Fellow Traveler?

A Middle-earth Traveler: Sketches from Bag-End to Mordor (2018) by John Howe is the last of my post-birthday, pre-postmortem (for The Rings of Power) Middle-earth purchases, a collection of art and reminiscences from John Howe, the lesser concept artist from the Jackson Tolkien films, produced after the Hobbit trilogy. Howe is on the verge of being in my bad books at the moment for his defense of the upcoming Amazon production, but I suppose he must support it for commercial reasons, and from a design standpoint it seems … passable, if occasionally regrettable. I suppose Howe will even release some sort of connected art book. In which case, I might feel doubts about buying it. A Middle-earth Traveler may be the last book of his that I can whole-heartedly support.

“Combining concept work produced for films, existing Middle-earth art, and many new paintings and sketches exclusive to this book, A Middle-earth Traveler will take the reader on a unique and unforgettable journey across Tolkien’s magical landscape”. – Amazon.

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies Chronicles: Art and Design: The Epic Title Continues ... Into the Archive

 

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies Chronicles: Art and Design (2014) written by Daniel Falconer with a forward by John Howe. 

These are beautiful books, but I don't know why I continue to buy them, except that I started the series, they're Tolkien-adjacent, and I have a compulsive streak. There is, thankfully, only one more (Cloaks and Daggers) but it is of course the most expensive for some reason. Could it possibly be because of Evangeline Lilly as Tauriel on its cover? The cover here is much more ... abstract.

J. R. R. Tolkien: In a Hole in the Ground There Lived ...

The Hobbit: An Illustrated Edition, With Text by J. R. R. Tolkien and Illustrations from the Film by Arthur Rankin, Jr. and Jules Bass. (1977)

One of my inaugurating purchases from the Science Fiction Book Club (four books for a penny plus shipping), probably from late 1978. I wrote my name and phone number in it, because I had to take it to school to show off. Even through all these years I’ve managed to preserve the plastic see-through cover with Smaug on it; the occasional copies I’ve seen in used bookstores are inevitably missing it. It is somewhat brittle. John used to have (still does maybe) a smaller, softcover copy. At the time, the next best thing to having the animated special. Full of cell illustration, production art, and had two foldouts: The Elves capture the Dwarves and The Battle of Five Armies.

Ranking: Bass … I mean, Essential.

File Code: Fantasy. Novel. Animation. Hardback.

The Annotated Hobbit, by J. R. R. Tolkien. Annotated by Douglas A. Anderson. (1988)

“The definitive edition of this beloved children's classic, featuring a wealth of accompanying illustrations and notes which take the reader further into both the story, and the tale of how it was written. … As with all classics, repeated readings continue to bring new detail and perspectives to the reader's mind, and Tolkien's Middle-earth is a vast mine of treasures and knowledge, its roots delving deep into folklore, mythology and language. The Hobbit is, therefore, an ideal book for annotation: as well as offering a marvellous and entrancing story, it introduces the reader to the richly imagined world of Middle-earth, a world more fully and complexly realised in The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion. Douglas Anderson's annotations make fascinating reading. Additionally, many of Tolkien's own illustrations embellish the text, and numerous illustrations from foreign editions exhibit an extraordinary range of visual interpretation. In an appendix there are details of the revisions made by Tolkien at various times to the published text, which provide an uncommon and privileged glimpse into the special concerns of an exceptional and painstaking writer.” – Amazon. Includes personal photos and the postcard of ‘The Mountain Spirit’ that Tolkien labeled ‘Origin of Gandalf’. I love a fine annotated edition!

Ranking: Essential.

File Code: Annotated. Fantasy. Novel. Hardback.

The Hobbit, by J. R. R. Tolkien. Illustrated by Michael Hague. (1984)

I had so many other books illustrated by Hague, of course I had to get this one too, especially since it was ‘The Hobbit’. I can’t say I’m especially fond of his Bilbo, though; he looks like he’s five years old and not quite heavy enough. Hague later went on to do illustrations for Easton Press editions of The Lord of the Rings; his style, more suited for juveniles, was not the best fit there, although it brings a good Rackham-esque quality here. I remember when I bought this at Hastings, I was able to bargain for a discount because the cover was damaged.

Ranking: Essential.

File Code: Fantasy. Novel. Hardback. Illustrated.

The Annotated Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien: Revised and Expanded Edition. Annotated by Douglas A Anderson. (2002)

“The Annotated Hobbit: Revised and Expanded Edition is a new edition of The Annotated Hobbit (1988). This new edition includes several hard-to-find poems by J.R.R. Tolkien:

• "Goblin Feet"
• "Enigmata Saxonica Nuper Inventa Duo"
• "Iúmonna Gold Galdre Bewunden"
• "Progress in Bimble Town"
• "The Root of the Boot"
• "The Dragon's Visit"
• "Elvish Song in Rivendell" (previously unpublished)
• "Glip" (previously unpublished)
• "The Quest of Erebor"

For readers throughout the world, The Hobbit serves as an introduction to the enchanting world of Middle-earth, home of elves, wizards, dwarves, goblins, dragons, orcs and a host of other creatures depicted in The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion -- tales that sprang from the mind of the most beloved author of all time, J.R.R. Tolkien. Newly expanded and completely redesigned, Douglas A. Anderson's The Annotated Hobbit is the definitive explication of the sources, characters, places, and things of J.R.R. Tolkien's timeless classic. Integrated with Anderson's notes and placed alongside the fully restored and corrected text of the original story are more than 150 illustrations showing visual interpretations of The Hobbit specific to many of the cultures that have come to know and love Tolkien's Middle-earth. Tolkien's original line drawings, maps and color paintings are also included, making this the most lavishly informative edition of The Hobbit available. The Annotated Hobbit shows how Tolkien worked as a writer, what his influences and interests were, and how these relate to the invented world of Middle-earth. It gives a valuable overview of Tolkien's life and the publishing history of The Hobbit and explains how every feature of The Hobbit fits within the rest of Tolkien's invented world. Here we learn how Gollum's character was revised to accommodate the true nature of the One Ring, and we can read the full text of The Quest of Erebor, Gandalf's explanation of how he came to send Bilbo Baggins on his journey with the dwarves. Anderson also makes meaningful and often surprising connections to our own world and literary history -- from Beowulf to The Marvellous Land of Snergs, from the Brothers Grimm to C. S. Lewis.” – From the Publisher [quoted on Tolkien Gateway]. Expanded – yet physically smaller than the original, which makes the pictures a little harder to appreciate.

Ranking: Essential.

File Code: Fantasy. Novel. Annotated. Hardback.

The Hobbit, by J. R. R. Tolkien. (2007)

This edition was produced to go along with “The History of The Hobbit” and has all the line and color drawings by Tolkien, and the cover is reproduced exactly to Tolkien’s own original design and desires.

Ranking: Essential.

File Code: Fantasy. Novel. Hardback.

The Hobbit, by J. R. R. Tolkien. Illustrated by Jemima Catlin. (2013)

“The first new illustrated edition of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit since Alan Lee’s iconic illustrations brought the much-loved children’s tale to life in 1997. The Hobbit, illustrated by Jemima Catlin, published in both hardback and a deluxe foiled slipcase edition, contains 150 brand new colour illustrations. Jemima’s work is quirky and whimsical, taking inspiration from classic children’s book illustrators like E.H. Shephard’s Winnie the Pooh and Tove Jansson’s Moomins, along with Japanese anime from Studio Ghibli such as Howl’s Moving Castle and Spirited Away.” – tolkienlibrary.com. Not, in my opinion, all that good, but it’s The Hobbit, dammit, and somebody already had it (was it Kenny? Or Morgandy?) and Hobbit envy DEMANDED I have it. I’M the Tolkien guy!

Ranking: Essential.

File Code: Fantasy. Novel. Illustrated. Hardback.

The Hobbit, by J. R. R. Tolkien. (Russian 2005)

“I do not read Russian; I do not speak Russian. So why would I buy (at a rather steep price, at that) a book almost completely in Russian? Why, because it's an edition of The Hobbit with original illustrations, both painted and sketched, of course! I first discovered the existence of this volume on a site called Babel Hobbits (fortuitous name!), a place dedicated to foreign editions of Tolkien. Here I found out not only the date of publication (2005) and the name of the illustrator (Denis Gordeev), but also reproductions (via photographs, not scans) of all the color illustrations. These were detailed enough and obscure enough, due to the book not laying completely flat, to excite my admiration. I could see that here were pictures that were definitely Tolkienian, but untouched by most Western conceptions: a vision characteristically Russian. I conceived the compulsion to own this book. First, I had to make sure I got the right Russian Hobbit. There have been at least several different editions over the years, and some have been re-released in the last decade or so. Apparently there are Tolkien enthusiasts over there as rabid as any in the world. I finally tracked down what I made sure was the correct one on eBay; the seller was actually in Russia, and the shipping was almost half again the cost of the book. Fortunately I was flush at the time with my tax return, so I dropped almost ninety dollars on a book that not only had I read many times before, but at the same time couldn't read at all. And I sat down to wait. It takes a long damn time for a package to come from Russia. I waited almost three months. During that time I constantly fretted; after the second month I checked the mailbox obsessively, and even began to wonder if maybe I had been suckered. What the heck could I do if someone half a world away had simply taken my money and ran? I had almost decided to contact the seller (there was no tracking on the package) if only to comfort myself, when at last a wrinkled, exotic looking bundle finally turned up on the porch. My Russian Hobbit had arrived. It is a beautiful book, and a revelation in person. Not only are there the paintings displayed at Babel Hobbits, there are little pencil sketches on every page to illustrate small elements of the story, if only a pipe or a plant or a sword or a bat. A particularly good one was of Smaug's skeleton moldering on the bottom of Long Lake. Bilbo himself seems based on the body type of a real (human) dwarf; the dwarves are in contrast closer to "normal" body types, and only a little shorter than the elves and men who appear. The style of clothing, weapons, and even hair and beards are (to my eyes) in a definite traditional historic Russian mode. What I found particularly refreshing was the complete freedom from the influence of the Jackson films which has lately swamped Tolkien art.  The type of painting is what I can only describe as a clear "Northern" method, as opposed to the misty "Celtic" style of, say, Alan Lee; it is realistic in depiction and not stylized like other Russian illustrations, especially those clearly aimed at younger readers. Two elements I found interesting were the absence of quotation marks and that the table of contents was placed in the back of the book; I don't know, but it wouldn't surprise me, if this is just true of all Russian books. And so it joins my Tolkien books as certainly the most exotic curiosity in my collection. Its interesting format and unique visual interpretation helps me to once more look at an old favorite in a new way. As a lover of both Middle-earth and book illustration, I am very pleased indeed.” – Power of Babel, (2015).

Ranking: Essential.

File Code: Fantasy. Novel. Russian. Hardback.

The Hobbit, or There and Back Again, by J. R. R. Tolkien; Adapted by Charles Dixon, Illustrated by David Wenzel. A Graphic Novel in Three Parts, Part I (1998), Part II (1999), Part III (1999). Eclipse Books.

“In 1989 The Hobbit was adapted in a three issue comic book series, published by Eclipse Comics. The story was adapted from the original by Chuck Dixon, and illustrated by David T. Wenzel. Even as a young boy David Wenzel, of Durham, knew he wanted to be an artist. When he went to Hartford Art School and read The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien, he knew he wanted to be an illustrator. The Hobbit has been a big part of his life ever since. "Back then, there were no illustrations for the book," he said, "so I started illustrating it because I thought it needed drawings. My senior year I had a show of paintings that I did for The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings."
His drawings at a Simsbury gallery drew the attention of a publisher, who asked him to redo the illustrations for Middle Earth, the World of Tolkien Illustrated. After freelancing for Marvel Comics, he and his friend, Rob Walsh, who was versed in Nordic mythology, decided to work together on a book he had conceived. "The premise," Wenzel said, "was to make one of Tolkien’s character races seem to exist in reality. We found out that there were incidences where dwarfs were integral to moments in history. Some of the hieroglyphics in ancient Egypt show dwarfs making jewelry. Their small hands allowed them to make intricate designs." When a college friend learned that the publisher he was working for was doing a graphic novel version of The Hobbit, he told them, "You gotta call David Wenzel." Wenzel illustrated the three volumes that eventually were compiled into one book.” – TolkienLibrary.com

Ranking: Essential.

File Code: Graphic Novel. Adaptation. Softcovers.

The Hobbit, by J. R. R. Tolkien.

Movie tie-in release (2012), with a photo of Bilbo (Martin Freeman) stepping out of Bag-End. Had to have it.

Ranking: Essential.

File Code: Fantasy. Novel. Softcover.

The Hobbit: A Musical. Book by Ruth Perry, Lyrics by David Rogers. (1972)

“This adaptation of ‘The Hobbit’ is authorized by Professor J. R. R. Tolkien.” When I was in 3^rd Grade in 1972, our class went to see a production of this play put on at the high school by the Drama Department under Nancy Rowley. This was my first introduction to the world of Middle-Earth, and Tolkien was still alive; he would pass away in the September of 1973. Years later when I was in the drama class myself, I got this play from her library, along with a couple of pointed dwarf-hats and Bilbo’s green bobble hat that were still in the wardrobe. I remember seeing “Thorin Was Here” painted on some of the old flats. It seemed unbearably ancient to me then, and now … it’s like the memory of the memory of a forgotten world.

Ranking: Essential.

File Code: Play. Adaptation. Softcover.

The Hobbit, by J. R. R. Tolkien. Illustrated by the Author. (1988)

Houghton Mifflin. Softcover with a dust jacket; picture by Alan Lee. Used to be Kameron’s second-hand copy, former owner’s name on the inside page.

Ranking: Essential.

File Code: Fantasy. Novel. Softcover.

J. R. R. Tolkien The Hobbit, Illustrated by John Howe. A 3-D Pop-Up Adventure. (1999)

Possibly (nay, certainly) the simplest and strangest of my Tolkien ‘books’; it’s more of an artifact. Only the fact that it’s between covers convinces me it belongs in this list.

Ranking: Keeper.

File Code: Pop-Up Book. Adaptation. Hardback.

Items from the Wish List: More Tolkien!

 

Unfinished Tales by J. R. R. Tolkien  (Author), Christopher Tolkien (Editor), Alan Lee (Illustrator), John Howe (Illustrator), Ted Nasmith (Illustrator)

To celebrate its 40th anniversary, the first ever illustrated edition of this collection of tales which takes readers further into the stories told in The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion, featuring 18 full-colour paintings depicting scenes from the First, Second and Third Ages of Middle-earth.

Unfinished Tales is a collection of narratives ranging in time from the Elder Days of Middle-earth to the end of the War of the Ring, and provides those who have read The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings with a whole collection of background and new stories.

The book concentrates on the realm of Middle-earth and comprises such elements as The Quest of Erebor, Gandalf’s lively account of how it was that he came to send the Dwarves to the celebrated party at Bag-End; the emergence of the sea-god Ulmo before the eyes of Tuor on the coast of Beleriand; and an exact description of the military organization of the Riders of Rohan.

Unfinished Tales also contains the only story about the long ages of Númenor before its downfall, and all that is known about such matters as the Five Wizards, the Palantíri and the legend of Amroth. The tales were edited by Christopher Tolkien, who provides a short commentary on each story, helping the reader to fill in the gaps and put each story into the context of the rest of his father’s writings.

In celebration of its 40th anniversary, this new edition features 18 stunning paintings from critically acclaimed Tolkien artists, Alan Lee, John Howe & Ted Nasmith, which reveal the three Ages of Middle-earth like never before. – Amazon.

Perilous and Fair: Women in the Works and Life of J. R. R. Tolkien by Janet Brennan Croft  (Author, Editor), Phoebe C. Linton (Contributor), Una McCormack (Contributor), John D. Rateliff (Contributor), Melanie A. Rawls (Contributor), Robin Anne Reid (Contributor), & 3 more

Since the earliest scholarship on The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion, critics have discussed how the works of J. R. R. Tolkien seem either to ignore women or to place them on unattainable pedestals. To remedy such claims that Tolkien’s fiction has nothing useful or modern to say about women, Perilous and Fair focuses critical attention on views that interpret women in Tolkien’s works and life as enacting essential, rather than merely supportive roles. Perilous and Fair includes seven classic articles as well as seven new examinations of women in Tolkien’s works and life. These fourteen articles bring together perspectives not only on Tolkien’s most commonly discussed female characters-- Éowyn, Galadriel, and Lúthien—but also on less studied figures such as Nienna, Yavanna, Shelob, and Arwen. Among others, the collection features such diverse critical approaches and methods as literary source study, historical context, feminist theory, biographical investigation, close-reading textual analysis, Jungian archetypes, and fanfiction reader-response. – Amazon.

A Middle-earth Traveler: Sketches from Bag End to Mordor by John Howe  (Author)

A Middle-earth Traveler is an illustrated guide to J.R.R. Tolkien's most famous creation, with lavish art showing the many locations and characters the author described in his classic novels, along with notes on their importance to the world.

A Middle-earth Traveler presents a walking tour of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth, visiting not only places central to his stories, but also those just over the hill or beyond the horizon. Events from Tolkien’s books are explored—battles of the different ages that are almost legend by the time of The Lord of the Rings; lost kingdoms and ancient myths, as well as those places only hinted at: kingdoms of the far North and lands beyond the seas.

Sketches that have an ‘on-the-spot’ feel to them are interwoven with the artist’s observations gleaned from Tolkien’s books and recollections of his time spent in Middle-earth while working alongside Peter Jackson on the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit film trilogies. Combining concept work produced for films, existing Middle-earth art, and many new paintings and sketches exclusive to this book, A Middle-earth Traveler will take the reader on a unique and unforgettable journey across Tolkien’s magical landscape. – Amazon.

The Hobbit: The Art of War: The Battle of the Five Armies: Chronicles by Weta

Presented by Academy Award-winning director Sir Peter Jackson, the ultimate insider’s look at the conflicts and battles waged in The Hobbit movie trilogy: how they were devised, composed, designed, staged and more.

Smaug’s fiery attack on Lake-town, the White Council’s raid of Dol Guldur, the ferocious Battle of the Five Armies itself—all of the conflicts waged in The Hobbit motion picture trilogy are examined in exquisite detail from the first skirmish to the ultimate conflagration in the trilogy’s dramatic conclusion.

The Hobbit: The Art of War brings together all of the special effects imagery in the Weta archives and unprecedented access to Sir Peter Jackson—the genius behind some of the world’s biggest motion-picture franchises, The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit—who shares his expertise and encyclopedic knowledge with fans as never before.

The Hobbit: The Art of War takes fans inside this creative visionary’s mind and gives them an understanding of how he plotted each and every movement captured on film. Jackson offers in-depth discussions of the strategies of each army, the tactics they employed, and the significance of each collision between rival cultures. The cast members from the three films also share personal stories of how their characters’ tales are resolved.

Meet the armies of digitally generated creatures these heroes must overcome, delve into the world of Weta Digital and the Motion Capture Studio. Discover how the largely digital battles were achieved, from the design and creation of the battles’ creatures and the fight choreography, to the extended environments and visual effects necessary to make Tolkien’s world vividly real. The Hobbit: The Art of War is packed with lavish galleries showcasing the costumes, armor, weapons, and props integral to the battles, as well as the stories behind their creation.

With never-before-heard behind-the-scenes, on-the-set, and in-the-studio stories, and exclusive detailed content, The Hobbit: The Art of War is the ultimate Hobbit fan’s encyclopedia and a must have for all aficionados of the craft of filmmaking. – Amazon.

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug Chronicles: Cloaks & Daggers by Weta

The ultimate insider look at the filmmaking process of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, a continuation of the two of the world’s biggest motion-picture franchises, The Hobbit, and The Lord of the Rings, by one of the world’s most notable directors, Peter Jackson.

Richly illustrated with behind-the-scenes photographs, digital renders, and film stills, this comprehensive book explores the costumes and props, including armour, weapons and jewelry, made for the first two films. Chapters will be broken down by type and character: Dwarves, Wizards, Hobbits, Rivendell Elves, Mirkwood Elves and more.

The book will lean heavily on beautiful studio and on-set photography of the finished pieces as well as film stills that provide context. Concept art, detail shots and imagery of materials samples and mock-ups will also be used to weave stories around the finished items. Behind the scenes processes will be showcased with supporting photographs of elements being created.

First-hand accounts from the actors, artists, digital effects specialists, and many other crew members describe the process and how the production unfolded, while also sharing insights into the characters. The book will have a bonus feature, unique to this book.

Compiled by Weta Workshop designer Daniel Falconer and featuring a wealth of stunning imagery, this book puts the reader face-to-face with all of the creatures and characters that populate the first two films in the Peter Jackson trilogy. – Amazon.

The Art of Fantasy and a Fantasy of Art

Willy Pogany Rediscovered, Selected and Edited by Jeff A. Menges. A Dover art book with color reproductions, half-tones, and line illustrations. I’ve been a fan of Pogany’s work since middle school, when I read “The Children of Odin” and “The Golden Fleece”. Though I find his earlier work a little too overblown and art nouveau, that period of his career found his work nicely tempered and ornate without being ‘busy’. This book is a late acquisition. Ranking: Expendable. File Code: Art. Softcover.

Maidens, Monsters, and Heroes: The Fantasy Illustrations of H. J. Ford, Selected and Edited by Jeff A. Menges. Another Dover art book. H. J. Ford did many illustrations for the Andrew Lang fairy tale collections, among others. I think the first one I ever even saw of these was ‘The Blue Fairy Book’, which I got in my first year of college from the SWTSU bookstore. I love his style, especially his monsters, but maybe even more his ‘almost humans’ of elves, goblins, and bogeys. Ranking: Keeper. File Code: Art. Softcover.

The Fantastic World of Gervasio Gallardo, Introduction by Betty Ballantine This is one of those art books that flourished in the early 1970’s, years before anyone could go online and get an image library of just about any artist. I got the book in the middle 2010’s, mostly because of nostalgia for the covers of the Ballantine fantasy series. There is other art of his, but I don’t particularly care for it; his symbolic art works much better for fantasy than otherwise. Ranking: Dispensable. File Code: Art. Softcover.

The Land of Froud, Edited by David Larkin. Another art book of the 1970’s. This book was advertised in those old sci-fi mags. I first became aware of Brian Froud in a sort of sideways manner, in that a girl in Briesemeister art class used a picture by him (‘The Goblin King and His Servant’) as a template for her project. I have a dim sort of memory of looking at this book and being puzzled by its ‘graphic language’, and possibly leery of its occasional nudity (I was an enormous prude at the time). By the time of “Faeries” in the 1980’s I was a little more broad-minded, and by “The Dark Crystal” I was a settled fan. Froud has grown a little repetitive and more eccentric lately. There's more of his later. Ranking: Keeper. File Code: Art. Softcover.

Myth and Magic: The Art of John Howe, by John Howe. John Howe, along with Alan Lee, was one the art directors associated with Peter Jackson’s ‘The Lord of the Rings’ movies, which explains Jackson’s foreword. Howe has done fantasy art for book covers, illustrations, and calendars. Full of his illustrations and his explanation and history for them. No particular memories attached here. But a lot of Tolkien. Ranking: Keeper. File Code: Art. Hardback.

Beyond Fantasy: The Art of Darrell K. Sweet, by Darrell K. Sweet I became aware of Sweet’s work very early, in connection with his Reader’s Digest King Arthur work. Then I knew him through his book covers for Stephen R. Donaldson, Katherine Kurtz, Piers Anthony, Terry Pratchett, and work for the Tolkien calendars, so I soon became very enthusiastic for his clear and beautiful style. His cover for Clifford D. Simak’s “Enchanted Pilgrimage” was better than the whole book. Ranking: Keeper. File Code: Art. Softcover.

The Art of Bone, by Jeff Smith. I have a lot to say about Bone, which I’ll save until later. Right now I’ll say that this is pretty much the end of a long strange journey, and that John bought me this book, and I remember hanging on to it through a trip with all the Shanafelts and the Babels to a restaurant with both(?) Ryans. Jeff Smith talks about his influences and the origins of his award-winning graphic novels and collects quite a record of Bone ephemera and memorabilia. Ranking: Essential for my Jeff Smith collection. File Code: Graphics. History. Hardback.