The Red Book of Westmarch (Archives)

Features, Opinion, Web Links
Ten reasons why Gandalf is the greatest wizard EVAR
03.28.11 | Kunochan | Permalink | 7 Comments

FARK.com directed me to a post entitled “10 Reasons why Gandalf is a terrible wizard.” The reason I decided to write a point-by-point response isn’t because I felt the need to rush to Gandalf’s defense, but because I don’t think the post is very well thought-out. If you’re going to go after Mithrandir, at least put some real effort into it.
Features, Legendarium, Tolkien 101
Tolkien 101: The Shire
09.28.10 | Kunochan | Permalink | 3 Comments

There are two locations that appear in both The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings that play central roles in both stories, and that can themselves be described fairly as “characters.” One of them is Rivendell, the sanctuary and fortress of Elrond Halfelven.

The other is the Shire, the homeland of that prosperous and agrarian race, the Hobbits…
Features, Legendarium, Tolkien 101
Tolkien 101: How to tell apart Saruman and Sauron
04.13.10 | Kunochan | Permalink | 4 Comments

As an aficionado of the original books, I find it strange that viewers of the Lord of the Rings movie trilogy have trouble telling the difference between the villain characters Sauron and Saruman. But I have heard from more than one intelligent, attentive moviegoer that they were confused on this issue. So let’s get this cleared up…
News, Web Links
‘Lord of the Rings’ featured on dozens of ‘top films of the decade’ lists
12.30.09 | Kunochan | Permalink | Speak, friend and comment!

Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy has been voted the best movie of the past decade by readers of Entertainment Weekly.

Indeed, the films have been listed, singly or as a trilogy, on dozens of “Best of the Decade” lists. Here is an (incomplete) list.
Features, Opinion
Which Characters from the Lord of the Rings Movies Will Appear in The Hobbit?
06.22.09 | Kunochan | Permalink | 1 Comment

What characters from the Lord of the Rings film trilogy could or should appear in the The Hobbit? Let’s run down the list…
Features, Tolkien 101
Tolkien 101: The Basic Cosmology of Tolkien’s World
06.09.09 | Kunochan | Permalink | 2 Comments

In order to give meaningful background information for characters like Gandalf, Sauron, Galadriel and Elrond, I will have to refer to cosmological and cosmogenic ideas laid out in The Silmarillion, which tells the early history of Tolkien’s world.