Tolkien Anomalies

Tales Before Tolkien: The Roots of Modern Fantasy, Edited and with Commentary by Douglas A. Anderson. (2005)

“A superb collection, a splendid and much-needed book. Anderson has cleared away the dross and shown us the golden roots of fantasy before it became a genre.” –Michael Moorcock, author of The Eternal Champion. Many of today’s top names in fantasy acknowledge J.R.R. Tolkien as the author whose work inspired them to create their own epics. But which writers influenced Tolkien himself? In a collection destined to become a classic in its own right, internationally recognized Tolkien expert Douglas A. Anderson, editor of The Annotated Hobbit, has gathered the fiction of the many gifted authors who sparked Tolkien’s imagination. Included are Andrew Lang’s romantic swashbuckler “The Story of Sigurd,” which features magic rings and a ferocious dragon; an excerpt from E. A. Wyke-Smith’s The Marvelous Land of Snergs, about creatures who were precursors to Tolkien’s hobbits; and a never-before-published gem by David Lindsay, author of A Voyage to Arcturus, a novel that Tolkien praised highly both as a thriller and as a work of philosophy, religion, and morality.
In stories packed with magical journeys, conflicted heroes, and terrible beasts, this extraordinary volume is one that no fan of fantasy or Tolkien should be without. These tales just might inspire a new generation of creative writers.” – Google Books.

Ranking: Essential.

File Code: Fantasy. Anthology. Softcover.

The Film Book of J. R. R. Tolkien’s ‘The Lord of the Rings’ (1978) Ballantine Books.

“Over 130 pictures from the Fantasy Films presentation of ‘The Lord of the Rings Part One, with a text based on the film script. Produced by Saul Zaentz. Directed by Ralph Bakshi.” -from the book. Got this many, many years later at Half-Price.

Ranking: Keeper.

File Code: ‘Film Book’. Hardback.

The Tolkien Quiz Book, by Andrew Murray (1996)

“1,200 questions on the works of J. R. R. Tolkien.” The cover is great; Gandalf and the Hobbits in front of the Doors of Durin, trying to solve the riddle of how to open them.

Ranking: Keeper.

File Code: Trivia. Quiz Book. Softcover.

There and Back Again: An Actor’s Tale, by Sean Astin (with Joe Layden). (2004)

Astin’s experience with the films and Tolkien’s work, told by what is surely one of the most level-headed and warm members of that company of actors (he rather mirrors his character of Sam Gamgee in that respect). Its place in the Tolkien Shrine is technically honorary, but well earned.

Ranking: Essential.

File Code: Biography. Film. Hardback.

Final Witness, by Simon Tolkien. (2002)

The only reason I have this is because he is Tolkien’s grandson. I’ve never even tried to read this mystery.

Ranking: ?

File Code: Mystery. Hardback.

Bored of the Rings, by the Harvard Lampoon (Henry N. Beard and Douglas C. Kenney) (1969)

Reissued as ‘Not the inspiration for any epic motion picture!’ Still funny, which is more than I can say about any of the other newer parodies. I think the difference might be, beyond better writing, an element of affection; as the writers say, “All fooling aside, we consider ourselves honored to be able to make fun of such an impressive, truly masterful work of genius and imagination.” Kenney, a co-founder of the National Lampoon, also wrote on ‘Animal House’ and ‘Caddyshack’. Features a parody map of “Lower Middle Earth”.

Ranking: Essential.

File Code: Parody. Novel. Softcover.

The Wobbit: A Parody, by The Harvard Lampoon. (2013)

Somewhere along the way, these folks lost the path. A good parody is not just a bunch of puns and non-sequiturs and belittling something; there should be a bit of a storyline goal. Here the goal seems to be to reach the end of the book and get to the point where ‘Bored of the Rings’ begins. Or maybe I’m just not as engaged by the modern pop culture they satirize.

Ranking: Rank. Dispensable.

File Code: Parody. Softcover.

The Sellamillion, by ‘A. R. R. R. Roberts’ (Adam Roberts), (2015)

I … cannot … even … the blank stupidity …

Ranking: Not just Dispensable, but Disposable.

File Code: Twaddle Disguising as Satire. Hardback.