is The Fellowship of the Ring Visual Companion. This book is a must for any Lord of the Rings Fan!
A great visual foundation.......2003-04-01
I actually purchased this book after having received the visual companion to the Two Towers for Christmas last year. As with the second book, the LoTR book provides an excellent overview with pictures of all of the major characters from the first film, giving you a little more insight into the nature of each of the different creatures.
A fun book for the whole family, and a great edition for any collector.
No Balrog. Only four stars. Give us the BALROG.......2002-12-27
Despite the excellent visual imagery and quality of this book and the companion to the first movie both books lacked one extremely important and somewhat pivotal villain from the first movie, The Balrog. The Balrog also makes an appearance in the second movie and should have been given more detailed treatment. Jude Fisher are you listening. Hey why not add the Balrog in the third book.
Exactly what I wanted.......2002-12-15
This companion was what I expected of it. It had many thrilling pictures of the cast and beside that their descriptions. The pictures were in full color and they were very enjoyable. They described the forging of the one ring and the Last Alliance of Men and Elves all the way to the Uruk-Hai's and Nazguls. If you were just beginning to read the books, this would be great for you to have to show you who the characters were and to tell you a little background information about them, like a dictionary. I would definitely say to buy this. It was a brilliant tie in and I just can't wait until I get the next book.
Book Description
Here is the book that Tolkien fans have needed for half a century--a detailed, book-length chronology of J. R. R. Tolkien's complex tale. Whether you are a serious Tolkien fan or simply someone who enjoys reading the story over and over again, this is the book for you. It's the first totally new reference for The Lord of the Rings since the 1970s.
Beginning over 1400 years before the major events in Tolkien's epic, it describes, year-by-year, the amazing and imaginative background history that Tolkien created for his masterpiece. Then for the main narrative, it becomes a day-by-day reference, describing what each character does on that day and all the places where those events are described in Tolkien's writings. You can find out, for instance, what Merry and Pippin are doing as Sam perpares rabbit stew on the morning of March 7.
Probe deeper into Tolkien. See why someone as serious as Gandalf was interested in fun-loving Hobbits. Discover an exciting new plot, based on Tolkien's notes, that begins when Aragorn captures Gollum. Follow along as the Black Riders and Gandalf race for the Shire. Decide for yourself whether Sauron and the Ring have any ties to Hitler and Stalin. Explore what Tolkien believed about nature and technology.
A few facts illustrate how helpful this chronology is. Most of narrative is a deliberately confusing sea of next days and third days that leave readers as confused as the tale's main characters.The middle 60 percent of The Lord of the Rings gives the current date only once. In the narrative as a whole, the date is given only 23 times, or once for every 43 pages, and most of those come when the plot is moving slowly. That's why those who want to dig deeper and understand better what Tolkien was saying will find this book a must-have.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent Resource.......2006-12-10
Perry has done a wonderful job in untangling the very intricate tale woven by J.R.R. Tolkien. Of particular help are the copious margin notes which reference exactly where Perry is drawing the information contained within that section of his book. The commentary made by the author is a welcomed pause for reflection on the events that are taking place and keep the book from being a mere listing of dates and events. I teach a course on J.R.R. Tolkien and have found Untangling Tolkien a valuable resource, since it covers the entire history of Middle-earth: what comes before The Hobbit and what takes place after The Lord of The Rings. Bravo Mr. Perry, I look forward to reading your other books.
Knits up the ravels.......2004-10-31
An amazing accomplishment by a dedicated Tolkien fan.
That is how I'd sum up the book Untanging Tolkien. Michael Perry has first unraveled all Tolkien's "dates" -- which can be extrapolated from phases of the moon -- and then knit them together again in a cohesive outline, presented in much greater detail than Tolkien's own timeline (found buried in Appendix A of LOTR). By incorporating information from other Tolkien writings, the author of Untangling Tolkien collates additional facts about all the characters and the circumstances surrounding the War of the Ring, folding them all into this detailed chronology. He includes material that sheds light on possible parallels between Tolkien's work and events that were contemporary, and he provides original commentary that suggests some additional motivations for Tolkien's characters. Sidebars offer references to every source for the information presented and for each conclusion the author has drawn.
I found the format, with quick-reference bulleted lists and clearly delineated sections and subheadings, well-organized and easy to use.
NOTE: I read the third printing that was published in May 2004. Apparently the author has corrected many of the errors that David Bratman objected to (below). You won't find a better overview or a more throrough treatment of time and dates in LOTR than Perry provides in this book.
A Radiograph of LotR........2003-12-27
This book is layed out as a chronological record of the events covered by Tolkein's masterpiece with prefaces that explain the calender system created by Tolkein and its conversion to our more mundane (and possibly inferior) system. The type is clear, and margin citations clear and present for every entry. It's primary utility, at which it succeeds admirably, is as a kind of radiograph of Tolkein's work that reveals its astonishing complexity more clearly and allows one to admire, and more importantly, explore the book itself more quickly, easily, and deeply.
The book also contains copious notes inline with the chronology. These vary from informative to tangential, but at worst do not detract from the book's primary function. Mr. Perry is perhaps foremost as Lewis scholar, and so C.S. Lewis, a close acquaintance and friend of Tolkein, makes a number of appearances. Also making appearances in the notes are William Shakespeare and Winston Churchill.
All in all, a unique book which will save anyone who wants to do an in depth study of LotR a lot of time.
Splendid Tolkien Reference Work.......2003-12-21
Superb, exhaustive chronology of Tolkien's Lord of the Rings saga. Perry does a superior job in untangling a number of thorny chronological issues in Tolkien's narrative, and he employs some fine literary detective work in reconstructing what events are happening across Middle Earth on any given date. Especially admirable is his reconstruction of how much moonlight there was during each day of Frodo and Sam's journey into Mordor.
In addition to chronology, Perry supplies a lot of background information about Tolkien's themes and sources, as well as biographical tidbits about Tolkien. For example, there are fascinating discussions of Tolkien's views of technology, freedom, and totalitarianism. Perry also discusses Tolkien's stance toward the misuse of Germanic myths by the Nazis.
This is a great resource for Tolkien-lovers everywhere.
a giant mass of undifferentiated trivia.......2003-12-21
A year-by-year, later day-by-day, chronicle of the war against Sauron from the founding of the Shire to the glorious conclusion seems at the outset like a good idea. Perry calls LOTR's Appendix B, the Tale of Years, "far from complete" but it covers the whole period: what he means is that it's not detailed enough for him. Appendix B won't tell you which day Sam cooked coney for Frodo; Perry will.
But alas, the book does not stop there. The entries are written as bullet lists like a PowerPoint presentation, and many add pointless little flowcharts such as two-generation family trees. They reduce Tolkien's magnificently complex subcreation into a giant mass of undifferentiated trivia. And each yearly or daily entry comes with its commentary, whether directly relevant, side points, broader considerations, or dogmatic essays in applicability. The unrelieved banality and inappropriateness of these must be read to be believed; as also the author's clumsy, grammatically inept style, and his smug superiority to the characters. (He frequently criticizes the good guys' "blunders," all of them more complex than he implies.)
There's actually some good chronological analysis and speculation hiding in here. But how can someone who knows his Tolkien that well say that the wizards were Valar, or that Rohan gave Isengard to Saruman (it wasn't theirs to give, and Saruman was made its warden, not a freeholder), that Boromir and Faramir had a sibling rivalry (Tolkien specifically says not), or suggest that Galadriel should have sent daily eagles to check up on the Fellowship?
These are not isolated examples: the bloopers and misconceived ideas go on and on. The whole book is like that: it has the soul of a PowerPoint presentation. I can't recommend it on any terms.
Book Description
The most celebrated book of the 20th century is now a major motion picture.
This absorbing guide to the mind behind Middle-earth will introduce or remind readers of the abundance that exists in Tolkien's thought and imagination. Interweaving sections explore The Lord of the Rings and its history; the key themes, concepts and images in Tolkien's work; the people, and places in his life, and his other writings. At the heart of the book is an indispensable A-Z of Middle-earth, with detailed entries on Beings, Places, Things and Events.
Readers will also be introduced to Tolkien's deeply spiritual message, which was of great importance in his creation of Middle-earth.
Central to Tolkien's fiction, as Colin Duriez points out, is the creation of elves. These are representative of human spirituality and culture, and human spirituality itself has an elven quality. Just like C. S. Lewis, his close friend, Tolkien was deeply inspired by a broad range of spiritual and philosophical imagery, like trees, angels, the fall of humankind, the power of healing, the personification of wisdom, light and darkness, nature and grace, and the metaphysical portrayal of heroism and evil.
"A welcome addition to any Tolkien reader's bookshelf. It is impossible to read Colin Duriez's volume without wanting to reread Tolkien's books-an undoubted compliment to both authors." -Brian Sibley, author of 'The Lord of the Rings' Official Movie Guide
Customer Reviews:
Solid reference book.......2004-11-21
Colin Duriez does a pretty job of creating a guide to the life and work of J.R.R. Tolkien in "Tolkien and Lord of the Rings: A Guide to Middle-Earth." While those who have read Tolkien's assorted books won't find anything new, it's a good introduction to his books for new readers, and a good "refresher course" for those who haven't read them in awhile.
Duriez starts off by introducing the book, describing his reasons for writing it. Then he speeds off into a mini-bio about Tolkien's life, followed by a dissection of the work he did, and its place in his life. And, since Duriez has written a book about literary club the Inklings, he includes quite a bit about Tolkien's friendships and relationships. For further clarification, Duriez includes a very brief timeline.
Then Duriez summarizes the entire plots of "The Hobbit" and the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, followed by a book-by-book chronology, and an informative chapter on the content of the "Silmarillion," and its connections to the "Lord of the Rings" books. Then he follows up with three A-Z guides -- one to things and people in Middle-Earth, then to themes and concepts in his work (eagles, allegory, theology, quests and so on), and the people and places in his life, such as his family, his friends, the mill he played at as a boy, and the books that influenced his writing. Finally there is a list of summaries, of various books that he wrote.
Duriez has certainly done his research -- he seems very comfortable talking about Middle-Earth, and easily quotes everyone from Peter Jackson to Tolkien himself. What's more, he obviously has a deep respect for Tolkien, and an appreciation for the richness and depth of Tolkien's work. For just about anybody writing this sort of book, that's a must.
What does it not contain? Well, Duriez admits himself in the preface that it's not meant to be in-depth, and Tolkien fans won't come away with anything they don't already know. Most of this is review and recap, with the occasional essay that goes into greater study of Tolkien's work.
However, the book can be very useful -- some people are daunted by the sheer vastness of Tolkien's work, and this makes it hard for them to get into the story. Duriez makes it accessable. His outline of the "Lord of the Rings" plot might be helpful to readers who have trouble understanding what is going on in the books. Ditto with his summaries of "Silmarillion" stories like the tale of legendary lovers Luthien and Beren, or the tragic Turin. It also could be a good "refresher course," for anyone who has forgotten stuff about Middle-Earth.
Colin Duriez, who has made a career writing about Tolkien, C.S. Lewis and the Inklings, pens a pretty decent guide book to Middle Earth and Tolkien's life. It won't reveal anything new, but it's a good introduction to Tolkien's work.
By far the best book on Lord of the Rings.......2004-03-12
This is by far the best book on Lord of the Rings - even better than the Dummies guide! Colin Duriez actually understands Tolkien's theology as well as the complexities of the stories and it is this that makes the book superb and simply better than anything else on the market. Buy it now! Christopher Catherwood, author of CHRISTIANS MUSLIMS AND ISLAMIC RAGE and WHOSE SIDE IS GOD ON?
A Must for Tolkien Fans!.......2003-01-19
Colin Duriez's "Tolkien and the Lord of the Ring: A Guide to Middle Earth" is an impressive book about the Hobbit, the Lord of the Rings, and the Silmarillion. It's divided into 4 parts.
Part 1: The Mind Behind Middle-earth: Includes background info about Tolkien, his life and work.
Part 2: The Book of the Century: A guide to LOTR, how it relates to the Silmarillion, etc. Basically a recap, in case you're a bit fuzzy.
Part 3: An A-Z of Tolkien's Middle-earth: I found this very helpful; I could look up my favorite people, places, events, and things quickly and effortlessly. This is especially helpful for those currently reading either LOTR or the Silmarillion to get extra info on what they're reading. If you are intimately familiar with the books, however, it would be more reference than new facts.
Part 4: A Look Behind Tolkien's Life and Work: Most interesting part to me. Evaluates key themes, concepts, and images in Tolkien. Allegory (or lack thereof), Christianity, Posession and Power are some of the themes explored by Duriez. Then it talks about key people and places in Tolkien's life.
It's more geared to people who are more interested in the book and Tolkien's writings than in the recent movies, so it shouldn't be confused with books like, "The Magical Worlds of Lord of the Rings."
I recommend it to anyone interested in Lord of the Rings.
Average customer rating:
- This is low.
- Disgusting travesty!
- Why Not Actually Read the Books?
- A review of the notes not the book.
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Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, The (Barron's Book Notes)
J.R.R. Tolkien
Manufacturer: Barron's Educational Series
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A Guide for Using The Hobbit in the Classroom
ASIN: 0812035232 |
Book Description
Plot synopsis of this classic is made meaningful with analysis and quotes by noted literary critics, summaries of the work's main themes and characters, a sketch of the author's life and times, a bibliography, suggested test questions, and ideas for essays and term papers.
Customer Reviews:
This is low........2005-01-07
What? The movies aren't abridged enough? Why not discover the beauty of a real work of literature by actually reading it? Tolkien's Lord of the Rings is moving and entertainingn on its own. Why let weak prose butcher literature with overly simplistic, inaccurate, and didactic notes?
Disgusting travesty!.......2003-11-20
The Lord of The Rings is NOT a text-book! It is a book that should be read with love, joy and wonderment, not EXPLAINED with notes and NOT set as a text so generations of children will associate it with drudgery, compulsion and class-rooms. This is an act of cultural vandalism and barbarism by idiot teachers and rip-off merchants who have no feeling for literature, joy or the sponanious enjoyment of a great tale!
Why Not Actually Read the Books?.......2003-11-18
Tolkien's books are brilliant. Why read cheat sheets? You can just enjoy the fantastic majesty of his novels.
A review of the notes not the book........2000-11-06
The first thing J.R.R. Tolkien says is that this is not parity or an allegory. He emphasizes that this has no relation to the war or any particular place.
The First thing that Barron's notes does is say the ring is like the atomic bomb. And the land influences the landscape after the war.
Some of the things in the book are useful for pointing out what is assumed you already know about; like shadows are bad and stars are good. As for the story it is just the bare bones with no meat. If you read this first you would be discouraged form reading the book thinking it was long and dry.
Average customer rating:
- A fantastic book for all!!
- This was so great!
- A very nice children's guide to the making of the movie
- An enjoyable, informative book for young people
- Why is it that quality is skimped?
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The Fellowship of the Ring Insiders' Guide (The Lord of the Rings Movie Tie-In)
Brian Sibley , and
J.R.R. Tolkien
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
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The Lord of the Rings Complete Visual Companion
ASIN: 0618195599 |
Book Description
The official tie-in companion for younger readers, packed with fascinating facts, on-set interviews and unique photos from the filming of The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Brian Silbey goes behind the cameras and reveals just how much work, time, creativity and endless imagination are involved in bringing the movie phenomenon The Fellowship of the Ring to a theater near you...
Customer Reviews:
A fantastic book for all!!.......2004-08-13
I've been trying to collect as many Lord of the Rings books as I can, and this one did not let me down. It was certainly an excellent addition to my collection! The 96-pages are packed with behind-the-scenes information on the Fellowship of the Rings, and with 95 photos which includes the hobbits, Aragorn, Legolas, Gandalf . . . etc., the bad guys, set locations, behind-the-scenes, and many more. In the middle of the book there are 16-pages containing 32 of the photos that are in color. The remaining 63 of the photos in the rest of the book are in black and white. Once I began reading, I was so fascinated by the amazing behind-the-scenes information that I found myself not even noticing the color of the pictures . The information truly IS fascinating as Brian Sibley did well taking the reader deep into the making of the Fellowship of the Ring. The 12 chapters are filled with interesting facts about the costumes, makeup, weapons, sets, special effects, cast/crew, and . . . just about everything! I enjoyed reading the "Cast and Crew" section where the author explains how each actor got their individual parts in the movie, and I also enjoy quotes - there are plenty of these. There is also a short history about how it all started - not only the movie, but also the original books as well. This is an exciting and wonderful book inviting YOU to be part of the making of the Fellowship of the Ring. If you are considering purchasing this book, you should . . . I guarantee that you will be satisfied as I was!
This was so great!.......2002-03-24
I loved it! I didn't really knew J R R Tolkiens work with his books, so I hadn't really read LOTR. That's why this book was so amazing and helped me to get to know the story behind it so I realized that wow, this was something increadible and big.
A very nice children's guide to the making of the movie.......2002-02-05
This is a simplified version of the Official Movie Guide, made especially for children. The cover is very handsome. It's a fairly small book, but it doesn't talk down to the kids. It's clearly written for a British audience but most American kids should be able to handle it. It gives a brief but good background on the movie, the characters, and the original book. Nice.
An enjoyable, informative book for young people.......2002-01-23
This book is apparently intended to be the equivalent for young readers of the "Lord of the Rings Official Movie Guide," which is also written by Brian Sibley (who was also the co-writer of the script for the BBC's excellent radio adaptation of "The Lord of the Rings," starring Ian Holm as Frodo). In many ways this children's version, although shorter and less detailed, is more interesting than the adult version. The "Insiders' Guide" contains some information not included in the "Movie Guide," such as the "Loom!" story mentioned by another reviewer below. Indeed, in general the emphasis of the "Insiders' Guide" seems to be a bit less on the production design of the movie, and more on the process of filming it and the experience of being on the set, than that of the "Movie Guide."
One interesting feature of Sibley's text as compared to that of the "Movie Guide" is that the chapters of the "Insiders' Guide" tend to begin with especially intriguing sentences intended to grab the reader's attention. Perhaps Sibley thinks this is more necessary when writing for children than for adults; I consider it a good technique when writing for any audience. ("Apollo 13," formerly called "Lost Moon," by James Lovell and Jeffrey Kluger, is an excellent example of the use of this technique in a non-fiction book for adults.)
Tolkien fans, and those moviegoers who have fallen in love with Peter Jackson's film, may well want to collect all four movie tie-in books: this "Insiders' Guide" and the "Photo Guide" (both intended for children) along with the "Movie Guide" and the "Visual Companion" (both intended for adults). Young readers seeking paperback books about the movie will find both the "Insiders' Guide" and the "Photo Guide" fairly good choices; the "Insiders' Guide" provides information about the movie's production and the background behind it, while the "Photo Guide" is the better bet for images from the film.
Why is it that quality is skimped?.......2002-01-03
At first glance, this guide to the new "Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" seems like an excellent source of info and photographs from the movie.
The problem is that virtually all of the text is lifted, diluted, and transplanted from the Brian Sibley adult movie guide. This one, on the flip side, has less information than the adult one, as well as far fewer pictures; most of what it does have is in black-and-white, newspaper-quality pictures. There are admittedly some pix that are not included in the adult guide, such as a picture of the Nazgul as they really are, and a picture of Sam wading out to Frodo's boat. But these are simply not worth it.
If you do buy a copy, check the cover, which seems to bend and tear easily; also the binding and paper seem very cheap and flimsy. There is a section of color photos in the middle, but not all of them are new.
I'm not sure why quality was skimped on for the children's edition -- the adult one has high-quality paper and binding, and every photo is color. Was it thought that kids wouldn't notice? On the contrary -- I found it very frustrating to see less information, and worse quality books.
If you wish to buy a movie guide, either buy the more expensive (but worth it) adult edition of this book, or the Fellowship Visual Companion.
Book Description
The grand tale of courage and adventure in J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogy has enthralled readers for more than half a century, with U.S. editions of the epic selling more than 100 million copies. The Guide to Middle-Earth 2003 Calendar is the ideal passage into the history and lore of Tolkien's fantasyland and is sure to satisfy the curiosity of both the faithful followers of Middle-earth as well as the new generation of fans created by the recently released movie The Fellowship of the Ring. With details ranging from Frodo Baggin's personality and genealogy to Sauron's creation and misuse of The Rings, each entry of this daily calendar will help expand the reader's knowledge and understanding of the intricate and fascinating world of the Hobbits.
Average customer rating:
- A valuable book of essays. . .
- A decent collection of essays about Tolkien
- An excellent collection of essays.
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A Tolkien Compass: Including J. R. R. Tolkien's Guide to the Names in the Lord of the Rings
Manufacturer: Open Court Pub Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
20th Century
| British
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
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General
| British
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
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General
| Literature & Fiction
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| Classics
| Comic
| Contemporary
| Literary
History & Criticism
| Fantasy
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
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ASIN: 087548316X |
Customer Reviews:
A valuable book of essays. . ........2002-02-15
. . .including the first version of Bilbo's finding of the Ring!
By now, all hobbits know that the original story which Bilbo told his friends (and set down in the Red Book) about the finding of the One Ring was, shall we say, a unusual departure from the truth on the part of a very honest hobbit. What most hobbits probably don't realize, however, is that Bilbo's original story is once again available. Bonniejean Christenson presents an excellent essay detailing the original story of the Riddle Game -- and the subsequent changes over the years.
This essay is one of several in this worthy volume, written by lovers of Middle Earth and compiled by Professor Jared Lobdel. Of further note is an excellent guide to names from "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings". Considering the hobbitish interest in geneaologies, nomenclature and familiy trees, this index is indispensible.
This hobbit highly endorses this book.
A decent collection of essays about Tolkien.......2001-09-22
Published in 1975, this is a good collection of essays about Tolkien's fiction given that the essays are ostensibly written by "fans" rather than scholars. A few of the essays are, it must be conceded, naive in style and scope-- like the one which makes the rather obvious claim that the main theme of the Lord of the Rings is that "power corrupts". Quite a few others, however, are quite insightful, particular Charles Huttar's article on "Hell and the City", Robert Plink's analysis of the "Scouring of the Shire" chapter, and Richard West's analysis of the 'interlace' structure of The Lord of the Rings. Also Bonniejean Christiansen's article on the characterological differences between Gollum that were produced by the *major* revisions of the "Riddles in the Dark" chapter of the Hobbit is extremely valuable-- both for what she has to say about Gollum and for the fact that she offers side-by-side quotations from both the first and second editions of that chapter so the reader can see what has changed from one to the other.
Quite surprisingly, these essays aren't nearly as dated as a lot of other Tolkien criticism that came out at the same time or earlier. (The publication of Carpenter's biography of Tolkien in 1977, as well as the posthumous publication of the _Silmarillion_ and then later of Tolkien's letters has rendered a lot of older Tolkien criticism out-of-date or irrelevant). In fact, these essays are just as good and insightful as a lot of Tolkien criticism being written now (in fact, they're better than a lot of it!). The main reason for their continued relevance, I think, is tha they are clearly focused on Tolkien's fictional *texts* as texts that can be analyzed on their own terms. Rather than delving into lots of biographical details, into questions of authorial intention, trying to place The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings in the context of _The Silmarillion_, or connecting them to Tolkien's alleged goal of creating a 'mythology for England', these articles focus on specific chapters, images, themes, and structures from The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings, this gives them a kind of 'permanence' that other earlier Tolkien criticism has lacked. (Also, I think the emphasis upon Tolkien's texts themselves leads to more insightful analysis than the biographically-oriented authorial-intention-minded criticism that's still dominant among Tolkien criticism). It's a real shame this has gone out of print...
An excellent collection of essays........2000-10-17
Professor Jared Lobdell has, in this volume, collected a number of excellent critical essays relating to the writing of JRR Tolkien, one of the most interesting being Bonniejean Christenson's excellent work "Gollum's Character Transformation in 'The Hobbit'" (Note: not every essay is necessarily worthy of 5 stars!).
Professor Lobdell has also provided an informative introduction, and a Guide to Names which will prove helpful to Tolkien scholars.
It's a shame that this volume is out of print. Serious Tolkien scholars will wish to find a used copy.
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