PG13- "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy (v,some b), Tolkien: The Illustrated Encyclopedia (some v,b)
PG- The Hobbit, A Tolkien Treasury (slight v), Tolkien's World (slight v)
J. R. R. Tokien is often called the father of modern fantasy. He almost single-handedly revived popular interest in the Germanic roots of English mythology. He called his world Middle Earth, he populated it with people out of nearly-forgotten legends, he concocted within it a titanic struggle between good and evil, and he let all of this loose onto the fiction-reading population. The genre has never been the same since. The highly archetypal and pre-Christian nature of Tolkien's work has been copied many times, both well and poorly, but he remains the clear source of all its power.
This is not to say everyone loves Tolkien. Some people think he's too dry, or that he puts too much description in between the action. Others think he's still the greatest fantasy author of this century. It depends on the person. But everyone should at least try to read The Hobbit and "The Lord of the Rings" in order to be considered literate in the genre.
The Hobbit was the very first fantasy book I ever encountered. When I was about 4, my uncle sat me down and told me the entire story, mostly from memory. When I first read it for myself, I was surprised to find a few "new scenes", but I didn't think they were particularly important ones...
I think almost everyone knows by now that this is one of the greatest stories in the history of modern Fantasy. Some even credit Tolkien as the founder of modern fantasy, though he has competitors. Yet few would argue that he had no impact. The same tale that managed to keep me quiet at age 4 still managed to fascinate me as a senior in high school, when I was asked to write an English paper on it.
Why is The Hobbit so enduring? Tolkien was a great writer, but The Silmarilion doesn't hold that kind of appeal. Honestly, I think it's the characters and style that set this one apart. How many of us see ourselves as misplaced Bilbos, searching for some sort of adventure, something impossible and incredible, to fall into our lives and change us into the people we've always dreamed of being? As children, we love stories of eagles and goblins, elves and dwarves, for their own sake. But as adults, we love the idea that Bilbo never seems to do what's expected, or what's supposed to be right; yet somehow that is his very power. By falling off the path, by doing the seemingly rediculous, he manages to surprise even fate itself. You might compare him to Fox Mulder of the X-Files in that respect.
If we don't directly wish ourselves into Bilbo's harried shoes, then at least we wish to be a part of his world. The thing that many people love about fantasy is that its half-imagined musings are often more real than our everyday lives. So it is with Middle Earth, where every blade of grass is more vibrantly green than the view out of our own windows. Over the years, hundreds of artists have been inspired to paint the scenes of Bilbo's tale, and though every image is different, they all contain a certain quality, a certain light. Detailed or impressionistic, pleasant or dark, they all contain a kind of rapt fascination with the dream of an incredible world where mankind is definitely not alone.
Bilbo proves a perfect vehicle for this idea, for even as he accepts the fact of his own existance (and helps us to do so), he is just as amazed at the rest of the world as we are. An undiscovered poet who has never left his own little pocket of reality before, he takes us step by step with him through a highly allegorical journey along a circular path that leads him back to himself- his true self. And along the way, he shares with us some of that magic and discovery, so that when we close the book, we too feel a little out of place- and a little more ourselves.
"When Mr. Bilbo Baggins of Bag End announced that he would shortly be celebrating his eleventy-first birthday with a party of special magnificence, there was much talk and excitement in Hobbiton." When Mr. Bilbo Baggins of Bag End disappeared in the middle of his party in a cloud of smoke, his nephew Frodo became the new owner of Bag End. But that house has a certain air about it, and air of adventure, and so begins the trilogy The Lord of the Rings, describing the adventures of Frodo. With his strange inheritance, including the short sword Sting and the Ring, Frodo sets out to escape the shadows lurking on his doorstep and ends by trying to rid Middle Earth of the greatest evil it has faced in the third age.
The Fellowship of the Ring begins the classic adventure. With his practical friend Sam, the vivacious Pippin, and the determined Merry, Bilbo's nephew walks into legend. Frodo, of course, has very little idea how old the battle is that he wages, or how fearsome his opponents. But he will learn. Here we discover ancient things: Tom Bombadil, Rivendell, Mordor, and Lothlorien. Here we learn how the company of nine was formed, and how it came to be made of mostly hobbits, a small but sturdy folk who always seem to aid Middle Earth in its time of need. Here begins an poetic tale, in the style of the old Germanic ones, full of history and landscape and folklore enough for anyone. The first book is full of frightening moments, of almost-losts and true sorrow, and the occasional moment of rest. Probably the best book of the trilogy, but it starts slowly until you get almost to Rivendell. After that, the pace picks up quickly and the plot hardly ever dies down again.
By far a lesser book, though with its shining moments, is The Two Towers. By now, the company of nine (or those who remain...) is split into several pieces, each following a destiny of its own. Merry and Pippin attempt to escape the Orcs and find themselves battling the greatest ally of Sauron. Aragorn and the others set off toward the land of the horsemen. Frodo, followed only by the faithful Sam, braves Mordor all alone. But his is not this second tale. This belongs to the rest of the nine as they prepare for war against the hosts of Mordor. The best part of this book is the riders of the Mark. The characters are developed more fully here, and the setting and history are easier to understand than the other books, but it lacks a certain depth of plot and emotional connection that the other two books have.
The grand finale is The Return of the King. I must say, it was a bit hard to follow in places, with all of the names and places and descriptions of battle. It strongly reminded me of several Trojan War epics I've read. Frodo and Sam's descent into Mordor is very clearly written, however, and very tense. The inevitable great battle also comes through clearly, so well that I have seen a number of excellent paintings depicting it, and they mostly agree on the details. In the old poetic language used by Tolkien, it sounds like ancient history, or legend, yet beautifully real. There is also a tone of bittersweet lightly covering most of the book. The very ending, like the beginning, is a little slow, but you shouldn't have trouble with it if you've come this far. It's perfectly appropriate, if not perfectly happy.
The Father Christmas Letters: This beautiful collection of letters "from Father Christmas" would probably never have been published if Tolkien had not become famous for his other works, and the world would have lost a delightful treasure. Perfectly suited for small children through adults, these letters "arrived" every Christmas for the Tolkien children, from 1920 to 1939, and are accompanied by touching illustrations. The stories that Father Christmas tells about his life at the North Pole become more elaborate as the years go by; they range from the Polar Bear's humerous attempts to help make presents, to the invasion of the Goblins at the same time as the bombing of England. If you can find a copy of this classic, please buy it for your children (and read it for yourself). You'll thank yourself.
Though not written by Tolkien himself, A Tolkien Treasury (edited by Alida Becker) contains great quantities of material that fans may find of interest. The first half is filled with essays about Tolkien himself and his works, by such esteemed intellectuals as W.H. Auden and Colin Wilson. The second, larger half includes poetry, fanfiction, histories, and puzzles inspired by Tolkien's work. Christopher Tolkien contributed some of them, and others are quite good as well. The illustrations throughout the book are particularly nice. If you are a fan and stumble across a copy of this beautiful hardcover, don't leave it lying there! The glimpses it will give you into Tolkien's life and personality are alone worth the price.
David Day has compiled an extremely useful book in Tolkien: The Illustrated Encyclopedia. If you have ever been confused by The Silmarillion or the various incarnations of The Book of Lost Tales, you should pick up this collection. Some of the illustrations are quite nice, while others are merely accurate. The true strength of this work lies in its excellent combination of historical explanations, maps, and encyclopedia-style entries. This book will be especially helpful for those trying to read any books other than The Hobbit or "The Lord of the Rings".
An incredible collection of paintings inspired by Tolkien's World has been published by Harper Collins. On each set of facing pages are a quote and a painting inspired by that quote, some dark, some bright, some detailed, some almost impressionistic. The common thread through all of them is that fantastical light that seems to pervade Tolkien's Middle Earth. The various artists combine well, with landscapes, dragons, wizards, Elven heroes, and simple Hobbit gatherings. The images offer a nice mixture of the trilogy and the histories and will be well-loved by anyone who has ever wondered what Middle Earth looks like or has been inspired to create images of their own.
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Last Updated: January 22, 2000
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