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Review: Tolkien's World
Tolkien's World, The Paintings of Middle Earth, coincides with the centenary of his birth. More than a dozen artists, already famous for their interpretations of Tolkien landscapes, some newcomers to the trilogy, have created more than 50 paintings published therein ($15 from Harper Collins).
The full-page images are all illustrated with text from Tolkien's works, and they bring the stories to life in a way that is sometimes dark, sometimes lively, usually haunting. The book is clearly organized -- text on the left, painting on the right.
At the end, the artists -- they are from all over the world -- explain their interpretations and drawings and where applicable, their personal experiences with the trilogy. For a Tolkien afficionado, it's immensely satisfying to match your own imagination against those of artists like Michael Hague and Roger Garland. John Howe's "The Great Goblin" is amazing, and Inger Edelfelt has painted a stark, strange and simplistic "Gollum." As the Hobbit himself put it, "deep down here by the dark water lived old Gollum, a small slimy creature. I don't know where he came from, nor who or what he was. He was Gollum -- as dark as darkness, except for two big round pale eyes in his thin face." There is more good writing in that paragraph than in plenty of fictional and mythological tales.
"Thorin, Prisoner of the Elves," "The Arkenstone," "Frodo and Gandalf." "The Haven of Morionde," "The Brandywine River " -- the collection will intrigue readers who want to prep for the movie, or newcomers who want a sense of what Tolkien's worlds might look like. It would also work beautifully for kids.
The art is uneven -- certain painters' images might not square with your own. But some, like Ted Nasmith's "Glittering Caves of Aglarond," or John Howe's "Gandalf," will make you want to frame them and hang them up. Tolkien's World is a first-rate creative achievement.
I am willing to defend my way of life.
My way of life is to not retaliate when attacked. My way is to find out why i am being attacked and try to help the situation that has produced such pain, including changing my behavior if it is a part of the problem.
It's not clear to me what i can do in this situation to defend my way of life.
ourpla.net is your planet
Tolkien != WTC
They probably rejected it because it's dull. And you're really obnoxious to get your voice heard. Maybe you should go to kuro5hin.org if that's what you want.
acidboy
She slipped off the flimsy garment and strode toward the fascinated boggie unashamed of her nakedness. She ran a perfect hand along his hairy toes, and he helplessly watched them curl with the fierce insistent wanting of her.
"Let me make thee more comfortable," she whispered hoarsely, fiddling with the clasps of his jerkin, loosening his sword belt with a laugh. "Touch me, oh touch me," she crooned.
Frito's hand, as though of its own will, reached out and traced the delicate swelling of her elf-breast, while the other slowly crept around her tiny, flawless waist, crushing her to his barrel chest.
"Toes, I love hairy toes," she moaned, forcing him down on the silvered carpet. Her tiny, pink toes caressed the luxuriant fur of his instep while Frito's nose sought out the warmth of her precious elf- navel.
"But I'm so small and hairy, and . . . and you're so beautiful," Frito whimpered, slipping clumsily out of his crossed garters.
The elf-maiden said nothing, but only sighed deep in her throat and held him more firmly to her faunlike body. "There is one thing you must do for me first," she whispered into one tufted ear.
"Anything," sobbed Frito, growing frantic with his need. "Anything!"
She closed her eyes and then opened them to the ceiling. "The Ring," she said. "I must have your Ring."
Frito's whole body tensed. "Oh no," he cried, "not that! Anything but . . . that."
"I must have it," she said both tenderly and fiercely. "I must have the Ring!"
Frito's eyes blurred with tears and confusion. "I can't," he said. "I mustn't!"
But he knew resolve was no longer strong in him. Slowly, the elf- maiden's hand inched toward the chain in his vest pocket, closer and closer it came to the Ring Frito had guarded so faithfully . . .
Hitler was a Christian too. He actually studied to be a priest, and used the Jews' persecution of Christ as part of his justificatin for the holocaust (ignoring the fact that Jesus lived and died a Jew).
People have, and will continue to, use religion as a justification for their excesses. Let's not use it as an excuse to justify our own persecution of even more innocents.
Sometimes boldness is in fashion. Sometimes only the brave will be bold.
Why is George W. Bush not mentioned in this article? What kind of Katz screed is this? Here are a number of ways I figured Jon could work him into future revisions:
Ok, well the third one isn't really Tolkien-related. I guess it's more of an all-purpose disclaimer he can tack on to the bottom of everything he posts instead.
If it ain't broke, you need more software.
you can't change blind fanaticism.
The Kruger Dunning explains most post on
No, it would not.
we told afganistan manyt many many times that if we could prove bin laden commited terrorist acts, we would kold them responsable. we our giving afganastan a chance to turn him over to us, and remove terrorist training camps.
how do you propose we handle this? Just sit back and let it happen over and over again?
Do you think these people can be talked to rationally? If we give them what they want, they win. Next time they want something, guess what they'll do?
The Kruger Dunning explains most post on
Who said anything about killing all Moslems? The topic on hand is the killing of terrorists. Start with those who have "claimed responsibility" for fatal bombings -- in other words, confessed to murder. Continue with those heads of states, and their cabinets, that support terrorism. Yeah, it's war. But it's necessary, unless you want to see a mushroom cloud over an American city one day.
This is a great opportunity for advancement of Moslem societies, as they'll have a little help in the removal of their most ignorant, medieval elements. Maybe they'll now be able to catch up to the level of democracy, freedom, and prosperity of, say, sub-Saharan Africa. Maybe you should ask Germany and Japan if eliminating their evil leaders was a good thing or not for their countries.