Showing posts with label middle earth. Show all posts
Showing posts with label middle earth. Show all posts

The Lord of the Rings Poster Collection: Six Paintings by Alan Lee (No. 1) Review

The Lord of the Rings Poster Collection: Six Paintings by Alan Lee (No. 1)
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The Lord of the Rings Poster Collection: Six Paintings by Alan Lee (No. 1) ReviewHaving never owned any of Alan Lee's LOTR artwork before, I bought this collection on the advice I had found in many places online. Needless to say, I was not disappointed.
It is true what is said about Lee's visual mastery of Tolkien's words. The images are often much like what I pictured from the books . . . even Gollum.
My only issue was with the scenes chosen to be depicted in the collection. Three of the six are from Mordor (Gates of Mordor, Gorbag & Shagrat, and from the foot of Mount Doom), the artwork of which is not at all bad, but it is repetitive, when there is so much more. I'm most anticipatory to find Lee's depiction of the Ents somewhere. ^_^
The paper quality is good & thick, and the posters come in a glossy protective folder with information on the artist, text bits that were the basis for the paintings, etc.The Lord of the Rings Poster Collection: Six Paintings by Alan Lee (No. 1) Overview

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Lord of the Rings Review

Lord of the Rings
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Lord of the Rings ReviewYou can purchase this book is some NewZealand stores and save carrying it with your luggage. I saw it at the airport. It was good at orienting you to where different scenes were shot. A head's up: Many places were used for background, while the action was shot in a studio or created on a computer. Also, many scenes in the movie feature scenes shot all over new zealand and since they are together in the movie you assume they are also together in real life. Example: when arwen rides away from the nazgul, the horse scene (shot with a double by the way) is in one area, the river she enters in another area, and the when she turns to face the nazgul, that river is yet somewhere else. I highly recommend the area around queenstown and glenorche.Lord of the Rings Overview

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JOURNEYS OF FRODO - AN ATLAS OF J.R.R. TOLKIEN'S 'THE LORD OF THE RINGS' Review

JOURNEYS OF FRODO - AN ATLAS OF J.R.R. TOLKIEN'S 'THE LORD OF THE RINGS'
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JOURNEYS OF FRODO - AN ATLAS OF J.R.R. TOLKIEN'S 'THE LORD OF THE RINGS' ReviewDrawing upon Professor Tolkien's own well defined descriptions and maps Barbara Strachey has created a fine
volume of cartographic drawings of the routes taken by Frodo Baggins and the other members of the fellowship.
The maps are highly consistent and creative regarding Middle-earth topography and environmental realties.
Moon phases,rest stops,camping sites and important occurrences within the journey are all marked and noted
for a complete picture of the path's taken to destroy the ring of power and the struggle to save
Middle-earth.
This work contains fifty-one maps with detailed but brief(a usual page long) descriptions of the
country traversed , corresponding dates and text from novel for background and
footnoted for reference. This an impressive book allowing the reader to fully
inhabit and trace the epic journey of the company of nine in a relatively compact
collection to compliment Tolkien's own volumes. Though the author concentrates her
work depicted in THE LORD OF THE RINGS she has consulted and referenced for clarity
sake THE HOBBIT,UNFINISHED TALES and other Middle -Earth related material to
ensure a fuller account of said maps and drawings. Undoubtedly comparison's can
be made with another volume of cartographic pieces depicting J.R.R Tolkien's
creation;The Atlas of Middle- earth by Karen Wynn Fonstad, however this much larger
book covers a broader spectrum within Tolkien's sub -created world through
the ages and changes in the spheres. Ms Fonstad is a professional cartographer and her volume
shows it , Ms.Strachey is not a professional in the that field but her work while not as refined
a other is in my opinion can stand alongside the larger especially in regards to what it
provides in detail and execution. THE JOURNEYS OF FRODO is an engaging and vivid book.JOURNEYS OF FRODO - AN ATLAS OF J.R.R. TOLKIEN'S 'THE LORD OF THE RINGS' Overview

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Tolkien: A Look Behind the Lord of the Rings Review

Tolkien: A Look Behind the Lord of the Rings
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Tolkien: A Look Behind the Lord of the Rings ReviewContrary to the opinion of the reviewer below, who indicates an inability to remember what was read (which says quite a bit all by itself, doesn't it?), this book does its job admirably well. A popularized account of the literature behind the literature which Tolkien left for us, this book takes us through the wide range of mythic and legendary material from various historical periods in Europe & nearby regions which lie at the source of J.R.R. Tolkien's greatest fantasy works (The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings) and which influenced the great fantasist, himself. Not a book for scholars but apparently too erudite for some readers of Tolkien's works, this book takes us on a quickie survey of the legends and linguistic antecedents which influenced and captured Tolkien's fancy. At the same time it gives us a fairly educated survey of the history of fantasy literature itself. The book is meant to be entertaining for those who love to understand what they are reading -- though it's no fantasy itself, which is perhaps what our disappointed reviewer expected. Or perhaps this person was seeking the inside dope on Tolkien and his times. Whatever. At the least, this is a good source for those who want to understand the history of this type of literature and who want to go farther than just reading the material. It was for me. And it took me farther than I'd expected. Afterwards, you can go on to many of the sources themselves. This book tells you what they were and, often enough, where to find them. --- Stuart W. MirskTolkien: A Look Behind the Lord of the Rings Overview

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Lord of the Rings Part III, Return of the King Review

Lord of the Rings Part III, Return of the King
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Lord of the Rings Part III, Return of the King Review"Return of the King" is the worthy climax to J.R.R. Tolkien's epic saga, the fantasy that created the genre as we know it today. Now, as the blockbuster movie adaptation is over, many readers are checking out the dramatic story that ends Tolkien's masterpiece and life's work.
Gandalf has ridden to the city of Gondor with Pippin (partly to keep him out of trouble), where the forces of Mordor are attacking. There is upheaval in the city itself, as the steward of Gondor is going nuts. Merry pledges his service to King Theoden of Rohan, not knowing what is ahead for the king and his relatives. And Aragorn is seeking out allies to fight Sauron on a military scale, even if they can't defeat him unless the Ring is destroyed. His search will take him to tribes of forest-dwellers, to Gondor -- and even to summon an army of the dead.
In Mordor, the unconscious Frodo has been captured by Sauron's orcs, and taken to the fortress of Cirith Ungol. Sam is desperate to free his friend, but knows that he can't take on an army, and that Frodo would want him to finish the quest. Sam manages to free Frodo from captivity, but they must still brave more dangers before they can come to Mount Doom, the only place where the Ring can be destroyed. As they travel Sam sees Frodo slipping further and further into the Ring's grasp. Will Frodo be able to destroy the Ring?
Usually, the climax of an epic adventure is a disappointment. "Return of the King" succeeds in almost every way, wrapping up each individual storyline, one by one. The ending has a feeling of finality; this is one story that could never have a sequel; Tolkien shows that in a war like this, there is no true "happy ending." Even if the good guys win, there will still be scarring, and death, and haunting memories of what once happened. And even if a person survives, he will never be the same.
This is the grimmest of the three books in this trilogy. Frodo and Sam are stuck in the vividly horrific Mordor, while the city of Minas Tirith is on the verge of completely crumbling. Tolkien does a phenomenal job of exploring the madness, despair, rage and sorrow that accompany a war, and the way it can affect even the idyllic Shire. And he doesn't forget the slow period of healing that follows -- for people, for civilizations, and even for nature.
Though a section of the book near the end descends into near-biblical prose, which changes post-Gondor, Tolkien does not waver in his ability to evoke emotion. One of the most touching scenes in the book is when Sam finds Frodo naked, unconscious and being beaten by an orc. Others include Merry's farewell to Theoden, Eowyn's slaying of the Witch-King, and of course the bittersweet final scene.
Speaking of Frodo, this trilogy's hero is almost unrecognizable in parts of this book. The bright, naive young hobbit of the first book has been worn down to a pale shadow of himself. As he grows increasingly attached to the Ring, we even see him doing what seems unimaginable: threatening Sam with a dagger. Sam has come a long way from the shy young hobbit who couldn't say a word around the High Elves -- now he's attacking orcs and carrying Frodo to Mount Doom.
And the supporting characters are not neglected either, with the younger hobbits being exposed to the horrors of war, Aragorn breaking fully into his role as the future king of Gondor, and passionate war-maiden Eowyn affecting the war as nobody else could. Some much-loved characters are lost, and others will be permanently changed.
The story doesn't really end on the last page; for more background, especially on Aragorn and Arwen, readers should also read the appendices at the end of the book. Another good addition is "The End of the Third Age," in which the unpublished epilogue of this book can be found. Though this is probably not canonical, it nicely concludes the story and is a heartwarming look at what happens in the years following "Return of the King."
It's difficult, once the story has finished, to accept that one has to say goodbye to Middle-Earth and its enchanting inhabitants. But as Gandalf says, "I will not say: do not weep; for not all tears are an evil."Lord of the Rings Part III, Return of the King Overview

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Tolkien's Ring Review

Tolkien's Ring
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Tolkien's Ring ReviewThis book is a piece of "literary detective work"; it seeks to find the myths and stories that inspired Tolkien in his creation of his three great works: The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings and the Silmarillion.
The author states something of a disclaimer at the beginning though:
"In Tolkien's Ring, we will survey a vast body of myth and legend in search of Tolkien's sources. We will look at other rings and ring quests, and we will see where many elements of his epic tale were provoked into existence. However, we should never mistake Tolkien's creative process as a mere cobbling together of ancient lore. Richer and more profound through Tolkien's writing is for the ancient tradition it draws on, Tolkien's art is by no means imitation. The Lord of the Rings is a highly realized and originally conceived novel that has renewed, invigorated and finally reinvented the ring quest for the twentieth century." (page 17)
I think the author correctly identifies the primary time period and location that served as the prime inspiration for Tolkien. To use England as a benchmark, the time period runs from the end of the Roman period in England (406 AD) to the Conquest of William the Conqueror (1066 AD). The location is that is northern Europe; Scandinavia and Germany in particular.
The author also makes some interesting insights regarding metallurgy, the Iron Age, alchemy and ring-based mythology. The ring in that time period (especially in Scandinavia) was a symbol of power (e.g. Kings are "ring-givers") and it became the central symbol of the struggling pagan religions of Europe against the Christian symbol of the Cross. In many of the ring myths, the hero is always questing for a ring, which will provide him the power to rule the world, increase his physical strength, increase his wisdom or provide him with other such powers. This reflects the discovery of iron making; those who know how to make iron had a clear advantage of those who did not. Iron knowledge was thus precious and often kept secret. The knowledge to control and manipulate iron was often combined with magical/alchemical ideas; this led to the idea of the sorcerer-smith.
The Niebelungenlied (a Germanic epic) and the Volsunga Saga (Norse; unknown date. Probably within 400-1000 AD) were the prime examples of what Tolkien called the "noble northern spirit," of Germany and Scandinavia. Tolkien's tale leans more towards to German epic with its sense of morality reinforced by strong elements of Arthurian legend. The idea of a sorcerer/magician as a wandering old man with beard and hat was clearly modeled on the depiction of Odin (to draw a rough analogy; he is the Norse version of Zeus) in the Volsunga Saga.
In reading this book, there were times where I thought the author was really stretching his source material. It may be interesting to investigate the ring mythology of Tibet, but this was not exactly a significant influence on Tolkien. There were other times where the author simply summarized the myth; an entire chapter could go buy without reference to Tolkien or his works. With respect, when I buy a book on Tolkien, I expect to find analysis and discussion OF Tolkien. The author's analysis could have been improved by investigating Tolkien's life; what sagas were his favorites? Why did he like them? Did he read the sagas in the original languages (I happen to know he did, from reading one of his biographies).
The second last chapter is a synopsis of Richard Wagner's huge opera, "The Ring of Nibelung." The author makes the point that every age retells and adapts the ring myth for its own time and that this opera was written for 19th century Germany. However, if the reader has been paying attention to the previous chapters, this is simply a repeat of the previous stories with some changes.
The last chapter is a chapter of speculation on, "The Lord of the Rings." The author seeks to understand why it has become so popular and how the message of the novel can be applied to our times. Thankfully, the author includes this disclaimer:
"That is not to say that The Lord of the Rings is an allegory of our time. Tolkien rightly rejected the allegorical view as too narrow for his tale. He especially abhorred questions of the 'Are Orcs Nazis or Communists?' kind. Tolkien's purpose was both more specific and universal than that." (page 177)
My main criticism of this book is the total lack of documentation. There are no footnotes, no endnotes, and no bibliography. One wonders where the author got some of his ideas (e.g. a legend about Solomon controlling demons) and it would be helpful if the author could have recommended good translations of the relevant epics and other such information.
Reading this book was somewhat difficult for a person who is not familiar with the literature of the "noble northern spirit"; the barrage of unfamiliar names, places, spirits, Gods etc is difficult to keep track of. It is unfortunate that this literature is given almost no time in school curricula compared to the time given to the Roman and Greek mythology. Western civilization is based on Greco-Roman culture and Christianity, but that does mean the literature and culture of the so-called "Dark Ages" ought to be neglected.Tolkien's Ring Overview

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The War of the Ring: The History of The Lord of the Rings, Part Three (The History of Middle-Earth, Vol. 8) Review

The War of the Ring: The History of The Lord of the Rings, Part Three (The History of Middle-Earth, Vol. 8)
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The War of the Ring: The History of The Lord of the Rings, Part Three (The History of Middle-Earth, Vol. 8) Review"The War of the Ring" is the third installment of Christopher Tolkien's "The History of The Lord of the Rings" series, and the eighth volume of his massive "The History of Middle Earth".
Like the two volumes before it, Christopher Tolkien takes the reader on a detailed journey of the creative processes through which "The Lord of the Rings" came to be. Of particular interest in this book:
The development of the "Paths of the Dead" story.
The development of the character of Denethor, Steward of Gondor.
The development of "The Battle of the Pelennor Fields".
The development of the story of Shelob and Frodo's capture.
It's unfortunate that Christopher Tolkien was unable to finish "The History of The Lord of the Rings" in three volumes, so the reader is left with the story still unfinished. It is also worth noting that these books, especially as they proceed to the end of the story, do not simply rehash the final work. If sections of a chapter underwent little or no evolutionary development, they are treated briefly. The greatest attention is paid to those episodes which were written and re-written, often in very different ways.
I was somewhat disappointed that the theme of Gollum's "near repentance" was not treated in detail, as JRR Tolkien felt that this was a key turning-point in the story. But again, if an episode underwent little development, Christopher did not spend much time on it.
Five stars -- and another "Thank-you" to Christopher for this labor of love on his late father's behalf.The War of the Ring: The History of The Lord of the Rings, Part Three (The History of Middle-Earth, Vol. 8) Overview

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The Return Of The King - Being The Third Part Of The Lord Of The Rings (The Lord of the Rings, 3) Review

The Return Of The King - Being The Third Part Of The Lord Of The Rings (The Lord of the Rings, 3)
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The Return Of The King - Being The Third Part Of The Lord Of The Rings (The Lord of the Rings, 3) ReviewProbably considered my favorite in Tolkien's writings, Return of the King is great. Many suspenseful events end in utter triumph and inspire the reader the whole time. I think the biblical parallels can't be missed either. It does a great job tying up some details from The Hobbit, Fellowship of the Ring, and Two Towers. Wonderful conclusion to a classic work of fiction that makes the reader look for the reality to match it. I think the fingers can definitely point to the truths in the Bible to help you find to truth in this fantasy created by J R R TolkienThe Return Of The King - Being The Third Part Of The Lord Of The Rings (The Lord of the Rings, 3) Overview

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The Lord of the Rings Complete Visual Companion Review

The Lord of the Rings Complete Visual Companion
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The Lord of the Rings Complete Visual Companion ReviewThere are two kinds of "Lord of the Rings" fans -- those that have seen the movie, and those that have not. For the ones who haven't, Jude Fisher is like a best pal when it comes to filling in details. Her "Lord Of The Rings: The Complete Visual Companion" not only encompasses the three visual guides she wrote before, and rounds it off with the finales.
Things have been reshuffled a little to allow for better flow (why bother with recap if it's all in the same book) and the three visual guides together seem almost seamless. Fisher examines in detail the many characters from mild hobbit Frodo down to loathsome Grima Wormtongue, the places (such as the exquisite Lothlorian) pivotal battles, strange monsters and climactic events like the battle of the Pelennor Fields.
"The Return of the King Visual Companion," the last of the three books, was released over a month before the movie was -- therefore, Fisher was restrained from giving away anything that happens after Frodo and Sam reach Mount Doom. In short, it didn't tell us anything about how the movie ended -- would Frodo destroy the Ring, or would it possess him? Would Aragorn become king? Would he marry Arwen?
Now that "Return of the King" is almost a year behind us, Fisher is free to include new chapters and beautiful photographs from the last parts of the trilogy. She adds on the climax of the entire trilogy, with Frodo struggling into the heart of Mount Doom, and ends the chapter with the ambiguous line "I have made my choice." No, it's not clear what he chose just by reading.
After that comes a chapter detailing the coronation and wedding of Aragorn and Arwen, a chapter about the Fellowship splitting up for the last time, the Hobbits returning home, and a mention of Sam Gamgee's wedding to his beloved Rosie Cotton. In the final chapter (including the loveliest picture in the entire book), Fisher describes Frodo's final departure from Middle-Earth into the west.
Fisher has a pleasant, breezy style, and is able to explain the world of Middle-Earth without dumbing down the material. Sometimes she adds background info (such as Frodo's tragic life before coming to live with Bilbo) that was not a part of the actual script, but is essential to the characters anyway. The varied, colorful photographs are quite gorgeous, and the book has been reissued in a trade paperback with glossy flaps.
Anyone disappointed that "The Return of the King Visual Companion" did not include the climax and ending will be pleased by "The Lord Of The Rings: The Complete Visual Companion" -- like the trilogy, the visual guides are best read in one big chunk.The Lord of the Rings Complete Visual Companion Overview

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The Two Towers (The Lord of the Rings, Part 2) Publisher: Mariner Books Review

The Two Towers (The Lord of the Rings, Part 2) Publisher: Mariner Books
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The Two Towers (The Lord of the Rings, Part 2) Publisher: Mariner Books ReviewThis is the second volume in J. R. R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy. It follows The Fellowship of the Ring and is followed by The Return of the King.
In this part of the story, the original fellowship of nine travelers is fragmented. Some seek Mordor and the forlorn hope of destroying the one ring in the volcanic fires that produced it. Others are taken captive, and pursued by would-be rescuers. As the travelers disperse, readers become acquainted with the lands and peoples of Middle Earth. We meet the independent horsemen of Rohan, the foul orcs of Mordor, the proud men of Gondor, and the shades of past oath-breakers, eager for redemption. The schemes of wizards, stewards and wraiths become more clear. The tension builds.
The middle book of the trilogy covers a lot of ground, both geographically and in character development. The characters gather their strength for war with the forces of evil. Tolkien gives his characters distinct strengths which complement the abilities of their companions. There is a growing sense that each will have a part to play in the coming conflict--a unique and indispensable part.
If you have already read volume one of the trilogy, you are going to read volume two. No choice, really.The Two Towers (The Lord of the Rings, Part 2) Publisher: Mariner Books Overview

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Understanding The Lord of the Rings: The Best of Tolkien Criticism Review

Understanding The Lord of the Rings: The Best of Tolkien Criticism
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Understanding The Lord of the Rings: The Best of Tolkien Criticism ReviewThis book reprints several of the best essays from the editors' 1968 collection *Tolkien and the Critics,* combining them with several new essays by some of the best Tolkien scholars writing today. Together, they make a strong case for the strength of Tolkien's masterpiece on solid literary grounds (rebutting the main early critiques). It is very useful for my Philosophy and Fantasy course, and the papers are all accessible and interesting for the general reader. I can strongly recommend this book to all fans and literary critics alike.Understanding The Lord of the Rings: The Best of Tolkien Criticism Overview

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The One Ring: Adventures Over the Edge of the Wild Review

The One Ring: Adventures Over the Edge of the Wild
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The One Ring: Adventures Over the Edge of the Wild ReviewAfter playing virtually every LotR RPG out there (including fan created games), this is hands down the best LotR RPG to date. The mechanics were designed from the ground up to represent Middle Earth; the setting is not shoe-horned into the mechanics as in most previous examples of LotR RPGs. It is very clear that great care was given to ensure that every rule and detail was evocative of Middle Earth, and not simply a trope of fantasy gaming.
The primary resolution mechanic revolves around some unique and nicely crafted dice (included with the game). While at first this might seem gimmicky, it quickly falls into place and fits naturally with the game... a very nicely designed mechanic. The major sub-systems in the game (all using the core mechanic) are Encounters, Journeys, and Combats. As these three activities are core to the LotR stories, the inclusion of them as the primary sub-systems is superb.
The Journey system is quite simply the BEST travel mechanic I've ever seen. It captures the feel of travelling in Middle Earth better than anything I've ever tried in the past. The Combat system is a very fast paced, gridless, system that still allows for a significant number of tactical choices, all without the need for models or maps. Again, it's very evocative of Middle Earth. The Encounter (social interactions) system is the least inspired of the 3 sub systems; the Tolerance ratings can seem contrived at times, and the rules surrounding Encounters aren't nearly as prolific as the other sub-systems. However, in practice this tends to be a good thing, because the mechanics don't get in the way of roleplaying at the table (and where else is roleplaying more important than during social interactions).
Overall this is an amazing game system. It is definitely the best LotR RPG to date, and after several months of play, it remains my favorite RPG to play and GM.The One Ring: Adventures Over the Edge of the Wild Overview

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The Lord of the Rings Sketchbook Review

The Lord of the Rings Sketchbook
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The Lord of the Rings Sketchbook ReviewI had been waiting rather impatiently since this book was first announced, 4 or 5 years ago. It has been promoted by the publishers as a " sumptuous, large-format" book featuring preparatory sketches and rejected drawings for the illustrated edition of " Lord of the Rings", in which Alan Lee's spectacular watercolors inspired Peter Jackson to hire him as conceptual artist for the film trilogy. His involvement with the films obviously held up work on putting the book together, and, in the meantime, the book took a turn in the direction of the film. The result is a mixture of sketches and drawings that were obviously meant as illustrations to the book, coupled with some designs for props, armor, etc from the film AND some drawings done on the New Zealand locations of a few of the actors in their rols ( MacKellan as Gandalf, Blanchett as Galadriel) and maybe even some drawn-from-life landscapes with additions to make them look like Middle-Earth scenery. An example of book illustration is the section devoted to Tom Bombadil and Goldberry; the pencil drawing of Tom's house is coupled with the watercolor developed from it for the book. But there are also drawings of Tom and two for Goldberry ! There are also some sketches for the unfilmed barrow-downs scene.
The big disappointment is the size. It's certainly not " large-format" at 8 x 10 inches, and it's hard for a book to be " sumptuous" when it's that puny ! Also, quite a few of the 20 " color plates" are merely black-and-white pencil drawings on tinted paper !
That said, the drawings ARE beautiful, and many of them have never been published. It certainly is a must for the Tolkien or Alan Lee fan.The Lord of the Rings Sketchbook Overview

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The Return of the King: Being the Third Part of The Lord of the Rings Review

The Return of the King: Being the Third Part of The Lord of the Rings
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The Return of the King: Being the Third Part of The Lord of the Rings ReviewThe Return of the King is the final part of The Lord of the Rings. In this last part the feeling of good versus evil reaches its pinnacle in LOTR. Tolkien gave incredible detail describing the War of the Ring, as it spanned several chapters. All of the characters are developed further, and for most of the TROTK, the story remains a two way split. TROTK has an amazing conclusion, and that is partly bad. Upon finishing the novel, I was sad that it was over, and I didn't want it to be over, because Middle-Earth is a great place to get lost in. You go on the journey that the Fellowship undertook, and feel everything that each member of the party felt. This is possible because throughout LOTR, Tolkien wrote vivid passages describing the regions of Middle-Earth, the characters, and what they were thinking. I read TROTK more slowly, because I wanted to stay longer than what the novel would allow. The four hobbits of the Fellowship become harden warriors, a trait that was virtually absent from their kind. Even though the novel finally came to a complete finish, it felt like it left room for more. It's to bad that there is no direct sequel, and while it answers most of the questions left from the end of The Hobbit, the reader can come up with plenty more questions upon finishing LOTR. Professor Tolkien did a work that was unexpected in its depth. He invented several REAL languages and writing systems, a complete history to back the novel, and created a wonderful world filled with diverse races and environments. Some fantasy authors may have tried to reach Tolkien's level in fantasy literature, but I am certain the The Lord of the Rings will never be duplicated. The Return of the King stands as the incredible conclusion of the greatest epic ever written. My only regret was that it ended.The Return of the King: Being the Third Part of The Lord of the Rings Overview

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