Thoughts from Eryn Lasgallen

Hobbit Central

2011-04-05T15:33:00.000-04:00

A fine place to get your Hobbit movie news is Hobbit Central. There you will find what is being said about the story and filming of the Peter Jackson movies for The Hobbit. You'll also find a cast of characters list, book chapters scenarios, links page and more Hobbity things. It's simple and easy to get your Hobbit news without all the flash.

Hobbit Central

The Art of M. W. Kaluta

2011-02-23T15:39:00.000-05:00

In 1994 M. W. Kaluta created artworks for the Tolkien stories of the Lord of the Rings. Published by George Allen & Unwin, Ltd the illustrations cover famous as well as quiet bits of the story. For example we have Merry and Pippen at the Entmoot and Éowyn and the Witch-King of Angmar. Then there are the quiet moments that normally are not covered in Tolkien inspired art like Legolas drawing his gifted bow from Galadrial or one of my personal favorites Meriadoc the Magnificent and the Children of Samwise Hamfast. I really enjoy his artwork and especially this calendar. To see the calendar images in their entirety visit his website at...

The Art of M.W. Kaluta

The Barrows-Down

2011-02-20T14:26:00.001-05:00

The Barrow-Down was born in 1998 before the craze of New Line Cinema's Lord of the Rings movies. It has since grown into a huge site with many pages. There are many games, references and wonderful article links, as well as an active message forum too. So take some time and browse through their vast site of knowledge.

The Barrow-Downs

Asociacion Tolkien Argentina

2011-02-20T11:55:00.000-05:00

The Asociacion Tolkien Argentina or the Tolkien Association of Argentina is the place to be if you're a dwarf, elf or men (or women) in South America's Middle-earth. There are plenty of pages to explore from their text pages to a fun Links page with sites we in North America and elsewhere never have seen. It's always interesting to see what other Tolkien fans have accomplished on the web. Check them out.

Asociacion Tolkien Argentina

Middle-earth Enterprises

2011-02-14T11:21:00.000-05:00

Middle-earth Enterprises (formerly Tolkien Enterprises) is a licensing company who holds the rights to many of Tolkien's work including The Lord of the Rings to The Hobbit. This is the place to get permission to use the names of these works and their site clearly defines the procedures and contacts to getting the job done. You can also see who holds rights to the uses they provide from Warner Bros. to EA.

Middle-earth Enterprises

Wayne G Hammond & Chrisina Scull

2011-02-14T11:10:00.000-05:00

This couple is quite known the the Tolkien circle. They're best known as the authors of The Lord of the Rings: A Reader's Companion and Hammond's J.R.R. Tolkien: A Descriptive Bibliography. They also publish a newsletter entitled The Tolkien Collector which is a source for all things literature of Tolkien, collecting works, audio, video as well as translations. They also include a link to their literature blog and link list too.

Wayne G Hammond & Christina Scull

Marquette University

2011-02-10T14:17:00.000-05:00

Located in the Raynor Memorial Library at Marquette University is the amazing J.R.R. Tolkien Collection . Within the library you'll find three manuscripts and working drafts of The Hobbit, Farmer Giles of Ham and the Lord of the Rings to name of the few gems kept there.

Are you sitting down?

"The original manuscripts represent the heart of the collection. They include holograph renderings (manuscripts in the hand of the author), various sets of typescripts with corrections by Tolkien, and page proofs or galley sheets, also with corrections in the hand of the author. The manuscripts for The Lord of the Rings, 1938-1955, consist of 7,125 leaves (9,250 pages). Included are an advance proof copy of The Return of the King, printed maps of Middle-earth, dust jackets from the original Houghton Mifflin edition, several drafts of a rejected " Epilogue," and manuscript fragments from The Silmarillion (1977). Drawings and sketches, often in preliminary form in the margin of the text, can be found throughout the handwritten manuscripts. Linguistic and philological notes relating to Tolkien's invented languages also appear in the manuscripts, often on the verso of the main text. The documents reflect an extraordinary creative process; as many as 18 drafts exist for a single chapter. Christopher Tolkien, the author's son and literary heir, has presented the history of the composition of The Lord of the Rings in The History of Middle-earth series (Volumes VI, VII, VIII, and IX, 1988-1992).

The Hobbit manuscripts, 1930-1937, which consist of 1,048 leaves (1,586 pages), include a holograph version, corrected typescripts, three sets of page proofs with the author's corrections, a water-color rendering by Tolkien of the dust jacket used by Allen and Unwin, printed maps with corrections, a watercolor of trolls and Gollum by German artist Horus Engels, and the original copy of " Thror's Map." Most of the early holograph is a continuous text with no chapter divisions. The manuscripts for Farmer Giles of Ham, ca. 1930-1938, 1948-1949, comprising 173 leaves (201 pages), include a holograph, typescripts with corrections, and galley sheets with corrections. Mr. Bliss, ca. 1928-1932, includes 39 leaves (61 pages). In addition to the finished booklet which is 50 pages in length, separate " preliminary" drawings and jottings exist. The manuscript is in Tolkien's calligraphic hand, illustrated throughout with ink and colored pencil drawings. Galley sheets and an advance proof copy of the 1982 facsimile edition complete the primary holdings."

And there's more...

"The collection includes books by and about Tolkien, periodicals produced by Tolkien enthusiasts, audio and video recordings, and a host of published and unpublished materials relating to Tolkien's life and fantasy writings."

I was so speechless I had to use quotes directly from Marquette's webpage. It's unbelievable isn't it?

The J.R.R. Tolkien Collection at Marquette University.

Elven Minstrel.com

2011-02-06T08:54:00.000-05:00

Elven Minstrel.com is the brainchild of David J Finnamore. His pages includes an exploration of theology, music and cosmology. There is an interesting page entitled Christian Truth and Middle-earth Myth as well as another for the development of music of Middle-earth. Other pages includes quotes from the Lord of the Rings series and a fan fiction piece entitled The Elven Bard. The website is a nice journey into some interesting ideas fostered by Tolkien's work.

The Elven Minstrel.com

Beyond Bree

2011-02-04T18:16:00.000-05:00

Beyond Bree is a Tolkien special interest group of American Mensa. This online site is the leaping off site for their monthly newsletter for Mensan members as well as non-members. Most all links to Beyond Bree's flyer, author guidelines and more information is available to download as attachments. I've not seen the newsletter so really don't have an opinion of it. But curious folk can download all the information and decide for themselves.

Beyond Bree

Kim Benson

2011-02-03T07:58:00.000-05:00

Canadian born artist is a life long admirer of J.R.R. Tolkien's work. At a very tender age of 15 she read The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. Growing up in nature she began to put her own images of Middle-earth down on paper in the form of painting. This site of hers tells her story as well as gives you seven of her Tolkien inspired paintings as well as other endeavors too. You'll find her bio, ordering information and links page.

The piece you see here is entitled The Grey Pilgrim. I encourage you to visit her site to see the other paintings and to learn more about this accomplished artists.

Kim Benson Tolkie Art.net

Lord of the Rings Cookbook

2011-02-01T20:02:00.000-05:00

Ok, no joke I found this one day and because the recipe for Beorn’s Twice-Baked Honey-Cakes look so good I bookmarked it. The author describes this cookbook to follow the adventures in LoTR and The Hobbit with the same culinary mentions found in them. Every mention of food and drink that is mentioned is found in this cookbook with full recipes. Seriously, I may have to order this book.

Lord of the Rings Cookbook

The Dunedain

2011-01-30T16:13:00.000-05:00

The Dunedain.net is an interesting place. The first page consists of news with topics ranging from WETA Workshops to gaming. There is also The Dunedain Radio with podcasts featuring gaming, music and more for subject matter. There are also password protected areas for members only. In the Great Hall you'll find more podcasts as well as videos, books and media for LoTR fans including gaming and small budget movies (Hunt for Gollum & Born of Hope). Much of this material is for gaming and as I've mentioned in The Goal link above, I know little about. There is however, a music list of bands who have themes of Middle-earth and this is something very cool. What you won't find is anything to do with New Lines, Peter Jackson's LoTR series. That is what sets this site apart from most. Take a peak, you just may find something of interest there for you.

The Dunedain.net

Tolkien Reads Riddles in the Dark

2011-01-28T17:08:00.000-05:00

Tolkien Language List - TolkLang

2011-01-28T17:00:00.000-05:00

The Tolkien Language List or otherwise known as TolkLang is a searchable database / mailing list for those who wish to discuss all aspects of Tolkien's linguistics from LoTR. It appears all languages of Arda are included as well as the finer aspects such as grammar to his uses of the Old English too. There are also links to searchable data as well as other places online for discussion of the topics of language. It's not pretty but for those who are interested in linguistics of Arda probably worth a look.

Tolkien Language List

Hobbit In 5

2011-01-26T10:10:00.002-05:00

Hobbit In 5 is the dream child of ToRn. If you wish to keep up with the news flowing from New Zealand for the up and coming The Hobbit movie this may be your only place to stop. The segments of video tape only reports the cream of the crop news every Friday. If you're a fan but don't have the time to run around the net looking for the latest from the Jackson Camp or visit ToR.n regularly this may be your life line to Middle-earth and Thorin and company. No doubt after the films are made these will remain and become a walk down memory lane for the Tolkien fan.

Hobbit In 5

Ringzone

2011-01-23T20:04:00.000-05:00

Ringzone is a great way to keep abreast of the latest Tolkien news. It is a live stream of anything to do with the subject of Peter Jackson's LoTR movies and more. Their bi-line "Your Daily Tolkien Fix" is not misleading. So if you wish to have a quick fix news junket just visit Ringzone daily.

Annals of Arda

2011-01-21T12:36:00.000-05:00

Annals of Arda is another Tolkien reference website. You will find a wonderful reading list and bookstore links. There is also an extensive "Encyclopedia" where the webmaster has used Tolkien references to create a search of people, places and things of Arda. Their link list is quite varied including international sites. Cruising around this site you'll surely find some gems.

Annals of Arda

Planet Tolkien

2011-01-19T10:17:00.000-05:00

Planet Tolkien has been around for ages and has a wealth of information including a chronology of Tolkien's life, live chat room for registered members, slide show movie gallery, fan fiction area for members, message forums and personal journals for members. There's more of course but you'll have to go searching the site to find all the little nuggets they hide there. It's a family friendly site so you kids could also hang out on Planet Tolkien.

The Tolkien Music List

2011-01-16T19:50:00.000-05:00

The Tolkien Music List is quite an amazing collection of music inspired by Tolkien's literature. Not only do you find up to date additions of song with artists names you'll also find a wonderful links list of sources and on-line stores too. It's all alphabetical and easy to use. I can't say enough good stuff about this site. You should check it out. The Tolkien Music List.

Za Frûmi

2011-01-14T09:53:00.000-05:00

Za Frûmi is for Orcs and Urukis. This high energetic heavy rock band from Sweden caters to the darker side of Tolkien music. The page I've given you for a link directs you to their MySpace, Facebook pages and a few other sites to follow them. It's refreshing to know that even the darker side of Tolkien's worlds spawns admirers too. Check them out at Za Frûmi.

Lingalad

2011-01-11T16:06:00.000-05:00

Lingalad is the music inspired by Tolkien and performed by Italian musician Guiseppe Festa and the "wayfarer musicians" who perform with him. On this site you can read a biography, media such as DVD's & CD's, merchandise and more. It's small but interesting and I'm sure you may find the mp3's interesting as well.

Discover Lingalad

Coldal LoTR & Hobbit Quotes

2011-01-09T10:48:00.000-05:00

The Coldal LoTR Quotes and Hobbit Quotes pages created by Colin Dalziel is a small collection of quotes from both the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. Much of the text are accompanied by sound bites from various recordings. I enjoyed the recordings but was disappointed there is no mention of who the orator is. Many recordings of Tolkien's book are not found in the US and it would be wonderful to at least have knowledge of who produced, recorded and sold those books on discs.

Small but nicely done you can see and hear the quotes on Colin's Coldal Web Pages.

Happy New Year

2011-01-08T19:16:00.001-05:00

I want to wish you all a happy new year and to fill you in on plans with this blog. I've added a search option to the right so that you can search by website name. I've compiled more sites to add to this web guide and will start doing so tomorrow. In the meantime enjoy the weekend and thanks for checking in.

Wasatch Gnostic Society - Tolkien Lectures

2010-10-11T17:39:00.000-04:00

The Wasatch Gnostic Society out of Salt Lake City, Utah includes 3 Tolkien lectures in their archives written and let by Dr. Lance Owens. The series entitled J.R.R. Tolkien - An Imaginative Life is in three parts. It also hosts additional reading for those who want to delve deeper into the life of Tolkien. The tree lectures; Discovery of Faerie, Tolkien at the Crossroads & Tolkien and the Imaginative Tradition are available for download. Complete and well constructed I recommend these lectures highly.

J.R.R. Tolkien - An Imaginative Life

Cor Blok

2010-08-25T18:25:00.000-04:00

I have been meaning to create an entry for artist Cor Blok for quite some time. His 2011 calendar from Harper Row prompted me to get to it. His style is decidedly different than anything the average Tolkien fan has ever seen however, he is painted his infamous paints. This Dutch retired art history teacher painted over 100 paintings for The Lord of the Rings.

"His idea was a sort of Bayeux tapestry, including artificial aging. Painted on two pieces of rice paper, which were stuck together while wet. His work is well-known in Holland for three of his paintings were on the first Dutch paperback edition of the Dutch translation of The Lord of the Rings, and were on the covers from 1965 to 1979."

Just recently Cor did an interview while the calendar was in production. You can find it at Tolkien, The Official Online Bookstore in it's entirety. What has made his work last 50 years is the fact that Tolkien himself also loved his work. Now we know how picky Tolkien was and to find out the Dutch artist's abstract interpretations took Tolkien's heart is saying something. Take a look at that interview and you'll find an interesting man.

Riddles in the Dark

Rodney Matthews

2010-08-25T18:07:00.000-04:00

Illustrator for 35 years, Rodney Matthews has done everything from books, album covers, video games to Tolkien art. His science fiction / fantasy futuristic style is unique and memorable. Though a different style you can still see Tolkien's influence on Matthews Rivendell or The Nine Set Out found in the Gallery Poster & Calendar page. You can see an amazing Gandalf & Balrog is displayed on his News page.

To see the rest of his art visit his site Rodney Matthews.com

Edge of the Wild

2010-07-23T15:18:00.003-04:00

If you'll be in or around Gloucestershire, England on the weekend of August 13th make sure you stop in the Redesdale Hall for a JRR Tolkien and fantasy art inspired exhibition entitled "Edge of the Wild". The artists include Ted Nasmith, Ruth Lacon, Jef Murray and Peter Procownik.

The event is free to the public, starting Friday 13 of August 2010 till Monday the 16h. The preview party starts at 7 pm and hours for the exhibition are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

The Redesdale Hall
High Street, Moreton-in-Marsh
Gloucestershire, GL56 OAW

Tolkien Reads "Tale of Tinuviel"

2010-04-28T08:49:00.001-04:00

Gollum Rap

2010-04-24T16:34:00.003-04:00

OK so this is not exactly scholarly but hey, it's my blog and it's Tolkien related. Some time back I found this video and it was less ... polished. It appears the creators Ned Evett and Paul Teharr have worked on the appearance and now it rocks.

Enjoy!

Gollum Rap (Towers are the players)

Uruviel's Argonath Site

2010-04-22T10:21:00.003-04:00

Uruviel's Argonath Site is created by a fan to give us some interesting references such as sound bites, fan and film images, music videos, characters and cast lists and much more from the New Line Cinema's Lord of the Rings movies. It's an eclectic grouping of information and was thoroughly enjoyable to cruise through the many easily laid out pages.

For a stroll down memory lane I recommend Uruviel's Argonath Site.

Elvish Dialog List

2010-04-22T10:09:00.002-04:00

The Elvish Dialog List is edited by Ryszard Derdzinski with the help of others. If you've ever wondered what the non-westernese speaking peoples of Middle-earth in Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings movies this page is for you. Ryszard has taken the words spoken and to the best of his and his helps ability translated these words into English.

It's well done and easy to use. The Elvish Dialog List

About the Songs and Poems in the Lord of the Rings

2010-03-23T08:53:00.002-04:00

This site run and compiled by Gene Hargrove a composer of a wonderful collection of music of, as you've guessed, the songs and poems found in the Tolkien's literature of The Lord of the Rings. Hargrove presents the work in order as they appear in the books and includes MP3s to the songs as well as links to his 2 CD set and songbook as well. This is definitely worth a look especially if you love music inspired by Tolkien's world of Middle-Earth.

About the Songs and Poems in the Lord of the Rings

Festival in the Shire on Facebook

2010-02-05T12:28:00.003-05:00

Just recently I found the Festival in the Shire was on Facebook. The link can only be accessed when you are logged in. You can find it here.

Jonathan Peters - Lothlorien

2010-02-03T10:32:00.000-05:00

Festival in the Shire

2009-10-02T18:52:00.004-04:00

A celebration of all things Tolkien inspired!

Announcing the biggest and most exciting event for Tolkien enthusiasts in 2010: Festival in the Shire! This will be the most comprehensive event ever held for the fans of J.R.R. Tolkien, with a conference, a collector’s exposition of original art, rare books and memorabilia as well as a large festival with stalls and entertainment.

This event is quite an extensive annual event. You'll find an academic conference held at the Y Plas building in Machynlleth, Wales, a collector's exhibition and of course the large festival. To check for details of this wonderful event visit their website Festival in the Shire.

Lisa's Video Frame Capture Library

2009-06-12T11:43:00.002-04:00

Lisa's Video Frame Capture Library is an interesting place. She's captured still from an eclectic bunch of movies and posted them on her web site. One series is of course the Lord of the Ring's of New Line.

Easily navigated you can search by text links or thumbnails to find the movies and scenes you are looking for. There are even character galleries for individual searches as well as some unused scene caps. Upon this posting the gallery was last updated in January of 2009.

A good solid collection of screen caps can be found at the Lisa's Video Frame Capture Library.

Jerry Vanderstelt

2009-06-12T11:27:00.003-04:00

Recently I was introduced to Jerry Vanderstelt's work. This air brush artist has taken the medium to a new level. Jerry is contracted by New Line/Warner Bros. to create collectibles for the Lord of the Ring's movies. And wow does he do a magnificent job bringing the characters to life. I highly recommend this man's work and you can visit his web site to view terrific videos and find buying information too.

Visit Vanderstelt Studio.com and enjoy!

Just a quick note

2009-05-14T19:42:00.001-04:00

I have added a new category to the topics covered in the index. There is now a page for Fan Fiction.

LotR Costume

2009-05-14T18:50:00.003-04:00

LotR Costume is just what it implies. This extensive look at the wardrobe from the New Line Cinema's LotR series is carefully introduced to the reader. At one time the site owner followed the NLC traveling exhibit from place to place. Unfortunately, that no longer happens.

Another feature on this site are patterns for the clothing. Yes, you can make your own elven cloak or foot ware. She provides the McCalls pattern numbers for these items and information for the sewer. Amazingly enough, where there is no commercial pattern available, she makes one for you with directions. This site is a labor of love.

Even if you're not one to sew I recommend a look at LotR Costume

Quote

2009-05-13T20:05:00.001-04:00

Not all who wander are lost.

J.R.R. Tolkien

Tolkien speaks briefly about the Ring

2009-05-13T19:58:00.000-04:00

Tolkien Art on DeviantART

2009-05-13T19:38:00.003-04:00

There are many good artists out there who's passion is creating art inspired by Tolkien's work. And the reality is you will probably only see a small fraction of these artists make money or have the wide spread attention as their more 'famous' counterparts such as Alan Lee or John Howe receive.

DeviantART is a member driven site for artists of different mediums. On this site is one devoted to Tolkien. There are over 1000 artists belonging to this club and more are welcome to join them. It's quite a magnificent collection of work with diverse styles and all aspect of Tolkein's myths represented.

If you enjoy browsing through Tolkien inspired art from literally around the world don't miss the Tolkien Fan Community at DeviantART.

The Hall of Fire

2009-05-13T19:02:00.005-04:00

The Hall of Fire is a very friendly message board. If you are a current member of The One Ring.net's message boards you will recognize many members at The Hall.

The folks which post are knowledgeable and some of their forums include discussions of Tolkien's letters, chapter to chapter discussions and a forum for the book Arda Reconstructed: The Creation of the Published Silmarillion written by the administrator of The Hall of Fire Douglas Charles Kane.

The Arda Reconstructed forum is open to the general public. You do not have to be a registered member for this forum. Though most forums are open to view, there are a few you will need to register to read.

Easy to follow and friendly, check out The Hall of Fire.

Jef Murray

2009-04-30T13:25:00.003-04:00

@Jef Murray
Woody End

Mystical Realms - Jef Murray Studios is a magical place. Jef Murray, an accomplished artists for years includes in his collections his work inspired by Tolkien's writing.

His work is vibrant, fresh and unique. The primary medium is oil but it's not the dull colors old paintings generally produce. You'll be surprised I think to see the number of works you'd enjoy hanging in your house. And if you can afford them, they can be yours.

Enjoy the whole site and not just the Tolkien inspired ones. At Mystical Realms - Jef Murray Studios.

A Magpie's Nest

2009-04-30T13:11:00.006-04:00

A Magpie's Nest was created out of love. This truly amazing website is dedicated to the music of Howard Shore's soundtrack to the Lord of the Rings/New Line movies. You will find in-depth information regarding the soundtrack such as lyrics and master lists, themes written by Doug Adams, Diegetic analysis but also source songs and poems used in the project.

There is more and this site needs time to digest. The Link List in itself is a treasure trove of connections. But all is well presented and easy to follow.

If you enjoy music and the LotR series, you will enjoy A Magpie's Nest.

ADC art and books

2009-04-10T19:05:00.003-04:00

ADC publishers has a large catalog of Tolkien books and represents some fine artists. Once a year they host exhibition of their represented artists in Moreton in Marsh in Cotswold, England. This exhibition (named differently each year) is announced each year on their ADC Promotions page.

To view a PDF file of the 2009 artists work, visit the catalog on line entitled Land of Enchantment. The artists are Ted Nasmith, Peter Pracownik, Ruth Lacon and Jef Murray. The art is well worth the wait for the download to finish.

Peter Pracownnik

2009-04-10T18:46:00.003-04:00

Peter Pracownik is a citizen of Britain and has been quite successful as a fantasy artist since the late 1980's. His work includes a t-shirt and poster design for the Greatfull Dead in 1993, a designer of tarot cards for various companies and various other poster projects. He also is an artist with a great deal of knowledge of mythology and lore. Peter currently runs a gallery with artist Nicola Clare Lyndon in Tintagel called Another Green World.

Peter also is an artist who paints vibrant images of Tolkien's world. You can find his website The Enchanted World of Peter Pracownik has various images of his work. View the link to the Print Bar and you'll see the categories of all his work, Tolkien among them.

Enjoy!

The Council of Elrond

2009-03-29T14:23:00.005-04:00

The Council of Elrond or as they like to be known as 'The Original' Council of Elrond is a massive site. There are pages for the New Line Cinema movies, Elrond's Library has artists, Tolkien's poetry, summeries, a book forum and 'book club'. There is a Tolkien section with biography, artwork, articles to name a few topics.

There is a humor section, media section, fonts and you can even find recipes. I have not begun to dive into CoE but I can say once you go digging it is easy to find your way home again. It's huge, informative and a delight.

Aumaria

2009-03-29T13:57:00.002-04:00

Aumania which is part of Magic Market (the card role playing game people) have a secret. They have in their pages artwork of the Professor. My jaw dropped when I saw how many were collected in one place. Unfortunately, there are no maps of Middle-earth. If you are looking for maps, Council of Elrond has a page with various artists versions of maps included with a few of Tolkiens. You can find them here.

I think you will be quite surprised with the selection. Enjoy.

Lord of the Ring - A Visual Journey

2009-03-29T13:35:00.004-04:00

Lord of the Ring - A Visual Journey was created in 2002 during the New Line Cinema/Peter Jackson movie craze.

Included in these pages are poems of Tolkien, a small biography of the characters, screen caps from the movies and a lovely page of Pierre Vinet's portraits of the actors involved.

Erin Rua, the owner of this site also has a link to her fan fiction and poems which I've enjoyed occasionally.

Easy to navigate with it's nice simple design. Enjoy!

Quote

2009-03-08T20:03:00.001-04:00

His house was perfect, whether you liked food, or sleep, or work, or story-telling, or singing, or just sitting and thinking, best, or a pleasant mixture of them all.

J.R.R. Tolkien

Official Lord of the Rings.net

2009-03-05T18:44:00.004-05:00

The Official Lord of the Rings.net is New Line Cinemas official movie site for all three LoTR movies. You can still find interviews, movie stills, merchandise, videos (including behind the scenes), downloads and more.

New Line has also linked themselves to The Hobbit: The Official Movie Blog. Whether you want to take a walk down memory lane or are new to these movies this site is still helpful.

Official Lord of the Rings.net

Bri-Tolkienselskabet i København

2009-03-04T19:40:00.003-05:00

Bri-Tolkienselskabet i København (Bree-The city gate) is a Danish Tolkien Society. There is a message forum, the Library has extensive images of events, there are reference pages and more.

The site has one page in English to give you an idea what is available. So if Danish is not a language you master this sight will not help you. Having said that is does look easy to navigate and easy on the eyes.

Bri-Tolkienselskabet i København

Science Fiction Timeline Site

2009-03-04T19:27:00.002-05:00

The Science Fiction Timeline Site is quite cool. There is a Tolkien page. There is a The Reading Order Calculator as well as Reading Order Facts page. It's quite a challenge to read Tolkien's stories in chronological order but here they have given you the indicators to do just that. Fascinating and mind-blowing to think about it right?

The Science Fiction Timeline Site is maintained by Larry King of the University of Washington. And is contributed by various other Sci-Fi junkies.

You've got to check it out.

The Science Fiction Timeline Site

J.R.R. Tolkien reads 'Elbereth Gilthoniel'

2009-02-25T20:26:00.001-05:00

The Music of the Lord of the Rings Films

2009-02-25T19:40:00.005-05:00

Right here on blogger you can find Doug Adam's web site regarding Howard Shore. If you were impressed with New Line's LoTR series and it's music you can understand why someone would want to keep track of live performances by various orchestras performing this music. Doug's site lists international dates and ticket information to up and coming events. He also keeps tabs on Shore's other endeavors too.

Doug is writing a book entitled The Music of the Lord of the Rings Films and has a terrific FAQ page which explains everything.

This site is up to date and easy to navigate.

The Music of the Lord of the Rings Films

Quote

2009-02-19T20:09:00.000-05:00

Faithless is he that says farewell when the road darkens.

J.R.R. Tolkien

The Tolkien Trail

2009-02-19T19:51:00.005-05:00

The Tolkien Trail is a unique site in that it's pages uses original artwork. There are games to play, a message board, fan writings and they have a Cafe Press marketplace to buy Entmoot t-shirts. There are MP3's of spoken word poetry, parodies of songs and more. One of my favorite pages is Lothlorien. Here you will find original art by fans. My favorite by far is Juan Albuerne of Spain sculptures.

For a different feel of Tolkien visit The Tolkien Trail.

Tolkien Movies.com

2009-02-19T19:37:00.002-05:00

TolkienMovies.com founded in August of 1998 is primarily a news site for the New Line series of LoTR. They also now include news of the Hobbit and Prequel movies soon to be made. There is a message board, images and people (actors) pages as well as a store. No doubt the advertisements on this site pay for the up keep however, their news is up to date and the pages are not to messy with adds.

To find news quickly visit TolkienMovies.com.

Mordor: The Land of the Shadow

2009-02-18T19:53:00.007-05:00

Feeling Orcish? Well Mordor is the place to be. In these pages you will feel right at home. This encyclopedic version of Mordor and it's dark places tells the stories and gives maps of the land. You can also join the black speech message forum. Not all are hobbits, elves and dwarfs. A must see if you like being a slave to Sauron.

Mordor: The Land of the Shadow

Internet Sacred Text Archives

2009-02-18T19:42:00.002-05:00

The Internet Sacred Text Archives is a source of sources per say. You will find sacred texts for any topic including a listing for Tolkien. The listing is made up of books which inspired the Professor to write his Middle-earth sagas. The Volsung Saga and The Mabinogion are but a few of the sources Tolkien used.

A truly interesting site on it's own and helpful for those doing research on the Professor.

The Internet Sacred Text Archives

Ambar Eldaron

2009-02-17T20:33:00.003-05:00

Ambar Eldaron is a French Tolkien Site. There are many pages to explore at Ambar Eldaron. The easiest way to get around is the site map. There you can navigate through transcribed elvish texts, links to Elvish/French dictionaries, game pages, merchandise for sale, some art work, a message forum and more. This site primarily delves into the Elvish languages and includes interviews of some who have written books on the subject.

There is an English section (you'll find it easily on the bottom of the site map) with lot's of goodies. It's worth the exploration.

Ambar Eldaron

Ted Nasmith

2009-02-16T19:34:00.003-05:00

Ted Nasmith is quite well know as an illustrator of Tolkien novels such as The Silmarillion, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. His medium is primarily watercolors and gouache on illustration board. The results are full bodied paintings rich in color and emotion.

His site also presents other work (one can not be content with only Tolkien inspired works) including architectural renderings, automotive illustrations and other subjects.

If you enjoy Tolkien inspired artwork take a look at Ted Nasmith.

The Fall of Gil-galad

2009-02-16T19:20:00.000-05:00

The Fall of Gil-galad

Gil-galad was an Elven-king.
Of him the harpers sadly sing:
the last whose realm was fair and free
between the Mountains and the Sea.

His sword was long, his lance was keen,
his shining helm afar was seen;
the countless stars of heaven's field
were mirrored in his silver shield.

But long ago he rode away,
and where he dwelleth none can say;
for into darkness fell his star
in Mordor where the shadows are.

J.R.R. Tolkien

A Chronological Bibliography of Books About Tolkien

2009-02-16T13:42:00.001-05:00

A Chronological Bibliography of Books About Tolkien compiled by Åke Bertenstam is another wonderful resource. Easily laid out and perfect for researchers this very long page is loaded with information. Though when I looked at this page it seemed to end in 2004 (no doubt when the Tolkien craze was in full swing) it still is valuable to some.

A Chronological Bibliography of Books About Tolkien compiled by Åke Bertenstam.

A Chronological Bibliography of the Writings of J.R.R. Tolkien

2009-02-16T13:37:00.003-05:00

A Chronological Bibliography of the Writings of J.R.R. Tolkien compiled by Åke Bertenstam is exactly as the name implies.

This list not only includes Tolkien's own books but also contributions to other books, as well as contributions to periodicals too. The dating starts as early as 1910 and beyond. It's quite a list and easy to follow links for more information.

It's very well done.

A Chronological Bibliography of the Writings of J.R.R. Tolkien compiled by Åke Bertenstam.

Cambridge Tolkien Society

2009-02-16T13:27:00.004-05:00

The Cambridge Tolkien Society was founded in 1984 and has a journal entitled the Anor published approximately three times a year. The events includes game nights, pub nights, reading and discussion nights and more. There are plenty of contact information but nothing about memberships. It certainly looks like their an active bunch.

The Cambridge Tolkien Society

Born of Hope

2009-02-16T13:14:00.003-05:00

Born of Hope is an independent film produced by Actors at Work Productions. On this website you will learn of it's beginning, the storyline, stills, trailers and much more. This web site is well laid out and interactive as well. You can leave a question on their Q&A page and it will be answered. There is also a Diary page too.

The film looks promising.

Born of Hope

The Burrow-Downs

2009-02-14T19:45:00.003-05:00

The Burrow-Downs is a discussion forum. The forum discussions are primarily about the books, games and role playing. There is however, one forum for the movies and another for fan fiction too. It's not to big and looks active. To post you'll need to register. Looks quite friendly.

The Burrow-Downs

Quote

2009-02-14T19:29:00.001-05:00

'Many that live deserve death. And some die that deserve life. Can you give it to them? Then be not too eager to deal out death in the name of justice, fearing for your own safety. Even the wise cannot see all ends.'

J.R.R. Tolkien

J.R.R. Tolkien recites 'The Hoard'

2009-02-14T19:17:00.001-05:00

Fellowship of the Word-smiths

2009-02-14T19:02:00.003-05:00

Fellowship of the Word-smiths or Gwaith I-Phethdain is an interesting site. Created by Ryszard Igor Jerzy Derdzinski for his love of the Elvish languages, he has collected many pages of reference of the major Elvish languages, dialog from all three New Line LoTR productions, essays, compositions, links to downloads to learn these languages, message forum and more.

It's a very interesting site.

Fellowship of the Word-smiths

Italian Tolkien Society

2009-02-14T18:45:00.002-05:00

The Italian Tolkien Society has a website that is large but easy to navigate. There is reference material available, their own publications, large community and links pages. This site is only available in Italian.

Italian Tolkien Society

Dan Smith's Fantasy Fonts

2009-02-12T08:45:00.003-05:00

Dan Smith's Fantasy Fonts for Windows is a wonderful site if you are interested in the fonts used in Tolkien's work. Dan explains much including the history of the fonts in Middle-earth and who used them.

The topics are the historic runes used in The Hobbit, Tengwar andCirth Elvish languages. You not only can download Window versions of the fonts but he also includes amazing links to books regarding the subject and other sites for information.

It's easy, interesting and free.

Dan Smith's Fantasy Fonts

A Tolkien Dictionary

2009-02-12T08:35:00.002-05:00

A Tolkien Dictionary created by John Ireland may be useful for those interested in Middle-earth etymology. Ireland's sources are the indexes of The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion.

Also included on the bottom of the page is a link to a Tolkien Language List though it appears you may have to be a member of something (not quite clear as to what) in order to access the information. If anyone has information on what the List has to offer and to what you must join to access it please feel free to contact me at lasgalenarts@gmail.com. I will pass any information along in this blog.

A Tolkien Dictionary

Council-of-Elrond

2009-02-11T18:40:00.005-05:00

The Council-of-Elrond.com (not to be mixed up with The Council of Elrond) is a massive site. Their welcome letter says it all.

Greetings friends, from the Council-of-Elrond, the last homely house. The Council-of-Elrond was created by fans and admirers of JRR Tolkien to continue the community that had developed over the years at imladris.net when it closed.

Here you can find transcripts of all the LotR films, Middle Earth Fonts, Middle Earth Genealogy charts, Middle Earth Fan Fiction, a LotR Gallery, a large selection of Middle Earth Online Java Games, a friendly forum where you can find discussions and fun on a wealth of subjects, and a whole lot more.

All are welcome here who come in peace.

You can view the message forums and all of the other reference materials, their fan fictions sections as well as sending an e-card using their massive New Line movie stills collection (currently unavailable). All in all it's quite easy to get around and worth a look.

Council of Elrond.com

The US Tolkien Guide

2009-01-29T19:50:00.004-05:00

The US Tolkien Guide is very similar to TolkienBooks.net. Here is a little bit about what they are achieving.

The U.S. Tolkien archive project aims to compile the complete printing history of Tolkien books in the United States, taking factors into account that are not commonly addressed by other sources, such as cover designs, original RRP (Regular Retail Price) and other data for reprints. Not all of this information will be published in the guide.

Though all the titles published by author J.R.R. Tolkien are listed here, this isn't so much a bibliography as it is a guide to locating the many editions and variants of them.

This guide is very easy to use. For example I clicked on the link to Smith of Wootton Major and was brought to a page very easy to read and find quick information. This page also included some surprises for me as well.

There is also a related works section which must have been quite an undertaking. It includes reference and criticism titles too. There is also a small Links page which bibliophiles may enjoy.

It is uncertain if this site is kept up to date however, there is contact information available.

The US Tolkien Guide

TolkienBooks.net

2009-01-29T19:36:00.004-05:00

This site has a wealth of information for those collecting British editions of Professor Tolkien's books. Their goal is:

TolkienBooks.net is the home of An Illustrated Tolkien Bibliography.The website aims to list all British editions of the published writings of John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (author of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings) and to illustrate changes to the texts and covers.

You are privy to a lot of information regarding editions, what the print run numbers were and much, much more. My favorite pages are from the Articles section. Here you can find the contents and more information regarding all Tolkien's Middle-earth titles and a few scholarly titles too.

This site is very easy to navigate and is kept up to date with new collectors information.

TolkienBooks.net

Alberto Moneiro's Tolkien Page

2009-01-29T19:20:00.002-05:00

This site created by Alberto Moneiro is quite good for no frills timeline references for Middle-earth. Though sadly you will also find some broken links, there is also a page of compiled hair and eye color for characters of Middle-earth. These pages are not extensive nor pretty but from what I've seen they're accurate.

Alberto Moneiro's Tolkien Page

BBC Birmingham Features - brief biography

2009-01-29T19:12:00.003-05:00

This is a brief biography with a few archived images of J.R.R. Tolkien. I add it here because for reference reasons there may be a need for someone who needs just quick specifics.

BBC Birmingham Features - brief bio

Interview with Dennis Gerrolt - BBC 4 radio show 'Now reads on'

2009-01-23T18:36:00.001-05:00

Quote

2009-01-23T17:54:00.003-05:00

'I wish life was not so short,' he thought. 'Languages take such a time, and so do all the things one wants to know about.'

J.R.R. Tolkien

Rowns Books

2009-01-23T17:44:00.002-05:00

Rowns Books located in the US is an easy to use website for those book collectors of Tolkien. A simple Tolkien subject field makes for fun shopping. Also included on this site are special catalog sections and an offline search service available. In the signed section there are some interesting finds though not so much J.R.R. Tolkien himself have penned his name. It's worth the time to keep your eyes open. You never know what may show up for sale here.

Rowns Books

Myhtopoeic Society

2009-01-23T17:18:00.005-05:00

The Mythopoeic Society is located in Altadena, California.

The Mythopoeic Society is a non-profit organization promoting the study, discussion, and enjoyment of fantastic and mythic literature through books and periodicals, annual conferences, discussion groups, awards, and more.

We are especially interested in the works of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and Charles Williams, prominent members of the informal Oxford literary circle known as the “Inklings” (1930s-1950s).

This society has much to offer to its' members including The Mythic Cycle a quarterly magazine members contribute to. There are discussion groups, members own website links page, a link page specifically housing links to other Inkling sites and there own linguistic pages including The Elvish Linguistic Fellowship and PARMA ELDALAMBERON 13.

The Mythopoeic Society

Tolkien Universe

2009-01-23T16:50:00.002-05:00

Tolkien Universe is a french site dedicated to LoTR in films. Their up to date news is for viewings of the movies and hearing the score of them live. Now included is news regarding the up and coming Hobbit movie too. There are members forums and a few reference pages as well.

It looks like a well kept site.

Tolkien Universe

J.R.R. Tolkien sings 'Troll Sat Alone On His Seat Of Stone'

2009-01-16T20:29:00.000-05:00

Lakeside Gallery - Roger and Linda Garland

2009-01-16T20:07:00.003-05:00

Middle-earth
@Roger Garland

Lakeside Gallery is the gallery owned by artists Roger and Linda Garland. Their artwork leans towards subjects of mythology and fantasy including Tolkien.

Roger's work is fresh and clean. There are subjects painted from The Silmarillion such as Ulmo, Lord of the Waters and Luthien in the Woods of Neldoreth to name a few of my personal favorites.

If you enjoy art inspired by Tolkien this is a must see.

Lakeside Gallery

Quote

2009-01-16T19:59:00.002-05:00

'It's a job that's never started that takes the longest to finish.'

J.R.R. Tolkien

Thorton's Bookshop

2009-01-13T19:49:00.003-05:00

Thorton's Bookshop located in Oxford, England can help you find out of print and rare publications of or about J.R.R. Tolkien. You can join their mailing list or if you click on their logo you get their extensive list of categories of which Tolkien is one of.

Just to experiment I checked on The Hobbit and was given 11 books. The books ranged from the story itself {the Moroccan leather bound edition for $1417.40 was tempting)to literary criticism titles.

This looks like a good place to start your collection.

Thorton's Bookshop

Deutsche Tolkien Gesellschaft E.V.

2009-01-13T19:27:00.004-05:00

Deutsche Tolkien Gesellschaft E.V. was founded in 1997. Their website contains up to date Tolkien news, reference pages, and the group appears to be quite active. They do seem to have several events during the year and have their own publications.

Unfortunately, they do not have an English page version of their site but do promise one in the future.

Deutsche Tolkien Gesellschaft E.V.

Compleat Gyde to Tolkien Calendars

2009-01-13T19:07:00.003-05:00

The Compleat Gyde to Tolkien Calendars is a well organized, informational site for those who collects calendars. It is easy to navigate and with a chronological list dating back to 1969 it is quite thorough too. The rarity scale used can help you determine if your calendar is one of value. They include an image of a calendar cover dated in 1973 the year the professor died.

The Compleat Gyde to Tolkien Calendars

Tolkien recites "Namárië"

2009-01-12T20:15:00.000-05:00

Tolkien Collector - The Collectible Hobbit

2009-01-12T19:50:00.003-05:00

Tolkien Collector - The Collectible Hobbit is specifically for those collecting Tolkien inspired items. From books, jewelry, clothing to swords you can find it there at the Collectible Hobbit. There is also a chat room and Tolkien sudoku page. So if you're in the mood to shop this is probably one of many but very easy to navigate.

Tolkien Collector - The Collectible Hobbit

Unquedor

2009-01-12T18:09:00.006-05:00

Unquedor Tolkien Genootschap is a Dutch Tolkien society. Founded in 1981 their website indicates they're an active society.

There is an up to date news page, the society's agenda is on line, Tolkien history, links, message forum and much more. They do not however, have an English version of this website.

As they say in Dutch, "Spreek, vriend, en treed binnen".

Unquedor Tolkien Genootschap

Lord of the Ring Fanatics Site

2009-01-11T19:12:00.006-05:00

Another huge site is The Lord of the Rings Fanatics Site was created by Philip Kooijman in 2001. A little daunting this site has everything from Tolkien reference pages to a Fanatics Plaza with a message board you literally can get lost in. They also have a Merchandise Shop inspired by the New Line Cinema LoTR series.

There are many pages so bring a ball of string.

Lord of the Rings Fanatics Site

Rolozo Tolkien

2009-01-11T18:42:00.002-05:00

Rolozo Tolkien (hosted by TheOneRing.net) created by Ryan Eric Lovett of California has collected quite a few images, drawings and paintings of Tolkien images on the web. The artists range in the most successful to the amateur and in itself is pretty amazing.

The gallery is quite easy to follow. It is sectioned out easily with topics ranging from book illustrations to Tolkien calendars. There is even one page for images of Tolkien himself.

It is sad however that no images have been added since 2006. But when you think of the work involved to keep such a huge site up to date it is understandable. The site is truly a gem.

Rolozo Tolkien

The Tolkienion

2009-01-11T13:56:00.004-05:00

The Tolkienion is one of the top notch Tolkien sites out there and was created in 2001 by Steven White. It is well organized and easy on the eyes. A small image page provides links to several major artists work including the site owner Steven White himself.

Also included are a text page which includes a terrific assortment of written works by Tolkien, a lexicon and a HUGE links page.

Have fun at the The Tolkienion.

The Mirror of Galdriel

2009-01-11T12:50:00.003-05:00

@Alan Lee

The Mirror of Galadriel is a site was created by a fan named Douglas Eckhart. It's well constructed and helpful for an over view of the stories of Middle-earth, Tolkien's maps, artwork from Alan Lee and John Howe, and index of the races and a few more reference pages too. Also available is an on-line chat room.

A fans love of Tolkien's work is behind this site, I include it here because it is a gentle introduction to those just searching for information about Middle-earth.

The Mirror of Galadriel

Free map of Middle-earth to down load

2009-01-11T12:32:00.004-05:00

Not a very pretty page however, begun by Chris Taylor and now kept by Chris Guerette this down loadable map, this free gift from the Chris's is for you to take. Last updated 11.24.04 here is a message from the webmaster.

"I am the webmaster of this internet site that has the 506 KB map of Middle-earth with the annotations of source information in the upper right hand corner and ANYONE has permission to print a copy of the file image for personal use."
-Christopher Guerette

The complete map of Middle-earth

The Last Homely House

2009-01-10T20:40:00.004-05:00

@ Alan Lee

The Last Homely House is a small site that includes an illustrations page solely of Rivendell. Not much else is Tolkien related other than a few passages from the Lord of the Rings books on the bottom of the illustrations page.

The site owner Aaron Fuegi does however have links to the artists websites on the Rivendell page. And that is worth a look.

The Last Homely House