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13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
delightful, October 29, 2002
This review is from: The Magical Worlds of Lord of the Rings: The Amazing Myths, Legends and Facts Behind the Masterpiece (Paperback)
If you read The Hobbit as a child and never got around to LOTR and the Simarillion, or if you are a new fan because of the movies this is a perfect book for you. Although the tone of the book is lighthearted and fun, the author obviously did his homework. He explains LOTR and The Hobbit by answering questions that new fans have. Why are Tolkein's elves so tall? Where did the idea for hobbits come from? How old is Gollum anyway? He tells how Shelob the spider came to be (Tolkien was attacked by a tarantula as a small child) and what Gandalf really is, and so much more. The reader will learn that LOTR is heavily inspired by Beowulf and Norse mythology. After reading this well written and amusing book I have decided to re-read LOTR. I now have even more respect for J.R.R. Tolkein. This book is actually a respectful tribute to him and his genius.
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16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Entry-level "Worlds", May 10, 2004
This review is from: The Magical Worlds of Lord of the Rings: The Amazing Myths, Legends and Facts Behind the Masterpiece (Paperback)
David Colbert is best-known for his "Magical Worlds of Harry Potter," a relatively matter-of-fact background guide. Now Colbert produces "The Magical Worlds of Lord of the Rings," with its insights into the literature, legend, and religion behind "Lord of the Rings. Colbert does a fairly good job of giving us insights into the myths (Norse legends), literature ("Beowulf," the book "Babbitt," Shakespeare's influence on faeries and elves), religion (the source of Galadriel: Mary, mother of Jesus), and Tolkien's own opinions at the time (industrialization destroying the beautiful countryside where he grew up). Colbert makes some rather obvious errors (usually linked with the "Silmarillion" rather than "Lord of the Rings"), but nothing too awful. Overall he does a pretty good job of addressing common questions like "How Many Languages Did Tolkien Invent?", "Who Was Tolkien's First Dark Lord?" or "How Did Orcs Get So Ugly?". He writes breezily and conversationally, as if addressing a bunch of listeners. Does "Magical Worlds" stand above other Tolkien guides? Nah. It's a pretty good guide for entry-level fans, but long-time fans will already know much of this material. However, fans who are new to Middle-Earth and who don't know a lot of the background will probably find this invaluable. If you have only seen the movies, or are only just tackling the books, this is a good place to start answering your questions. "Magical Worlds of Lord of the Rings" is a pretty solid beginner's guide to "Lord of the Rings" and its background material. New to Middle-Earth? Then you may just find your answers here.
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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A real treat for fans and newcomers, July 9, 2003
This review is from: The Magical Worlds of Lord of the Rings: The Amazing Myths, Legends and Facts Behind the Masterpiece (Paperback)
This put quite simply is a great book. It's easy to read, very user friendly, and don't be put off by the fact that it is just over 165 pages. Fans of Tolkein (myself included) will enjoy this book tremendously for several reasons. 1) It's bang up to date, and incorporates comparisons between the new movies, and the original text 2) It's fairly chronological in helping even the newest visitor to Tolkeins World's, gain some understanding 3) It's unbiased, unopinionated, and objective in its explanations. But above and beyond all of this it is one of the few recent books that has NOT fallen into what I refer to as "shameless commercialism". Whether you know all of Tolkeins works backwards, or have only seen the recent hit movies - this will help you enjoy one of the finest works of fiction of the 20th Century (and it was others far more eminent than me who said that). I first read the Hobbit in 1975 and have been a fan of Tolkein ever since, but since the enormous success of the wonderful recent and upcoming movies have been saddened by the seemingly endless line of "experts" offering in depth and (in their opinion) inciteful explanations as to the mind, the work, and the "hidden" messages of Tolkeins texts. There are a lot of worthless products out there at the moment simply trying to cash in and ride the gravy train - I'm happy to recommend this book, as NOT one of them. Enjoy.
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