The June issue of the Council Courier has featured the following riddle:

A bad servant makes a worse master.

The answer is: Saruman. Explanation: Saruman started out as the servant of Sauron, (though he was always up to some sort of treachery) and then when he ensnared Gríma, he became the master of Gríma. He shows his cruelty toward Gríma in the book, when they are met on the road by those returning home from the War, and he kicks him.

Don’t forget to check out the next issue of the newsletter for the list of winners, and for a new and exciting riddle, of course!

Seeing as Yavanna is a realm of foodies (especially food containing chocolate), I thought of compiling a choice of recipes from some of the regions and races of ME. Some of these I have previously submitted to Pippin’s Recipe Box, but others will be appearing here for the very first time! The styles of cuisine found all over ME and enjoyed by the different races were as varied as the races and regions themselves. Hobbits loved fresh produce, vegies, meats and game, full flavoured, though lightly spiced. The Haradrim, on the other hand, enjoyed many a fiery spice in their cooking. Elves enjoyed delicate flavours, Dwarves, spit-roasted beast, with fruit and wine glazes. Different races, different regions, a rich variety of cuisines, so let’s go on a culinary excursion and sample some treats!

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The first is a spicy little delicacy from the Haradrim that is already available in Pippin’s Recipe Box, but one I enjoy so much that I thought it needed repeating here.

Haradrim Spicy Potatoes

Servings: 3 – 4
Preparation time: 30 – 45 mins including cooking time
Difficulty: Intermediate
Description: A spicy vegetarian wet dish, filling suppertime fare for on the road.

Ingredients:
1 tsp. whole cumin seed
1 tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. minced ginger
400g tomato puree
250 – 400ml vegetable stock
4 large (2-3cm diced) potatoes
Vegetable oil for frying

Instructions:
In a large frying pan, gently brown the cumin seeds in oil. Add ginger and stir in for about a minute. Add turmeric; stir, and then add tomato puree. Combine with diced potatoes, stirring until thoroughly mixed. Cover with vegetable stock and stir. Place lid on and simmer 10 to 15 min. or until potatoes are tender. Serve with rice.

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Next are a couple of delicious, quick and easy recipes from The Shire! Firstly, a simple soup that Samwise himself has made:

Cabbage soup with Tatties and Bacon

Servings: 8 – 10
Preparation time: 30 mins including cooking time
Difficulty: Easy
Description: A hearty filler for the Hobbit Hotpot.

Ingredients:
1 medium Sugarloaf cabbage or similar
4 medium potatoes
4 middle rashers of bacon
3 litres of stock (vegetable or chicken)
1 Tbs Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:
Heat oil in a large pot. Cut bacon into thin strips and lightly fry in the oil. Peel and cut potatoes into pieces (approximately 8ths), and add to the pot, tossing for several minutes. Roughly cut cabbage and stir in with potato and bacon. Cover with stock and bring to the boil. Simmer for 10 – 15 minutes or until potatoes are soft, adjusting liquid volume as required. Season with salt and pepper; preferably freshly ground black pepper. Serve with hot crusty bread.

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Here’s another tasty tempter from along the Brandywine.

Sweetcorn and Potato Fritters

Ingredients:
2 small to medium potatoes, peeled and grated
2 cobs of corn (as fresh as possible)
1 egg
Plain flour
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:
Remove kernels from the cob, carefully using a sharp knife, and place into a mixing bowl with the grated potato. Add the egg and approximately 1 tsp of salt and pepper (ratio of 2 parts salt to 1 part pepper) and mix thoroughly. Slowly mix in plain flour until the ingredients have the consistency of clag (or a very thick sticky butter). Heat some oil in a pan, preferably a good mono unsaturated one, such as olive oil or canola oil (rapeseed oil), to about 170 -180 c, at a depth of about 2 mm. Using a spoon, portion mixture into the oil and flatten out a bit. Using egg rings as a mould is very effective, though not necessary. Cook for 3 – 4 minutes, then flip and cook for a further 2 – 3 minutes, until both sides are a rich, dark golden brown. Drain and serve. Makes about 8 or 9.

I like them with just a bit more salt and pepper on them, but my wife and daughter put sweet chilli sauce on theirs.

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Now for an indulgent dessert that could be found on Galadriel’s banquet table. An old favourite of Elven peoples since before the exodus from the Blessed Realm.

Blessed Mocha Creams

Servings: 6 – 8
Preparation time: 1 hour including cooking and 4 hours to set
Difficulty: Easy
Description: A rich indulgent dessert that could topple kingdoms in the wrong hands. Best it stays in the Blessed Realm!

Ingredients:
600ml Cream (double thick preferred)
200ml Milk
120g Dark chocolate
1 Tsp Vanilla essence
2 Tbs Instant espresso coffee
8 Egg yolks
2/3 cup Castor sugar
4 Tbs Coffee liqueur (optional, but only just)

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 150 degrees Celsius. Combine cream, milk, chocolate and vanilla essence in a pot. Bring to almost boiling (but not quite) over a low heat, to melt chocolate, stirring constantly. Turn off heat and stir in instant coffee. Thoroughly whisk egg yolks and sugar in a largish mixing bowl. Slowly whisk in warm coffee, cream, chocolate mixture. Put 6 – 8 coffee cups into a deep baking dish and divide the custard mix between them. Place dish into middle of oven then carefully use a jug and pour in hot tap water till it comes 2/3 up the sides of the cups. Bake until set, approximately 35 minutes. Remove cups from dish and set aside to cool. Cover and chill in refrigerator for 4 hours. Serve topped with a dollop of whipped cream (the real stuff, not out of a can) and shaved chocolate.

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Now onward to Gondor! Here is a dish favoured by the people of Gondor, and indeed all the Dúnedain, and is rumoured to have originated across the Western Sea, in Númenórë, before its destruction.

Chicken Anadûnê

Preparation time: 1 -1 ½ hours including cooking time.
Difficulty: moderately hard.v
Description: A rich combining of fowl and seafood, fruit and nut, culminating in a culinary sensation to tempt the Valar themselves!

Ingredients:
Chicken breast fillet, skin off, first wing bone left on.
2 Green prawns (size 21-25)
approx. 75g – 100g Small fillet of reef fish (or any white flesh salt water fish)
1/2 a Doz Whole roasted Macadamia nuts
300ml Thickened cream
½ Avocado
White wine (Semillon Chardonnay or Traminer Riesling)
Lemon juice

Instructions:
Lay chicken out, bone side down, bone splayed out, remove tenderloin and gently pound till it is half as big again. Remove shell, head and legs from prawns and slice lengthways in half. Lay prawns flat on chicken along edge furthest from bone and cover with fish fillet and tenderloin. Carefully roll into a log, tucking in ends as you go. The bone should stick out from the top of one end. Using toothpicks or a small skewer, pin the rolled fillet closed. Place in a small, deep sided baking dish, roughly twice the size of the chicken. Pour in enough wine to cover to 2/3 up the side of the chicken, adding a squeeze of lemon juice to this. Place in a hot oven for 10 – 15 minutes until cooked through. This can be checked by gently prying open the roll, and checking for pink bits. No pink bits, and its cooked.

Whilst this is cooking, pour cream into a pan and place on a low heat. Carefully crush the Macadamia nuts and add to the pan. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer until the cream has reduced in volume by a half. Turn off the heat.

Cut an avocado in half, remove stone and peel. Place it on a cutting board and cut it into narrow strips lengthways. Carefully pick up on a large kitchen knife and transfer to the plate the dish will be served on, fanning it out across the plate. When the chicken is cooked, remove from the dish with tongs, carefully remove toothpicks or skewer, and place on avocado. Pour Macadamia nut and cream reduction over top and serve.

As a serving suggestion, roast thin slices of potato, pumpkin and sweet potato, stack with the avocado and chicken on top as before, with lightly stir fried julienne of carrot and tri-coloured capsicum (sweet peppers).

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Now on to Rohan! The Mark, being a land of rolling wind swept grasslands, with low hills and the occasion rocky outcrop or stand of trees, is ideal for a bit of rabbiting. This is a task, thoroughly enjoyed by the young, both girls and boys, and one of the favourite dishes using these small game animals is:

Rabbit Rohirrim

Preparation time: 4 hours + including marinating and cooking times.
Difficulty: Moderate to hard.
Description: A delicious braised stew to warm the bones when the winter winds blow across The Mark!
To make 10 portions:

The marinade:
To make 1 litre:
750 ml Red wine
200ml Oil
100g Sliced onions
2 Cloves crushed garlic
3 or 4 Parsley stalks
1 Bay leaf
1 Thyme sprig

Process all ingredients in a blender.

White stock:
To make 2 litres:
1 kg Chicken bones (raw)
60g Onions
100g Carrots
40g Celery
Sprigs of fresh herbs, Parsley, Oregano & Thyme, 4 of each
6 Peppercorns
2.5 litres Water

Wash chicken bones in cold water. Place in stock pot, cover with cold water, and bring to the boil. Add vegetables, rough cut, the herbs and peppercorns, return to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 3 hours. Skim off any scum that forms on the surface. Strain.

Ingredients:
5 Rabbits
1litre Marinade
200g Butter
250g Onion (mirepoix)
250g Carrot (mirepoix)
150g Celery (mirepoix)
900ml White stock
300ml Cream
25ml Lemon juice

To prepare the pre-skinned rabbit:
1. Remove all the guts, including the liver and kidneys, and clear away any blood or connective tissue.
2. Remove the hind legs by cutting a V shape from the point of the tail.
3. Cut off the tail (the point of the V) about 2 cm short.
4. Cut off the head end of the carcase behind the shoulder blades. Separate the shoulders and trim away the neck.
5. Open out the remaining saddle and trim back the ribs and flap. Cut in two crosswise.

Instructions:
Prepare the rabbit as described, and marinate the pieces for 2 to 2 ½ hours. Heat the butter to a sizzle in large cast iron stock pot with a close fitting lid, and add the rabbit. Brown on all sides, then remove. Fry off the mirepoix. Return the rabbit pieces to the pot, pour in the marinade, and enough stock to just cover it. Season with salt and pepper. Put the lid on and cook in an oven at 170c – 180c for approximately an hour. When meat is cooked, remove from pot, then strain the cooking liquor into another pot. Add the lemon juice and cream, and bring just to the boil. Serve the meat with this sauce over the top.

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Now, finally, a Dwarven dish! Dwarves, on the whole, are partial to fine ale and roast meats. Roasted root vegetables, breads and cheeses are also popular, but it is a succulent joint, seasoned and roasted, they like the best!

This recipe is one that is enjoyed by Dwarves from every corner of Middle-earth, and is sure to be found on any banquet table, from The Iron Hills and The Lonely Mountain, to the halls of Moria.

Roast Leg of Lamb with a Minted Yoghurt Crust

Preparation time: 1 hour plus cooking time.
Difficulty: easy to moderate.
Description: A succulent joint fit for the kings of Moria.

Ingredients:
2.5 kg – 3.5 kg Leg of lamb
1 bulb Garlic
2 large Carrots
2 large Onions
4 stalks Celery
1 kg Yoghurt (fresh natural set)
25 leaves Mint
2 litres Water
500 ml Red wine
½ cup Oil

Instructions:
Rough cut (mirepoix) carrots, onions, and celery and place in a large roasting pan. Drizzle half the oil over them and toss them around. Break up the bulb of garlic and peel the cloves. Cut each clove into quarters, then using a paring knife, stab holes into the lamb, placing a sliver of garlic into each, ensuring that the top of the sliver is just below the surface. Pour the remaining oil over lamb and put in pan on top of mirepoix. Place into a hot oven (230c) for 20 minutes then reduce heat back to 180c. When roasting joints of meat, allow 1 ½ hours for the first kg, then 1 hour for every kg after that. Finely chop the mint leaves and mix through the yoghurt.

Half an hour before the end of cooking time, remove the joint to another roasting pan, and coat liberally with the minted yoghurt, before returning it to the oven. Deglaze the roasting pan using the red wine, then pour the water over the vegetables and simmer on the stove top for 20 minutes. Strain the liquid and reduce on the stove top for a further 10 minutes. This is the sauce (jus) for the meat.

When meat is cooked, remove from the oven and allow to stand for 10 minutes before slicing. If a good, fresh natural set yoghurt was used, it will have formed a flaky crust on the meat. Thinly slice the meat and serve with roast root vegetables and topped with the jus.

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And that concludes our culinary tour of Middle-earth. We have, at this time, only scratched the surface of the cuisines of the peoples and regions of Middle-earth, so perhaps at a later date, a later Council Courier, we can further explore the range of culinary delights that abound.

by Wulf_Sternhammer

Treebeard is a walking, talking, boring tree. That’s somewhat the bottomline of this character – or what Peter Jackson made of it, anyway.

We first meet this not-so-unique creature (Mind the voice! Mind the voice!) in Fangorn Forest, where Merry and Pippin try to shake off a hungry Orc. Treebeard involuntarily comes to their aid, only to try to squeeze our favourite duo to pulp seconds after. But once Treebeard is convinced that those furry-footed, goofy-looking mini-me’s dressed up in Elvish garments are not Orcs, he becomes a lot more easy-going and even sings the Hobbits a song.

Treebeard first takes the Hobbits to Gandalf, to ask for advice. Later we see him walk to his ‘home’ in Fangorn, where he discovers that Hobbits are best not left alone – in a winsome Tom Bombadil-imitation, Treebeard has to rescue Merry and Pippin from the strangling roots of an old tree.

At the end of ‘The Two Towers’ we see Treebeard act as the leader of the Ents, his people. He summons them to a meeting called Entmoot and asks them whether they want to join in the ‘war of Men’. The Ents, being all weird and treeish and not particularly active by nature, decide against it; much to the frustration of Merry and – after some thinking – even Pippin.

It’s Pippin’s deviousness that persuades Treebeard to take action: after seeing the destruction of the forest around Isengard, Treebeard calls the Ents (who betray their inactive nature by suddenly becoming hyper-speedy) and marches to Isengard. There, they destroy Saruman’s machinery and release the river Isen.

The last we see of Treebeard, is when Gandalf, Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas arrive in Isengard with Théoden and his company. Treebeard greets them, and proudly announces that they have captured the wizard in his tower. After Saruman falls off his pedestal, the poor old thing doesn’t even get a ‘Thank you, Treebeard, old chum’.

by Figwit

Riddle #1:
I show the way, yet I’m no leader,
I tell people where to go,
without saying a word,
I hide away unless I’m needed,
And only then I unfold my knowledge.

What am I?

Answer: A roadmap

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Riddle #2:
In a container, all its own,
Old times remembered by those who’ve grown,
Twirling twirling, ’round and ’round,
Giving out a joyful sound.

What am I?

Answer: A record

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Riddle #3:
Something never broken, yet separates with ease,
Something so unspoken, yet babbling it can be,
Something so destructive, yet necessary to have,
Something so important, yet taken for granted.

What am I?

Answer: Water

by MasterWabbit

There is no direct evidence of knitting in Middle-earth, but if Middle-earth existed, knitting would have certainly existed in it. Several characters in The Lord of the Rings are mentioned as wearing stockings, which are defined as nearly always being knit garments, but knitting itself is not mentioned. In fact, almost anything said about knitting in Middle-earth is purely hypothetical.

In Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings movies, New Zealand was used as the setting for Middle-earth. Though the climate of New Zealand varies across the islands, one thing is nearly constant: sheep, which vastly outnumber humans. From the Middle Ages to our days, wool was one of the most popular fibers for knitting with. Sheep could live in most of the climates featured in The Lord of the Rings, and could easily be imagined in the Shire, on the plains of Rohan, or on the Fields of Pelennor in Gondor.

Another crop that could probably grow in Middle-earth is cotton. It grows best in temperate climates with well-distributed rainfall. This could probably apply to the Shire, Gondor, Rohan, the banks of the river Anduin, and Arnor, a large area between the Misty Mountains and the ocean. As tobacco, which can grow in a similar climate to cotton, could grow in the Shire and Gondor, cotton probably also could. It could as well probably grow in much of Beleriand, a continent located west of Middle-earth until it was destroyed and drowned. It would be well-suited to grow in Nevrast:

“Nevrast…was a milder land, watered by the wet winds from the sea and sheltered from the cold north winds….”

The rest of Beleriand, the land surrounding the river Sirion, was also well-suited for growing cotton. It had moderate temperatures and probably got lots of rain: it was bounded by the ocean to the west, and Ossiriand, the Land of Seven Rivers, to the east. The Sirion, a large river, and many of its tributaries flowed through Beleriand.

Hobbits would probably be able to knit. Tolkien explains in The Lord of the Rings that Hobbits “do not and did not understand or like machines more complicated than a forge-bellows, a water-mill, or a hand-loom, though they were skilful with tools.” Knitting is relatively uncomplicated. With their appreciation of simple things, Hobbits would probably enjoy knitting.

Elves, Tolkien’s intelligent, advanced, and knowledgeable race, would probably know how to knit. However, Elves are often referred to as embroidering or weaving, or wearing woven cloth, but they are never said to knit. In fact, across Tolkien’s works, weaving is often mentioned, but knitting is never mentioned at all. But looking at these examples case-by-case, all seem to require embroidery or weaving, and there is no place to mention knitting. The first instance of knitting in Tolkien’s world, chronologically, is when Vairë, a Valië, is mentioned weaving. “Vairë…weaves all things that have ever been in Time into her storied webs….” Vairë was also mentioned weaving tapestries. Tapestries, traditionally, are woven and depict images, which knitting is ill-suited for. Tapestries are also mentioned in Meduseld, the hall where the king of the Rohirrim resides. They are again mentioned in Tolkien’s earliest stories of Faerie given in The Book of Lost Tales I.

Stockings are also mentioned several times in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. According to dictionary.com, stockings are “close-fitting, usually knitted covering for the foot and leg made from nylon, silk, cotton, wool, and similar yarns or an item resembling this covering,”. In The Hobbit, the trolls argue over which Dwarf to eat, identifying him by his stockings:

“‘Don’t talk to yerself!’ said Tom. ‘But if you wants to sit on the last one, sit on him. Which is he?’
“‘The one with the yellow stockings,’ said Bert.
“‘Nonsense, the one with the grey stockings,’ said a voice like William’s.
“‘I made sure it was yellow,’ said Bert.
“‘Yellow it was,’ said William.”

When Tom Bombadil was described, he also wore stockings:

“[B]ut Tom was all in clean blue, blue as rain-washed forget-me-nots, and he had green stockings.”

Considering the likelihood of the races of Middle-earth knowing how to knit and of fiber-producing crops being grown in Middle-earth, knitting certainly would exist in Middle-earth. Tolkien’s silence on the subject leads me to believe that he did not know enough about it to trust himself to write accurately about it. As pv points out, “There is throughout Tolkien’s work a sense of great respect for craftspeople of any kind. So I think that a discussion of any craft that’s done by hand, like knitting, is very much in the spirit of Tolkien.”

by LadyEowyn_of_Rohan

We have all seen Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings and/or read the books by J.R.R. Tolkien. Many inspired fans have written fan fictions, essays and reviews of them; others have studied the rest of his fantastic work. There are many aspects of “studying J.R.R. Tolkien”, also when it comes to him and the inspiring and fascinating world he created. This DVD represents 80 minutes of analyzing the man himself and the work he put so much effort into. It is a good choice if you want to get a broader view of him, but at the same time get professional opinions and analyses of him by some of the leading Tolkien-experts in the world. The CD is full of music, written and played by former Yes keyboardist Rick Wakeman, and each song is inspired by a special place in Middle-earth.

Tolkien scholar Robert diNapoli is the host of this documentary, but we also meet different kinds of Tolkien-related persons, like Ian Collier from the Tolkien Society, Aryk Busbacher from the Sandhurst Military Academy, the Tolkien Historian Bob Blackham, people inspired by him, such as musician Rick Wakeman and artist Roger Dean, and two of his kids, Priscilla Tolkien and Father John Tolkien. Several times you meet J.R.R. Tolkien himself, in rare shots of him in a conversation, talking about his life or his literature. All these people talk about his influence on themselves and the world, or analyse where the stories came from and what they think he meant with them.

In the Geography chapter, a 3D animation map of Middle-earth is featured. It is not detailed; it only roughly shows the landscape, but it is a good way of getting an overview of Middle-earth. Technically it is very impressive, with its computer look-alike world, with floating names over the important places in The Lord of the Rings, but it is definitely a modern and technical version, not having the same charm as the old, brown maps.

We are taken on a tour through those places, almost following the road of the Fellowship, from the Shire to Mordor. For each place we see an illustration or special movie clip, featuring the people living there. The special movie clips throughout the whole DVD are manipulated to look like drawings or animations, giving a special, surreal feeling. The illustrations are made by Greg and Tim Hildebrandt, famous for their interpretations of the places and characters of Middle-earth. Compared with John Howe and Alan Lee’s illustrations, the Hildebrandt Brothers’ are more cartoon like, and not as detailed, but still amazingly drawn.

The DVD also features a chapter with a short biography, pictures of places Tolkien lived in and studied, plus movie clips from World War I, a big inspiration source and life changing experience to him. Different episodes of his life are analyzed or commented on by one or more of the specialists mentioned above, or even by Tolkien himself. If you have never read or seen a biography of him, this one is a good place to start. It has all the main lines of his life in it, but if you are looking for something more detailed, this chapter will disappoint you.

After the biography, we get a short storyline of The Lord of the Rings, following the action as it goes in the books. In a mix of the earlier mentioned special movie clips and beautiful illustrations by the Hildebrandt Brothers, and music by Mostly Autumn and Paul Farrer, Robert diNapoli’s short telling is short and precise, but still rather enchanting and magical. Again, having already read the books, you will see it as a short résumé, but if you have only seen the movies, you will see new places and new facts in this chapter that were not in the movies. In the beginning of the new chapter, you will also hear Tolkien read an excerpt from the end of The Lord of the Rings, and talk about his literary inspirations.

One of the aspects discussed in the literature chapter is the wide reach of Tolkien’s stories, but also what Tolkien envisioned as the purpose of his literature, and how people look at it. A few myths around Tolkien and The Lord of the Rings are discussed, for instance, the word Orc and the different critics around the race of Orcs. Literary critic Helen Kidd’s view of LOTR as an original 19th century work, a book from the Golden Age, is particularly interesting. Further on in the character chapter, his characters are discussed, as well as the various critics against them, like their lack of depth, which are taken up, but not torn apart or proven. Instead, the characters and the story are analyzed and explained in a very convincing way. You don’t learn more about each character or race, but you learn why it is them and not others, who appear in this story, and where they come from.

Another inspiration is discussed afterwards, namely the Middle Ages: how different parts from the medieval literature are given a new shape and integrated in Tolkien’s works, together with specific clothes, settings, stories and characters. But, most of all, it’s the characters’ speech that is mainly discussed: their different manners of speaking, and particular rhythm. In this same chapter we see how various mythologies, especially the Norse one, influenced Tolkien’s characters, and mostly the dwarves.

Just as many things have inspired Tolkien to write The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit and The Silmarillion, and his other books, all of his work has inspired artists belonging to many different arts: music, illustrations, literature. We meet musicians from Uriah Heep and Yes, talking about how Tolkien inspired them, and how they got the idea to write music related to his works. We also meet musicians from the band Mostly Autumn, who have contributed with a lot of wonderful music to this DVD. We meet Roger Dean again, hearing him tell about how he finds his inspiration in Tolkien’s stories, and we hear about other genres of Fantasy, which Tolkien’s new definition of Fantasy has created, and how Fantasy has been seen in a better light since the 1950’s.

The CD included in this guide contains over 60 minutes of mysterious and describing music to 11 different places in Middle-earth, from The Shire over The Great River to The Grey Havens. Its mysterious tones and connections are perfect for floating into Middle-earth through music. Almost everything is played on electronic music or synthesizer, the keyboards being Mr. Wakeman’s speciality, but in some songs, for example Rivendell, you will only hear beautiful and classic piano. All songs have a depth of mystery and wonder, but from place to place it varies in strength and shape. It is very different from Howard Shore’s music to the movies, with a completely different scale and genre, but just as enchanting and emotional.

To quote J.R.R. Tolkien himself, “it is interesting, isn’t it!” And it definitely is. The DVD+CD box is worth every penny and is a good start or continuation, if you want to learn more about Tolkien and his universe, or are just curious to hear what Tolkien experts think of him and his work.

by Lossendiliel

The Hobbit is considered by some to be a story for children, while The Lord of the Rings, it is said, is the more mature extension of the myth. Does the dramatic shift in tone between Bilbo and Frodo’s adventures signal a lack of continuity in Tolkien’s epic, or is it merely another layer to this multifaceted tale?

I will admit that when my family first started reading The Fellowship of the Ring, I was disappointed at Bilbo’s quick departure from the story. In fact, I rather held it against poor Frodo until, of course, the story got into full swing and I began to grow accustomed to both its new characters and darker themes. Still, I questioned its direction. Was this really where the author was headed all along? Did he foresee the growing shadow and the potential end of Middle-earth even as he was writing the lighter Hobbit, or was this all an afterthought?

As a teenager, the hype of the impending movies renewed my interest in the books, which had shaped such a large part of my literary adventures thus far. In fact, I realized that I had unknowingly used Tolkien’s works as a yardstick against which I measured the majority of other fiction I encountered. Seeking to recapture some of my childhood, I began rereading The Hobbit and LOTR, as well as researching Tolkien himself. Learning that LOTR was quite literally his life’s work, I knew that The Hobbit must tie in with later history in ways beyond a six-year-old’s grasp.

As I worked my way through the books, memories of those initial impressions came flooding back to my consciousness, and one stood out in particular: the great sadness that my beloved Bilbo was being transformed into Gollum. This I believe is one of the keys to unlocking the importance of The Hobbit. Having experienced this world in a happier time, we can feel a greater sense of loss as the forces of darkness stir and plunge it into turmoil. It is through Bilbo that one can best learn the light-hearted ways of hobbits and all their eccentricities. It is also through his eyes that we see the world of Middle-earth before the reawakening of the Ring of Power. The Hobbit is not simply a light-hearted children’s book set in Middle-earth, it is an essential foundation for coming to grips with the power of the One Ring. After all, if Bilbo could succumb to the evil of the Ring, what hope did Middle-earth have?

We can see the beginning of his downfall even as a member of Thorin & Co., again highlighting the sway of the Ring. Once we learn Gollum’s back-story, it is obvious that Bilbo’s experiences with the Ring and the creature himself are not isolated to his journey, but woven into the nature of the Ring itself.

If Frodo destroyed the Ring, it was Bilbo who laid much of the groundwork. His tales not only serve to pique the interest of Frodo and Sam, but also to prepare them for the journey. Many of the alliances that are formed can be traced to Bilbo. Even Sam’s devotion to Frodo is due in large part (at least initially) to the fact that the elder hobbit had shown great kindness towards him and “learned him his letters”.

Bilbo’s adventures are thoroughly intertwined with the future of the quest. Indeed, rather than being separate from the rest of Middle-earth’s history, Bilbo’s portion is not just a minor incident, but an integral episode during a simpler time.

by ~Mirimë~

I admit, I was suspicious when I first picked up this CD. An album of Tolkien-inspired music by a guy with a very convenient surname, released just in time to catch the waves of new LotR fans? It didn’t seem promising. The first time I looked at it, I passed it over. Mistake.

A year or three later, I was innocently listening to the radio when a song of this CD started playing. The song was “The Grey Havens”, and it brought tears to my eyes. The music was sensitively created and performed, and it perfectly captured the spirit of the book. It took all of thirty seconds for me to fall in love. I bought the CD.

“Music Inspired by Middle-earth” is an instrumental overview of The Lord of the Rings. The tour starts at the door of Bag End with “Hobbits from the Shire”. The track leads in with what sounds like a foretaste of the end of the story, with rich, heroic, soul-stirring music. It quickly falls back, though, to a simple, joyful, hobbity tune. By the end of this song, you know you’re in good hands.

The CD moves on through tracks like “The Road to Rivendell”, light-hearted questing music that had me up and dancing, and “Moria”, a piece that captures the darkness and mystery of the ancient dwelling place of the Dwarves, right down to the “drums in the deep.” Even “In the Land of Shadow” describes its subject perfectly: a wasteland, empty and barren, and terrifying. Put all together, the music of this album feels like the best soundtrack I’ve ever heard. Every song in this collection is magical; this is music that speaks to the heart.

“Music Inspired by Middle-earth” may sound like a soundtrack, but it’s certainly not a Howard Shore clone. David Arkenstone has a refreshingly original take on Tolkien-inspired music. His style adds a dash of the sixteenth century to more traditional orchestral sounds and the lyrical feel of Celtic music. The result is rich, beautiful, and free. Every piece on the album fits effortlessly into these themes, so that the whole CD feels like a unified journey through Middle-earth. “Music Inspired by Middle-earth” is a must-have for your CD collection; it’s available from Amazon.com.

by Nauma

How did you find CoE?
My sister actually found it and told me about it so I checked it out and immediately joined.

What are your duties here at CoE?
I am the Themes Admin, which means I am in charge of making the site look as good as it can. I am often in the forums looking for theme suggestions, which hopefully in the future can be made into real working themes.

What are your favourite areas of the site?
Definitely the Art Gallery, I love looking at other people’s artwork, as well as submitting some of my own pieces.

How often do you visit CoE?
Almost every day at least for a few minutes, longer when I’m not bogged down with work and such.

How many times have you read the books?
Just once, though I am planning to reread them in the near future.

Who is your favourite LOTR character?
So hard to choose just one. I love them all for different reasons, but if I had to choose one, I’d go with Aragorn.

Do you have a favourite scene from the trilogy?
Again, too many to choose from, though I absolutely love the ‘I can’t carry it for you, but I can carry you’ scene from ROTK.

What character left out of the films do you miss most?
Well, I know this doesn’t really count, but I have to say I think we all missed Saruman in the theatrical ROTK version. I also wished they mentioned the Entwives just a bit, I thought that was pretty interesting in the books.

Do you know any Sindarin or Quenya?
Just a few words.

What did you enjoy most about the ROTK EE?
I loved the extended scenes between Faramir and Pippin, really touching to watch.
I’d have to say that the ROTK EE is for me the perfect movie out there right now, it’s totally worth the long viewing time.