Book Description
Alan Lee, the Oscar-winning conceptual designer for the Lord of the Rings movie trilogy, discusses his approach to depicting Tolkien's imaginary world. The book presents more than 150 of Lee's celebrated illustrations to show how his imagery for both the illustrated Lord of the Rings and the films progressed from concept to finished art. In addition, the book contains 20 full-color plates and numerous examples of the conceptual art produced for Peter Jackson's film adaptation.
The Lord of the Rings Sketchbook provides a wealth of background information and will be of interest to those who know and love Tolkien's work, from books to films to DVDs, as well as to budding artists and illustrators interested in how to approach book illustration.
Customer Reviews:
Tremendous and stunning.......2007-07-24
Alan Lee shows us a wonderful "behind the scenes" look at the artistic design of not only the films of the same title but also behind Lee's famous watercolors. Looking through the pencils on these pages, I felt a bit like I myself was a hobbit journeying through foreign lands :) Scribbles turn into magical doorways and dark and foreboding forests. Lines wave and toss and turn into flowering trees or cloaked wanderers. The searching chaos of Lee's hand in his drawings are made very evident in this book. Like a man who is not sure of where he's going when he begins his road in life, Lee peers into corners and shadows at times before settling on a road. Whether dark or light, joyful or scary...eventually he finds his way. Though the drawings don't seem random there is an elegant freedom present in his works, as if Lee was not bound by the traditional fences of art and design "rules." I was awestruck at some of the work and how gesture became finished works and how they flowed back and forth like music in one composition. This might sound silly, but sometimes when I'm looking at these drawings it feels as if I'm walking with the artist, side by side, and we wander through this world of his. "No, not here," he says, and turns from a winding staircase, or a puff of smoke, and we wander into yet another realm where he can explore. I can understand Jackson's likening Lee's work to poetry.
The book is very well crafted and put together and this is by far my favorite "art" book of all.
worth every penny.......2007-06-06
if you like pencil drawings then this is the book for you! uncountable number of awsome alan lee drawings. and he tells alot about many of the drawings.
Great work.......2007-01-09
Alan Lee is an extraordinary artist. His work here is wonderful for anyone who loves pencil drawings and sketches, as do I.
excellent stuff.......2006-11-11
good collections of the artwork. I held off on getting it for a while, given the somewhat lightweight reviews of the previous folks, but I think it is a pretty good run of pics.
Beautiful art worthy of Tolkien.......2006-11-10
This book by Alan Lee is really spectacular. His art has always been beautiful but this sketchbook really gives insight into the preparations done for the Peter Jackson LOTR movies. The narrative is also quite interesting. If you love the Jackson LOTR movies and Alan Lee's work, you won't be disappointed.
Book Description
This collection of essays addresses various aspects of Peter Jackson's film adaptations of Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings including scriptwriting and the creative process, the place of the films in cinematic history, gender roles in the films and the books, wisdom and councils, hobbits and heroism, fan culture and fanfic, the use of Tolkien's languages in the films, and other issues.
Customer Reviews:
The best book on the book/film contrasts.......2007-08-06
I found this book enormously helpful in figuring out what I had seen and how the material had been adapted for the screen. The authors of this book have a deep knowledge of the Tolkien texts and they have also viewed the films and DVDs very carefully. The assessments are balanced, well informed, and not likely to be surpassed as a commentary on the transformation.
Brilliant and balanced.......2006-08-16
This highly recommended title explores Tolkien's Lord of the Rings vs. Peter Jackson's film adaptation of it. The several essays chosen by the editors are all very convincing and well-researched. They're also immensely enjoyable to read for those who've read Tolkien and seen the film (or vice versa) and love to compare the two. The editors were also careful in presenting a balanced view, for both pros and cons are represented (sometimes even within the same essay.) And there are even some essays on Tolkienian fan-fiction (and slash) that's proliferated on the net. Truly an engrossing study of Tolkien's work and Jackson's successes and failures in adapting it! I hope a second volume is being considered...
very useful.......2005-10-26
Very interesting read, well written and witty. Recommend especially for people studying Lord of the Rings.
Book Description
A companion to The Art of The Fellowship of the Ring, this authoritative and insightful book is packed with more than five hundred full-color images â many exclusive to this volume â and shows the development of the imagery in The Two Towers from concept drawings to wide-screen glory. With illuminating captions telling the story of the images in the words of the artists and designers responsible for the look of the film, including the renowned artists Alan Lee and John Howe, and contributions from Peter Jackson, Richard Taylor, Grant Major, Ngila Dickson, Paul Lasaine, and others, this book is a must for all fans of The Lord of the Rings. In this essential reference to the architecture and costumes of Jackson's onscreen Middle-earth, the stunning large-format art, from sketches to paintings to three-dimensional maquettes and digital art, is lovingly reproduced with lavish production values to create a spectacular keepsake for the film's millions of fans.
Customer Reviews:
Good, but not as Good as the first.......2005-05-05
The second art book of the movie trilogy is not as shockingly good as the fellowship, but still a great book to own, especially for the Tolkien fan. Some of the maquettes pictured are very cool, especially the varied ents. It's always nice to see how differnt artists interpreted the characters and mood of the scene. These books show how much of a difference the art behind the movie plays on the quality of the film. The paintings are great and in general there is more commentary than in the first book. Overall, I would definitely recommend this book but not over the first one simply because the drawing s in The Fellowship art book surpass the Two Towers, and the organization of the first book is better. If The Two Towers is your favorite movie in the trilogy, then this will probably be your favorite book of the three.
Buy this book or die trying!.......2004-03-23
This book is a action pact, drama filled, and a adventures book
that when you start reading it you get caught in it and when you finish the book you start bagging for more.
So you should go get this book right now, and take my advise and order it one you get done reading it.
Buy it now or die of guilt!.......2003-12-07
This was an incredible book! This book proved to be an invaluable resource to me as a costumer. Any costumer or anyone remotely interested in LotR will benefit from this; it made the difference when I was making the Arwen Blood Red Dress. (Mom helped, but the book did more :)
MEDIOCRE.......2003-11-26
MANY OF THE DRAWINGS INCORPORATED IN THIS BOOK DO NOT REALLY FASCINATE ME AS BEING REALLY FLOORED. THE FIRST BOOK IS SOMEWHAT BETTER. DESIGNS OF SUCH CREATURES AS WARG, OLYPHAUNT, AND FELL BEAST ARE NOT IN IT. A WHOLE CHAPTER DEDICATED TO GOLLUM IS SOMEHOW OVERLONG (ALBEIT NECESSARY). MAYBE THE THIRD BOOK WOULD FULFILL MY SATISFACTION.
Great collecters books for Rings fans.......2003-09-29
The sequel to The Art of The Fellowship of the Ring, this coffee-table edition book is simply the same thing for the second of the three movies by New Line Cinema.
Hundreds of paintings, art work, concept sketches, paintings and diagrams from noted artists John Howe and Alan Lee, as well as the costume designs by Ngila Dickson, and computer-images and artwork from Richard Taylor and Weta Workshop.
Accompanying the images are descriptions and explanations by designers and artists, as well as interviews with Andy Serkis, the physical crux of the amazing and ground-breaking character of Gollum as seen in The Two Towers.
Sketches and art work include drawings of settings such as Mordor, Orthanc, Fangorn Forest, Emyn Muil, the Dead Marshes, Rivendell, Helm's Deep, Edoras, and Meduseld.
Also included are character sketches and concept art of Théoden, Éomer, Rohirrim soldiers, Treebeard, Éowyn, Grima Wormtongue, Easterling soldiers, Gondorian Rangers, Faramir, Sharku, Warg Riders, Elves, Orcs, and of course, Gollum.
An amazing behind-the-scenes look at the early concepts that took shape to create the spectacular cinematic journey that reaches its end on December 17th, 2003, and if you don't mind having the movies "spoiled" a little, in that you come to learn that a lot of what you saw on the screen really wasn't there, then you'll enjoy this book immensely.
A must-have if you bought the Art of The Fellowship of the Ring, and if you buy this, you have to buy Fellowship too!
Book Description
The official, fully authorized full-color guide to the characters, places, and landscapes of J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth as depicted in The Lord of the Rings movie trilogy.
Fully illustrated with almost 300 color photographs, including stunning new images from the extended director's versions of The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers, and exclusive "first-look" shots from The Return of the King, this Complete Visual Companion now tells the whole tale of The Lord of the Rings in sumptuous detail.
The many characters, creatures, and strange lands of Middle-earth encountered by the Fellowship of the Ring in their epic journey are here brought to life: from the magical Elven realms of Rivendell and Lothlorien to the abandoned Dwarven kingdom of Moria; from the wizard Saruman's stronghold at Isengard to the land of the Horse-lords, Rohan; from their last-ditch fortress at Helm's Deep to Minas Tirith, the city-kingdom of the proud Men of Gondor; from the haunted Paths of the Dead to the battlefields of Pelennor and the overrun city of Osgiliath; from Cirith Ungol and the Nazgul's tower of sorcery at Minas Morgul into the very heart of Mordor. Along the way our heroes will encounter Elves and Ents, Uruk-hai and Orcs, Trolls, and Haradrim on their towering war-elephants, the mumakil. The Companion introduces readers to the monstrous Shelob the spider, to the Corsairs of Umbar, and to that pitiful but deadly creature Gollum.
This omnibus edition also includes brand-new sections appearing in print for the first time, which take the story of the quest of the Fellowship beyond Mount Doom, all the way to the hearbreaking finale at the Grey Havens.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent Companion for LOTR fans........2007-03-19
I purchased this item for my 8-year old nephew who discovered it at his school library and could not get enough time with it. It is very popular at his school. Even though he has the other three individual visual companions he still wanted this one as it has pictures that are not in the other books. If you or your child are a LOTR fan you will want to add this book to your ccollection.
A good LOTR book but..........2005-06-17
While Jude Fisher's writing is even and sometimes evocative, this compilation of all three visual companions feels a bit superfluous. I mean, Lord of the Rings is great, and I'm happy to see that it hasn't been merchandised to death like the Star Wars prequels. But this isn't one of my favorite LOTR books for three reasons:
1. Not enough images from Return of the King and too Fellowship heavy 2. An unsubstantial feel to the Isengard and Gondor chapters 3.Certain characters don't get wrapped up (Saruman and Denethor) But it's still a good read and a nice addition to anyone's LORD OF THE RINGS collection. Personally though, I prefer the 'ART OF' books.
A Nice Compilation.......2005-01-26
I purchased this book because I had been told that it contained all the photos from Jude Fisher's three previous visual companions: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers and The Return of the King, which I had seen, but not purchased. While it does have some of the photos, it doesn't have all of them. Photos in certain sections have been replaced by others, and in my opinion, in some cases, the replacements aren't better pictures. Two things would have made this book worthy of five stars. First, if it had been done as an oversize hardcover like its predecessors, and second, if the three individual visual companions had been entirely reprinted in this one volume, and then additional photos added. Now that I have this trilogy compilation, I won't be buying the other three individual companions, but I am sorry not to have those missing photos.
Great Picture Book.......2005-01-18
The official, fully authorized full-color guide to the characters, places, and landscapes of J.R.R.Tolkien's Middle-earth as depicted in The Lord of the Rings movie trilogy.
Fully illustrated with almost 300 color photographs, including stunning new images from the extended director's versions of the Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers and more.
The many characters, creatures, and strange lands of Middle-earth encountered by the Fellowship of the Ring in their epic journey are here brought to life: from the magical Elven realms of Rivendell and Lothlorien to the abandoned Dwarven kingdom of Moria; from the wizard Saruman's stronghold at Isengard to the land of the Horse-lords, Rohan; from their last-ditch fortress at Helm's Deep to Minas Tirith, the city-kingdom of the proud Men of Gondor.
This omnibus edition also includes brand-new sections appearing in print for the first time, which take the story of the quest of the Fellowship beyond Mount Doom, all the way to the heartbreaking finale at the Grey Havens.
good wrap up.......2005-01-06
This is a good summary of the three movies as well as the three other visual companions. As the owner of all three previous companions, I found some of this information old, but still interesting. The pictures as well as the end of this companion, which gives good details, is a comprehensive look at the movies with a couple book tie-ins. Overall, I would say it's a great buy if you don't own the other three, and still interesting if you do.
Amazon.com
This is a single-volume edition of J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy, in which the hobbit Frodo and his elfish friends get swept up in a mighty conflict with the dark lord Sauron (who owes much to proud Satan in Paradise Lost), the monstrous Gollum, the Cracks of Doom, and the awful power of the magical Ring. The book's characters--good and evil--are recognizably human, and the realism is deepened by the magnificent detail of the vast parallel world Tolkien devised, inspired partly by his influential Anglo-Saxon scholarship and his Christian beliefs. (He disapproved of the relative sparseness of detail in the comparable allegorical fantasy his friend C.S. Lewis dreamed up in the Chronicles of Narnia, though he knew Lewis had spun a page-turning yarn.) It has been estimated that one-tenth of all paperbacks sold can trace their ancestry to J.R.R. Tolkien. But even if we had never gotten Robert Jordan's The Path of Daggers and the whole fantasy genre Tolkien inadvertently created by bringing the hobbits so richly to life, Tolkien's epic about the Ring would have left our world enhanced by enchantment. --Tim Appelo
Book Description
In ancient times the Rings of Power were crafted by the Elven-smiths, and Sauron, The Dark Lord, forged the One Ring, filling it with his own power so that he could rule all others. But the One Ring was taken from him, and though he sought it throughout Middle-earth, it remained lost to him. After many ages it fell, by chance, into the hands of the hobbit, Bilbo Baggins.
From his fastness in the Dark Tower of Mordor, Sauron's power spread far and wide. He gathered all the Great Rings to him, but ever he searched far and wide for the One Ring that would complete his dominion.
On his eleventy-first birthday Bilbo disappeared, bequeathing to his young cousin Frodo the Ruling Ring and a perilous quest --- to journey across Middle-earth, deep into the shadow of the Dark Lord, and destroy the Ring by casting it into the Cracks of Doom. THE LORD OF THE RINGS tells of the great quest undertaken by Frodo and the Fellowship of the Ring: Gandalf the Wizard, Merry, Pippin, and Sam, Gimli the Dwarf, Legolas the Elf, Boromir of Gondor, and a tall, mysterious stranger called Strider.
Customer Reviews:
After having reading this book for the 4th time..........2007-09-22
I didn't like Fellowship of the Ring the first time I read it, but plowed on to the end and gave up on the other two "books" (it's really just one long book). I think I now know why. The first reason is that I had just read and loved The Hobbit, and was expecting another book along the same lines.
LOTR starts off with Bilbo and the wizard Gandalf in Hobbition, and mentions of Gollum. What a great opener! The problem was, for me, that these familiar elements were all moved into the background. The only times I felt hey this is cool, is when they jumped back into the story for a moment, and these were few and far between. When are we going to get to the good stuff, huh?
The other thing is that this is, except for the first chapter or two, in a completely different style than The Hobbit. It's pure fantasy in the sense of looking around at all the wonder. (often times of very not magic things eg, trees and grass and hills in the shire.) Indeed, the later books focuses on humans. (In the recent movies they injected Elves in places where there were none before in the story, I expect to increase general interest in the atmosphere)
The result is that I did not enjoy LOTR until I took a very leisurely attitude towards it, rather than an adventurous one, notwithstanding that there are adventurous moments. Every time I read it I find some facet of the world that I did not notice before, or that I forgot. That is now when I most enjoy the book. For others to enjoy this book I think you must enjoy the moment, and not be in a hurry for the plot to advance.
Centenary Edition (LoTR).......2007-09-08
This is not a critique of Profesor Tolkien's works: I defer to others more qualified than I to judge his writing.
This is merely a review and description of a specific version of The Lord of The Rings. A number of reviews and comments have prompted me to point out some sought-after features of this edition.
First, this is only about the edition known as "The Centenary (1892-1992)." It was published in a single volume by Houghton Mifflin in 1991 to celebrate 100 years since the birth of Professor Tolkien in 1892. To easily identify this book look for, on the back of the dust jacket, a special centenary medallion and ISBN-10: 0-395-59511-8.
Alan Lee, reknowned Tolkien artist, was specially commissioned to paint 50 illustrations for this "Illustrated Edition." They are beautifully rendered on glossy, high-quality paper and interspersed throughout the book.
The book is set in large type, with the typeface clear and easy to read. The paper is good quality, bright white and shows little print "bleed-through" from following pages. On a personal note, special attention was obviously paid to this edition, as compared to some of the other poorly printed editions. The cover boards are in brown cloth with a simple gilded imprint of the professor's trademark signature. Nothing very fancy, but elegant nonetheless.
What should be great news to many readers, this edition is CONTINUOUS from page one to the end. The table of contents lists the SIX books, as Prof. Tolkien intended! Page numbering does not start over after each book:
Books 1-2 (Fellowship) = pp. 33 - 428
Books 3-4 (Two Towers) = pp. 429 - 772
Books 5-6 (Return) = pp. 773 - 1069
Appendix A-F = pp.1070 - 1172
Six maps of middle-earth are bound in at the end of the book. They are of various aspects of middle-earth, in black and white, and are not fold-out style. They're of medium quality and nothing to write home about.
This is a wonderful edition, identified by its special Centenary medallion on the back of the dust jacket, quality printing and beautiful artwork by Alan Lee. If your wrists are strong enough to heft a single-volume LoTR, this makes a great reading copy for your library.
Beautiful.......2007-09-03
This is a wonderful edition to our book collection. It's leather, hard cover, fat, & comes in a nice matching sleeve. The pages are gold edged. There is artwork as well. I know there are probably nicer & more expensive books out there, but come on! This is a great book for the price! It's a future heirloom sitting pretty on your book shelf!
21st Century Ahistorical Bibliophilia: Almost without peer, and the flaws have been been exaggerated in number and degree.......2007-08-12
Two points to clarify about the most popular single-volume LOTR editions:
1) The 1991 single-volume Alan Lee-illustrated edition is the "centenary" edition, commemorating Tolkien's 100th birthday (cf. "centenarian") . The "centennial" edition won't be published until 2054, which will be the 100th anniversary of the original publication of Lord of the Rings. This is a very well designed and well printed/bound edition, built to last and beatufil. Its only fault is the absence of fold-out maps (it has the black and white maps printed in sections, often seen in paperback editions).
2) The reason for the broken type in the 1974 red leatherette "Collector's Edition" (and the occurrences of this number on the order of 1 or 2 characters on every 50th page or so) is more likely that the source text from which the negatives/plates were made and this edition printed was itself flawed and originally was some form of letterpress metal type, probably Monotype [a more 'modern' version of the old LinoType system], though depending on the date of that setting [up to mid-'60s, or even later] it may have been hand-composed. All metal type gets re-used, and becomes worn and some of it cracked/chipped over time. There were many books reprinted in this way through the early '80s (and a few publishers, such as Lindsay Books, of long out-of-print, mostly public-domain or 'gray rights' titles, still do this).
The problem is unlikely to have been caused by faults in photo-typesetting strips or process-camera negs in 1973 or so (when this LOTR Collector's Edition was first printed) since that process was a fully mature, climax technology by then, and quality control was simply outstanding (this was due to that extinct beast, the unionized master-printer, especially at Houghton Mifflin, a publisher with a very large academic textbook list, and an industry reputation for quality production; just look at any ten trade hardbacks circa 1973 and earlier, and compare any element of quality to any ten current titles and it's clear the the technology and practice of printing and book binding peaked long ago, and nothing of newer technology, especially computer technology has served the interest of producing better made books, quite the opposite. 2007 tech only makes it faster and cheaper, nothing else.
Remember also that it was the Allen & Unwin type-compositors who introduced virtually all the spelling and diction errors in both the 1st and 2nd editions, some of which have only finally been fixed in the 2004-05 50th Anniversary edition; and these were errors mostly such as 'dwarves' being "corrected" to 'dwarfs', 'elven' to 'elfin', and many others, primarily linguistic, along those lines; these would have been proper corrections with any author other than Tolkien, of course.)
As for the notion that photo-reproduction is at all like printing a Word document on a laser printer, then scanning it back into a computer as a JPEG or GIF image file, and finally printing it again, that is a facile and plainly inaccurate comparison. In short, unless one starts with a bitmap or similar low quality computer 'font', prints on low-brightness (
<70) recycled paper via a cheap ink-jet printer, scans using a 75-by-75 dpi setting via low-end scanning hardware and software, and repeats printing as above, the result will certainly be nothing so poor as Jeff Sun describes in his review. Photo-reproduction via PC and peripherals or via process-camera, strips, and offset printing, can easily and does commonly achieve excellent results, provided the equipment is of first quality and the operator is skilled.
If anyone is obsessed enough to try this (as I clearly am), one fairly reliable way to tell whether a book is printed (at some stage) from some form of metal type is to use at least a 20x loupe and examine the vertical straight edges (particularly of upper N's, T's, L's, and E's) for irregularity. Metal type degrades in miniscule degrees after the first few hundred impressions, and will show this by cracking/splitting/chipping/warbling/bending and otherwise appearing NOT straight, sharp, and crisp (especially machine-set monotype/linotype which was all lead/tin, since it was melted down repeatedly; hand-set type has antimony and sometimes manganese in it, which makes it much harder to start and also casts more sharply; parts of letters break off but usually don't deform). It's a challenge to tell these apart, since photo-reproduction of letterpress can be hard to distinguish from original letterpress printing, if the latter is done by a highly skilled compositor and press operator. Some letterpress books show the impression of the type on the page, like a light embossing, from the force of the type striking the stock. Really good printing avoids this. So, if you have a book without this feature that does show feathering, breaks, waviness, etc. it may be either letterpress or photo-repro of LP, but if these traits are present it is almost certain metal type was used at some point in the life of the typesetting.
Two caveats to even to this: feathering alone does not definitely mean deformed metal type. Feathering,, or little veins and stream-like projects away from the character is often caused by excessive inking and watery ink, and also by cheap papers that are unsized (meaning a starch like substance is added during the paper's manufacture to prevent feathering and bleedthrough; newsprint is unsized and you can see how feathering works buy lightly touching a fountain pen to a piece of it for a minute or so). The other caveat is that some computer fonts, especially some high end ones for MAC typesetting systems, have been photographically captured/reproduced from books printed mostly before 1800, and their designers often deliberately retain some of the source type's imperfections (which are due mostly to the more primitive metallurgy of that era) to achieve a particular design effect. You might be surprised how much theory and psychology underlies type-design and typography; there is a lot. Need a dissertation topic?
This has become, I see now, a rant, and a really long one. First as a reader, then as a writer, then as apprentice in a letterpress print shop and bindery, I've always held the book as art-object or craft-work in very nearly as high esteem as the words contained within. I do think these issues are worth some ink, and I expect (or hope) that those interested in fine editions such as this so-called "Collector's " (Ugh! I so hate that term, it's like "deluxe" or "premier" and is mildly patronizing to the reader/buyer) edition of LOTR might also find at least some of the above ramble of interest and use. I do regard this red leatherette slipcased edition (ISBN 0-39-519395-8) as my favorite. It was this edition in which I first read LOTR, and though the Centenary hardcover and the HC 50th Anniversary editions (slipcased US and UK, different designs, both excellent) are on the whole and in most particulars better printed and bound, this edition is a nostalgia item for me. I also very much like the red binding, evocative as it is of the "Red Book of Westmarch," the foil-stamping on the spine, of the White Tree of Gondor, (which must be by either Pauline Baynes or by Tolkien himself) is a delight, and the two color printing, in spite of the ocassional bad character and slightly inconsistent inking, makes me feel like I'm reading an incunabulum. All of these speak across from the old world, though perhaps very long after the Third Age had concluded. I recommend it, highly and without reservation, even to a casual collector, especially now since it has recently gone out of print(ca. 2003-2005, around the time the slipcased, black bonded-leather, US 50th Anniversary edition [ISBN 0-618-51765-0] was published), and is very unlikely to be reissued. It (the Red) listed for $75, and Amazon last sold new copies for $47.50 last January. Now however, fine, used copies are nearing the original list price for the new, and new copies are nearing $100, and very hard to find. Buy one now, as soon as you find one available fine or better.
Not overly satisfied.......2007-08-02
The stories make a great novel, I'm a huge LoTR fan. Alas, when I attempted to purchase this product I found myself waiting nearly a month just to get an email telling me that Amazon was unable to obtain and ship me a copy of it. I opted for a different variation of this collectors edition, I would have been more impressed with this one.
Book Description
: In this accessible and engaging book, Ralph Wood shows us that J.R.R. Tolkien's masterpiece is a deeply Christian work because it does not blink back the horrors of our terrible times but confronts them with startling honesty. Readers keep turning to this work because here they are immersed in significance and meaning - perceiving the Hope than can be found amidst despair; the Charity that overcomes vengeance; and the Faith that springs from the strange power of weakness. The Gospel According to Tolkien will be loved by both longtime Tolkien fans and those recently drawn to his books through the popular feature films.
Customer Reviews:
All it lives up to be.......2007-05-22
I judge this book based upon what it says it will do, and whether, after reading it, I deem the book actually did what it said it would do, or if it flopped. But, though some may disagree with its purpose, the book does not contradict itself and presents a very lucid and enjoyable argument.
The author argues that Tolkien is not explicitly allegorical in The Lord of the Rings. Being a Tolkein fan, this comes as a great relief, because I knew that Tolkien particularly disliked allegory (claiming in what I deem a word of humor) 'whenever he could smell it'. But the author does argue that within TLoTR there exists an implicit theme or 'feel' of Christianity, and thus he goes about collecting convincingy evidence (in large volume) to support his thesis.
If one is interested in looking into and finding potential connections between LOTR and Christianity, this will be a very rewarding book to read. Just remember, Tolkien wrote Rings chiefly as fantasy, and, while there indeed may be residual evidences of Christianity within the book (because Tolkien was a Christian and thus it is impossible for there not to be), it is not the book's intentional purpose to flaunt any type of religion.
A FIRST-RATE LOOK AT TOLKIEN'S IDEAS AND INSPIRATION!.......2006-03-01
I enjoyed this book as a huge fan of Tolkien's works. What a neat human being he was, and his imagination was exhaustive! Wow! This book was extremely readable and very insightful.
"A fundamentally religious and Catholic work.".......2006-01-20
There are many books out there that are trying to Christianize works of literature and popular media these days. I am sure you have seen them. Books that claim you can find Christ in Harry Potter, The Matrix, and Star Wars. I think we can agree that in most cases these books are really IMPOSING Christianity on these works. But J.R.R. Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings" is different. In "Letters", page 243, Tolkien himself states that the "Lord of the Rings" is a "fundamentally religious and Catholic work." These are Tolkien's very own words. He confirms the Christianity of his epic yet again on page 172 of "Letters" when he states that "The religious element is absorbed into the story and the symbolism." So, right of the bat "The Gospel according to Tolkien" is set apart from other books of the genre. Ralph Wood is not imposing Christianity on "The Lord of the Rings", he is exploring the Christianity that Tolkien himself integrated into his great work of literature.
Ralph Wood's book is a very good introduction to the Christianity of the "Lord of the Rings." He makes it clear that reading the "Lord of the Rings" with the eyes of faith will greatly enhance ones understanding of what Tolkien was doing in writing his great epic. The only problem for me is that Ralph Wood decided to write his book from an ecumenical perspective. The themes he explores in his book are those that are shared by all Christians. Now I realize that one can view this as a very good thing. But Tolkien was a Catholic, and the "Lord of the Rings" was deeply affected by his Catholic faith. So if one explores the Christianity of the "Lord of the Rings" without exploring the Catholicism of it, I feel we are left with a somewhat incomplete study. Ralph Woods touches on the Catholic aspect only briefly now and then. He does state that the Elven "Lembas" bread is highly reminiscent of the Eucharist. Ralph Wood also mentions that the Vala Elbereth parallels the Catholic view of the Virgin Mary. But, to my recollection that is the limit of Wood's exploration of the specifically Catholic elements of the "Lord of the Rings." This is why I stated that Ralph Wood's book is a good INTRODUCTION to the Christianity of Tolkien's books. There are many books out there that explore the full religiosity of the "Lord of the Rings" in a complete manner. Still, I would recommend you read "The Gospel According to Tolkien" first before going deeper into the Theology of Middle-Earth.
A good companion. .......2005-03-25
The plethora of books with a variant of the title "The Gospel According To ..." continues to fill bookshelves and entice the unwary buyer into reading some attempt to shoehorn popular culture into the biblical message. The earliest of this genre that I can recall was The Gospel According to Peanuts (still in print since 1965), after the popular cartoon strip by the late Charles Schultz. Being a confessing Christian, Mr. Schultz did on occasion openly present a Christian message through his syndicated strip-the most famous and endearing being the rendition by the blanket-hugging Linus of Luke's birth narrative in Schultz' animated Christmas television feature. Today we have our choice of The Gospel According to Dr. Seuz, The Gospel According to The Simpsons, The Gospel According to Harry Potter, The Gospel According to Disney, and The Gospel According to The Sopranos (I'm not making that last one up, really).
Ralph C. Wood, professor of theology and literature at Baylor University, has now added to that collection The Gospel According to Tolkien. It is arguably the only volume that can legitimately make a claim to that title, for as Wood ably demonstrates, Tolkien's corpus is implicitly, but authentically, Christian. Tolkien's Middle Earth trilogy has experienced a rediscovery, if not a revival, among a wider audience due to Peter Jackson's brilliant movie interpretation of The Lord of the Rings, so the timing of this publication could not have been more strategic.
Wood presents an accessible theological interpretation to The Lord of the Rings material, though he draws from Tolkien's entire corpus of writings, from works like The Silmarillion, The Hobbit, as well as letters and essays, in which Tolkien provides the background and history of the mythic Middle Earth as well as commentary on the nature and purpose of the literary genre in which he worked. This background material is in evidence especially in the first two chapters of the book in Wood's treatment of the themes of creation, the Fall (both of the mythic world of Tolkien and of the real world), the nature of sin ("iniquity") and evil. Subsequent chapters stay closer to the more familiar Middle Earth material of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. These later chapters deal with the themes of good and evil, and Tolkien's vision of the Kingdom. The most valuable contribution of this book, I believe, is Wood's treatment of the redeeming virtues in the panoramic drama of Tolkien's world and ours. Specifically, his treatment of the four cardinal virtues: prudence, justice, courage, and temperance-as well as his treatment on Tolkien's concepts of eucatostrophes, community, and the nature of stories-serve in an authentic way to connect the dots between Tolkien's dense cosmology and the Christian faith.
For those wishing to delve into the informing Christian theology that plays out behind the curtain of Tolkien's dramatic trilogy, or for those who want an overtly Christian introduction to the epic story of The Lord of the Rings, there is unlikely a better resource to be found. Wood's book will not only help introduce the reader to the theological world of Tolkien's Middle Earth, but will provide insight into the importance of stories-of good stories-to our ability to understand the Gospel message.
A must read!.......2004-12-13
I highly recommend this book to any Christian interested in Tolkien. The book is easy to read and contains many references that will surely crack those Tolkien editions open again.
Another reviewer criticized Wood's work as overreaching, but i believe the criticism to be misplaced. The history of Tolkien is one of presenting the Gospel at every turn, from drawing C.S. Lewis to Christianity to producing an overtly Christian literature. It's true that he was fascinated by paganism, but so was Chesterton, who was an influence upon Tolkien as well as a Christian apologist. It should not come as a surprise that Tolkien's work begins with a creation myth story and contain fallen angels, good angels, and a battle for the redemption of humanity that can only compare with Milton's Paradise series (in fact, i'd argue, rising above it). It is far more difficult to claim the epic to be thoroughly pagan than to claim it thoroughly Christian. The critic is the one overreaching.
Dr. Wood's examination is revealing, and i believe one could probe even deeper to uncover even more Christian themes that this volume could not cover. Why does Frodo, a normal powerless hobbit, shine and regain such strength when he bravely confronts Smeagol as he is about to arrive at Mt. Doom if there is no underlining spiritual message? Why does mere bread revitalize when it is thin and tasteless? Lord of the Rings is incredibly and obviously buried in Christian doctrine, though one has to be familiar with the themes to recognize them.
Customer Reviews:
Amazing!.......2006-10-20
You need to be either a linguist or an ultra-hard-core fan to appreciate this book. Not being a linguist, some of the technical aspects are beyond me but still, what an amazing work; not only by Salo but by Tolkien. The short section with the "historical" background of Sindarin was fascinating; a nice summary. I had no idea that Tolkien had made his languages so complicated. A fascinating glimpse into Tolkien's mind.
For fifty bucks I should get a dust jacket.......2006-09-12
The book is what I expected it to be, a reference written by someone who has studied some of Tolkien's writings on language, best used in conjunction with other reference materials if used to learn to compose writings in the language of the elves. Other reviews that have bashed the book sound like sour grapes wallowers. Tolkien was the only expert on the languages of Middle Earth and anyone who claims otherwise is suspect.
True Sindarin study.......2006-03-02
This book is NOT for those who simply want to learn phrases and so on. Being a student of linguistics, and having a professor whose work is used as the official linguistic analysis in an area of Papua New Guinea, I can say with honesty that David Salo's work is the real deal. I showed this to my professor, and he was completely impressed (a feat in and of itself).
Reading Gateway is not casual; it takes some concentration. I suppose that, if one just wanted Elvish texts, it could be used. I was quite pleased to find him using the IPA in words, as I had wished for that since first finding Lord of the Rings.
The historical chart of the emergence of Sindarin better explains some of the material in The Silmarillion, and the overall historical prose explanation of the development of the different phases of Elvish was most helpful.
I would definitely recommend this to any Tolkien fans that happen to be linguists as well. A majority of fans would not understand, but it is a fascinating read nonetheless.
Excellent.......2006-02-23
This book is amazing, but be certain that you're the right audience.
This is a college-level textbook, and make no mistake about that. It is a very academic and thoroughly researched treatment of Sindarin. If you're looking for "Conversational Sindarin for Fun and Profit", this book is not it. Only buy it if you really have a deep interest in Tolkien's constructed languages. Having said that, it's worth every penny. I haven't seen this much detailed information on Sindarin anywhere else.
Sindarin Language Help.......2006-02-01
This is a very helpful text for the new student of Sindarin, one of J R R Tolkien's Elvish languages. In addition to grammar lessons, there are English-Sindarin Glossaries and a great history of the language. This is a written language, not generally meant ot be spoken and I am able after two months study to write simple sentences.
The book is hard back and stands up to daily use very well.
Book Description
Film-making history was made when, in The Two Towers, an actor's performance and digital animation were seamlessly integrated to create the world's first totally lifelike computer-generated character. Now Andy Serkis tells his own story about how a three-week commission to provide a voiceover for Gollum grew into a five-year commitment to breathe life and soul into The Lord of the Rings' most challenging creation.
- Did the voice of Gollum really start with a cat being sick?
- What was it like acting in a bodysuit covered in dots?
- How much was Gollum modeled to look like Andy?
- What surprises does The Return of the King hold in store?
Fully illustrated with more than one hundred exclusive behind-the-scenes photos and drawings, and with contributions from the many designers and animators who brought Gollum to life, this book examines the transition to the big screen of one of literature's most unforgettable creatures. As the filming takes him from London to Wellington, and from the MIsty Mountains to Mount Doom, Andy Serkis explains the methods - and the madness - behind the most amazing five years in this actor's life.
Customer Reviews:
Other reviewers have said it all..........2006-11-25
Just wanted to give five stars.
Oh, yes, and I thought I was the only person to camp with no supplies save a copy of LOTR! You know what they say: great minds think alike.
I LOVE ANDY.......2004-12-29
I love Andy Serkis. I love his book. Go buy it. Love him too. Enough said.
Brief, informative and loaded with incredible images. . . .......2004-11-05
Andy Serkis, the actor behind the character of Gollum in The Lord of the Rings movie trilogy, takes us deep into the terrain behind this great epic of our time. Through his experience in creating a close reflection to Tolkien's Gollum, he comes forward in what seems to be a blunt honest story of his time on the set and creates a brief, enjoyable actor's account.
Beginning with a phone call and winding his way through the streets of New Zealand, the highways of character development and the psychological paths of his acting and character experience, we get a great bit of knowledge of what it really feels like to transform yourself into another person for the sake of showing the world a tale - or even a message. You could call it a diary, completely packed with bits and pieces that are extremely informative, but brief. Learn what it takes to be an actor or a psychiatrist, to completely envelope yourself into character and to be immersed in a wonderfully diverse land. With contributions from Gary Russell and others on set, this book has incredible illustrations, sculptures, design plans, photographs and passages from the crew. Hilarious Gollum faces are located on the top outer corner of each page as you read along, making a fun time in itself.
I would definitely recommend this book to fans of the movie trilogy, those who want a better glimpse behind the making of a soon-to-be classic, movie enthusiasts/aspirers, or anyone else if they just want a fun read. This is definitely a kid-friendly book (though some kids may get disgusted or confused at some of the sculptures of Gollum without his little rag around his waist. Ahem. . . :D), though I think it may tend to be slightly boring for younger kids. Definitely PG.
So I will leave you to your browsing and shopping with a song from Gollum,
"Rock and pool
is sweet and cool
so nice for feet,
we only wish
to catch a fish
so juicy sweeeeet!"
Happy Reading!
Gollum and Smeagol and Andy.............2004-09-27
This is a fascinating account of Andy Serkis's experience in creating the CG character, Gollum, as well as his actual "on screen" time as the ring-beguiled Smeagol in the opening scene of The Return of The King.
Andy's tale is engaging and honest, relating the hardships he endured in bringing the character to life and only increases my respect for him as a performer and a human being. It must have been a long, sometimes difficult job for every actor in the films, but Andy put in more hours than any other actor involved, many of them in isolation from the "moral support" of comrades.
Perhaps the most touching part of this book is Andy's dedication, which is to his own children, the Jackson children, the Astin children, and all the other "children of the ring" who were forced to sacrifice so much time with their parents during the making of these epic pictures.
A GREAT bet for some wonderful inside info and some pretty neato pictures!
A precioussss behind the scenes look at the making of Gollum.......2004-05-10
Even casual film fans are now familiar with the character of Gollum and the groundbreaking special effects that turned him into one of the screen's most memorable characters. Now, we get to see Gollum from a different perspective: through the eyes of the man who brought him to life, Andy Serkis. This memoir, written by Serkis (w/help from Gary Russell) is an entertaining and eye-opening look at the production of both the character in general and the films as a whole. Andy had done mostly small roles in films and plays when he received an intriguing casting tip from his agent: Apparently, New Line was making a trilogy of films based on the "Lord of the Rings" series, and needed someone to voice the character of Gollum. Serkis, unfamiliar with the trilogy (though he had read "The Hobbit" in school) initially balked, until his partner (later, wife) Lorraine--who HAD read the books--urged him to try out. Andy agreed, and began to try different voices that might fit the character. He was stuck, having tried many different voices, until inspiration hit in the form of his cat. (His gagging, hairball-infested cat.) Serkis, who had decided to approach Gollum as a character so full of guilt and obsession (he also compares Gollum to a hardcore junkie) that he was literally choking on it, imitated his poor gagging cat in front of Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh...and the rest, as they say, is history.
Andy journeyed to New Zealand for what he though might be a bit of voice work. Instead, the role of Gollum turned into one of the most challenging undertaken to date: Serkis not only supplied the voice of Gollum, but also his movements as well (thanks to innovative motion-capture technology). Serkis would end up filming scenes multiple times: once in a blue suit, accompanied by Elijah Wood and Sean Astin, then again without them, and often again in a suit studded with dots (reference points for computer animators). Though tedious, this process allowed the animators to bring Gollum to living, breathing life, a genuine example of movie magic. (How detailed is the character of Gollum? A deaf man who saw "The Two Towers" was able to read his lips.) Andy studied the character, often referencing the books for little insights into the character and his psychological makeup in order to bring greater depth to Gollum. And perhaps a little bit of Gollum worked its way into Andy...because vegetarian Serkis suddenly found himself enjoying fish again.
Despite the frequent hardships of filming, Andy was able to keep a sense of humor and professionalism about him, and is able to look back at many of the more difficult moments and laugh. Indeed, his sense of humor sustains the book when it bogs down or becomes repetitive; Serkis felt the need to relate the details of motion-capture technology a few too many times, as if he were telling a multi-part story and needed to bring new readers up to date. He grouses a bit about his initial lack of recognition and appreciation, especially when he had to repeat long scenes in the blue suit while the other actors could relax. (The worst one: Repeating a scene that involved splashing in frigid water...and that blue suit was NOT insulated). But he chides himself for those feelings, and finds a great deal of humor in those difficulties now.
Serkis, who claims little knowledge of classical literature, belies it with frequent references to and quotes from Nordic literature, the Bible (Smeagol's murder of Deagol draws comparisons to Cain and Abel), Shakespeare's "The Tempest" (comparing Gollum to Caliban), Jekyll and Hyde, Frankenstein's monster, and more. His writing style is smooth, full of humor and frequent good-natured self-deprecation, especially when relating how he foolishly ventured onto a rapids-filled river with minimal supplies, only to be rescued by four Wellington city councilors. His feelings of unappreciation were greatly assuaged when he learned that he would actually be on-screen, playing the role of young Smeagol in a flashback, as we see how Gollum came into possession of the Ring. Though he would still find himself largely unrecognized: A flight attendant saw him reading the books and innocently asked him if he knew about the films, sighing all the while because Orlando Bloom had been on the plane just a few days before. Serkis resisted a strong urge to crawl on all fours and hiss in his Gollum voice. (I don't know if I could have).
This little book (119 pgs) contains all one would want to know about the creation and evolution of one of modern cinema's most unique characters, and is highly recommended.
Book Description
The official inside story on the making of the award-winning movie trilogy
The Lord of the Rings: The Making of the Movie Trilogy is a lavishly illustrated, behind-the-scenes, definitive account of the creation of an epic film experience. Hailed by critics worldwide, part one of the movie trilogy was a box-office smash, one of the most successful films of the decade. Peter Jackson's "fierce, imaginative movie takes high-flying risks and inspires with its power and scale," wrote Newsweek. "In every way this is moviemaking on a grand scale," wrote the San Francisco Chronicle, while Time proclaimed the "grandeur, moral heft and emotional depth" of the film, which received thirteen Academy Award(R) nominations.
Including more than 300 photographs from all three films, most unique to this book, and exclusive interviews with all the cast and crew, Brian Sibley's fascinating book takes every fan inside the process of adapting J.R.R. Tolkien's masterwork for the screen. For the first time in history, three major movies were made at the same time, a triumphant and monumental undertaking that took the world by storm. Here can be found details about the hundreds of dedicated artists, craftspeople and cast and crew members who labored for years -- adding authenticity at every stage -- to bring one of the greatest stories ever told to an eager film audience. Sibley takes us inside the process of filmmaking to show us how the magic is made -- from the director, writers and actors to wardrobe, makeup, miniatures, music and digital special effects, it's all here.
"It was tiring, physically and mentally, but never dull. Three movies, one big story, and so much variety: one day shooting scenes of intimate heart-wrenching drama, the next, vast battle scenes involving hundreds of extras. Every day brought an opportunity to create something new on this enormous canvas that is The Lord of the Rings." -- Peter Jackson
Customer Reviews:
Few nice pictures and that's all.......2007-01-10
I bought this book and I was interested but it really disappointed me! It doesn't give you any information neither details about the making of the movie rather than the author's babbling (honestly)! The only good thing is some nice pictures and they are not many.
lots of behind the scenes info and photos.......2006-12-10
This contains much of the behind-the-scenes information that the "special feature" of the DVD versions contain. There is significant new material, however. I enjoyed the book very much as it describes the amazing job of the team that produced the movies that we love.
trepel 0 7 spy kid 3spys.......2006-07-05
there was 3 yung spys andthey spy,ed on Alie andthe way they spy,ed on her was they sneak acros the house & in side and they went in the vent and put the camra on and spy,ed ontel tomor,o &then they left be for she got up THE END
Great Book!.......2006-03-10
If your a fan of behind the scenes stuff and movie making, this is the book for you. These movies are unlike any other, so seeing what when on during their 18 month filming, premires, etc. is great! Highly recommended!
Ten Thousand More?.......2006-03-06
I loved the movie, but what I am curious about the most is why Lord Aragon allowed the "Ghost Army" to leave when they were facing another Ten Thousand plus army as they did the first? That didn't make any sense!!!!!
Average customer rating:
- sheep
- A wonderful Fellowship photo guide for all!
- Not really worth it
- Not quite what I was looking for
- Pictures to take you back
|
The Fellowship of the Ring Photo Guide (The Lord of the Rings)
Alison Sage , and
J.R.R. Tolkien
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
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The Two Towers Movie Photo Guide (The Lord of the Rings)
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The Fellowship of the Ring Visual Companion (The Lord of the Rings)
ASIN: 0618195580 |
Book Description
The official children's photo guide to The Fellowship of the Ring. Meet Frodo Baggins and enter a world of hobbits, wizards, dwarves and elves. Discover the secrets of the One Ring and the terrifying creatures of the Dark Lord, Sauron. Follow the Companions as they embark on their perilous quest.
Customer Reviews:
sheep.......2005-10-13
Ever wonder how the top-ranked reviewers force their way to the top?
They click on their own reviews over and over.
So brilliant. So clever. But not "well-done"! Certainly not the mark of a professional.
The new rule of thumb: lower rankings equal better reviews!
A wonderful Fellowship photo guide for all!.......2004-08-15
If you want a great Fellowship of the Ring photo guide to add to your collection ~ this would be perfect! It's 48-pages are filled with fantastic photos including 58 direct quotes from the movie script. The 72-photos feature Frodo, Gandalf, Aragorn, Sam, Pippin, Merry, Bilbo, Legolas, Gimli, Boromir, Elrond, Galadriel, bad guys (such as Saruman, orcs, and ringwraiths). There are also pictures of the various locations in the Fellowship of the rings such as the Shire, Weathertop, the Counsil of Elrond, Mines of Moria, Lothlorien, and Amon-Hen. The entire story is simply told throughout the book, but the excellent pictures tell more of the story than the words do as they follow Frodo from his cozy life in the shire all the way to the sad breaking of the Fellowship. Alison Sage created a wonderful guide actually containing the Fellowship of the Ring film told in beautiful photos allowing you to experience the movie over and over again - add this to your collection!
Not really worth it.......2003-12-18
This book may have been worth it three years ago, before the first movie released, to get previews of who looked like what. But it is not very helpful now, and plot-wise, it wasn't helpful back then. It is just a collection of pictures from The Fellowship of the Ring, with a smattering of text about the plot. The pictures, actually, are out of order. The front cover is also not very enticing, which was fixed for the photo guides of the next two movies.
Face it, you can find these pictures and tons more all over the internet. If you are the ultimate, die-hard fan who has to have every bit of LotR-related stuff, then go ahead and buy it, but otherwise, I would not recommend it.
Not quite what I was looking for.......2003-02-09
I reccomend buying the book, "The Art of The Lord of The Rings, Fellowship of the Ring" instead. Why? It is amazing, and has way more information inside it. This book here, is slim, small and has some good pictures, it is a solid collectors item. If you are into costume re-recreation, you would be happier buying the LOTR "art of" book because it has great drawings inside of it, that plus get yourself the LOTR FOTR extended edition DVD 4 disc set for more costume research needs. Overall, This book here has mostly fluff, good pictures, not the information I needed for my costume research needs.
Pictures to take you back.......2002-12-30
This Photo Guide to The Fellowship of the Ring is a lovely collection of pictures from the first Lord of the Rings movie. The captions and text are minimal, but appropriate. Although designed for children, anyone who would like an inexpensive book that can tease your memories of the movie, this is an excellent one.
Beginning with Suaron's tower in Mordor and Frodo sitting in a tree, to the battle in Moria, ending with The Fellowship leaving Lothlorien, the photos are good representations of the story line. Colors are clear and crisp. Only two pictures were omitted which should have appeared here: Arwen with Frodo on horseback at the river, with the horse rearing, and the guardians carved into the cliffs on either side of the river.
Anyone who enjoys this book would also be interested in the Photo Guide for The Two Towers, also published by Houghton-Mifflin.
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