The Story A Voyage to Arcturus is a science fiction novel about a man named Maskull and his journey to Tormance, a planet orbiting the star Arcturus. Maskull journeys across the planet, exploring strange landscapes and meeting many different creatures and people. Maskull’s only motivation for traveling to Tormance is that of adventure–even though he is warned his bones will…
Category: Tolkien
Silmarillion Character Profile: Túrin
One of the most daunting things about reading The Silmarillion is keeping all of the names straight. I love this, so I want to make it more accessible for the general reader with brief character profiles. Name: Túrin Turambar Immediate Family: Father: Húrin Thalion Mother: Morwen Eledhwen Sister: Nienor Home: Beleriand Claim to fame: Túrin is by far the most tragic character…
Books Tolkien Read: “The Golden Key” By George MacDonald
In honor of J.R.R. Tolkien’s 123rd birthday, I’m going to start a new series. Tolkien, of course, was a voracious reader. I want to experience the same books Tolkien read–whether he loved them or not. This first one isn’t a novel, but rather a short story. The Story “The Golden Key” is a fairy tale about a boy who wants…
4 Things You May Not Know About J.R.R. Tolkien
There are a lot of facts about J.R.R. Tolkien that are well-known, both to his fans and even to the general public. He was a good friend to C.S. Lewis, the man who wrote The Chronicles of Narnia. He was a practicing Catholic. He loved trees. He once wrote a biting letter to Nazis. And so on. Of course, Tolkien was…
Upcoming Tolkien Biopics
There are rumblings in Hollywood that the Tolkien craze isn’t over. In fact, there are at least two different Tolkien biopics in development. The information is still a little sketchy and there’s no word on who will be cast as the Professor. There are some interesting tidbits, which I’ve rounded up below, along with references for where I got the info.…
Significant Dates in LotR
One of Tolkien’s predominant characteristics was his minute attention to detail. From the Prologue to the Appendices, The Lord of the Rings is replete with scrupulous detail. Because he was so thorough in all of the particulars of his stories, a careful reader can learn a great deal of Tolkien’s mind and of his sub-creation. In Appendix B, for instance, Tolkien provides…
Faramir: Tolkien in Lord of the Rings
Lately, a lot of the posts here have been centered more or less around The Silmarillion. While I absolutely love tales of the First Age, I know that’s not everyone’s cup of tea. Thus, I will turn my attention to Lord of the Rings for a time. In a letter to a fan, Tolkien throws in an interesting comment: “As far as…
On Elvish Mothers
In Morgoth’s Ring, there is a fascinating essay on the “Laws and Customs of the Eldar,” particularly concerning marriage, childbirth, and Elvish mothers. Much of the essay discusses the ceremonies and customs around betrothals and marriages. However, there are a few paragraphs that cover a topic rarely discussed in Tolkien’s writings: the bearing of children. The part that I find particularly…
A Tolkien Biopic–Will Anyone Actually Care?
Towards the end of November, The LA Times published an exclusive report that a Tolkien biopic is currently being written. “Tolkien led a complicated and colorful life,” the report notes. Surely people will be interested, right? Honestly, I’m not so sure. Yes, Tolkien did fight in World War I (at the Battle of the Somme, no less, one of the…
John Ronald *Reuel* Tolkien?
The “J.R.R.” in J.R.R. Tolkien stands for John Ronald Reuel Tolkien. The third name often confuses people (me included). What kind of a name is that, anyway? Family Origins Reuel was a family name; it was the middle name of Tolkien’s father (Arthur Reuel Tolkien). As of the initial publication of this post, I haven’t been able to determine whether…