Two New Tolkien Books Published (not counting Voronwë's!)

[Elentári]

Apologies for duplicating TORn, here is their announcement for the publication of two other new books on Tolkien:

http://www.theonering.net/torwp/2009/03 ... more-31350

New Tolkien Books from Crescent Moon Publishing

The folks from Crescent Moon Publishing send along word of two Tolkien books available on Amazon.com.

J.R.R. TOLKIEN: THE BOOKS, THE FILMS, THE WHOLE CULTURAL PHENOMENON
by Jeremy Mark Robinson

A new critical study of J.R.R. Tolkien, author of The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit and other books.
This new analysis by Jeremy Mark Robinson explores Tolkien’s major writings (The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, Beowulf: The Monster and the Critics, The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien. The Silmarillion and The History of Middle-earth volumes), Tolkien and fairy tales, the mythological, political and religious aspects of Tolkien’s Midde-earth, the critics’ response to Tolkien’s fiction over the decades, the Tolkien industry (merchandizing, toys, role-playing games, posters, Tolkien societies, conferences and the like), Tolkien in visual and fantasy art, the cultural aspects of The Lord of the Rings (from the 1950s to the present), Tolkien’s fiction’s relationship with other fantasy fiction, such as C.S. Lewis and Harry Potter,and the TV, radio and film versions of Tolkien’s books, including the new Hollywood interpretations of The Lord of the Rings. ?The 2001-03 Hollywood films are discussed in great detail, with a scene-by-scene analysis of each film (including the extended cuts, and omissions, additions, alterations, etc).

This new book draws on contemporary cultural theory and analysis and offers a sceptical but sympathetic and illuminating account of the Tolkien phenomenon. This book is designed to appeal to the general reader (and viewer) of Tolkien: it is written in a clear, jargon-free and easily-accessible style.

It is also one of the most detailed explorations of Tolkiens writing - this study is almost as long as The Lord of the Rings!

Jeremy Mark Robinson’s books include Glorification: Religious Abstraction in Renaissance and 20th Century Art (1990), Arthur Rimbaud (1992), Lawrence Durrell (1995) and Detonation Britain: Nuclear War in the UK (1997). He edits two magazines, Passion and Pagan America (a journal of American poetry).

820pp Illustrations, bibliography, notes
ISBN-13 9781861710574 30.00 / $60.00

TOLKIENS HEROIC QUEST
by Robert Rorabeck

A new critical study of J.R.R. Tolkien, concentrating on some of his lesser known works, such as Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, The Homecoming of Beorhtnoth Beorhthelms Son and The Battle of Maldon, as well as well-known works such as The Silmarillion and Tolkiens Middle-earth legends.

ISBN-13 9781861712394 15.00 / $30.00
www.crescentmoon.org.uk

[Voronwë the Faithful]

I saw that over at TORN. Thanks for posting it here.

There doesn't seem to be any information at the Crescent Moon site about the Rorabeck book (at least that I could find), but there is plenty about Robinson book. He certainly appears to be a prolific writer about an extremely wide variety of topics. And the book on Tolkien certainly itself covers an incredible array of different topics, and at 800 pages is certainly impressive from the standpoint of quantity. However, based on the extracts posted at the site, I can't say that I am as impressed by the quality.

To read the extracts, go here and go down until you see "EXTRACTS FROM J.R.R. TOLKIEN by Jeremy Mark Robinson." There is an extract from the Introduction, and one from the chapter on the films. It may well be that his style just doesn't appeal to me; I'll let y'all judge for yourselves.

[solicitr]

Oh, I dunno- I kind of like his style. Alarm bells went off when the blurb got to " draws on contemporary cultural theory and analysis"- (oh dear God, not more dreary Litcrit Theory full of impenetrable Derridan gibberish!)- but instead he's quite the opposite. I don't know how much deep analysis can be had with this Dorothy Parker tone, but at least it's amusing.

[sauronsfinger]

Has anyone here seen or read this book

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/ ... oneringnet

It is listed as 812 pages so it sounds like it could at least make a good doorstop. Any information beyond the Amazon page would be appreciated.

And is that one of the longest titles on earth?

Oh boy - just saw the info Elentári put up in another thread. Thanks

Has anybody actually read this thing in hardcover?
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Voronwë - sorry for posting this here when the other existed... fell free to throw my post there where it belongs... [Done - VtF]

[sauronsfinger]

Thanks V.

I did as you suggested and read the excerpt on the website

RECIPE FOR A SWORD AND SORCERY FILM

I must say it did nothing for me and seemed to be more about how clever the author was rather than anything he had to say about JRRT or the films. Its probably not fair to begin to judge a 800 page book by that single excerpt but it certainly did not make a great first impression.