As September draws near, various Ringer groups around the world will be gearing up for their Bilbo’s Birthday celebrations. Ringers in the San Francisco Bay Area have established a tradition of hobbity picnics which are great fun. The next one is on September 25.[More] Remember folks, you can use TORN’s Line Party page to organise or search for similar events in your part of the world.

Melody Of the Shire writes: The Dallas Symphony will be giving two performances, Thursday, October 7th and Friday October 8th. Tickets just went on sale for individual seats. Good seats available for Thursday. Friday seats are very limited. [More]

Ted Nasmith has confirmed that he will be signing copies of his new illustrated edition of the Silmarillion at Forbidden Planet, 179, Shaftesbury Avenue, London, WC2H 8JR on September 15th from 5.30-6.30. This new edition of Tolkien unsung masterpiece will include 28 previously unseen Nasmith illustrations. If you are unable to attend the signing but would like to receive a copy, please call 020 7420 3666 and the shop will be able to reserve you a copy.

We hope to see you there!

More on the new revised and illustrated Silmarillion…

The Silmarillion
Revised and Illustrated edition
J. R. R. Tolkien
Illustrated by Ted Nasmith

A beautifully presented revised and reset edition of The Silmarillion, illustrated by celebrated Tolkien artist Ted Nasmith – designed to match and complement the illustrated Lord of The Rings

J R R Tolkien’s SILMARILLION is the core work of the Middle-earth canon. It is in this dense and often neglected masterpiece that the entire cosmology for the background for THE HOBBIT and, particularly, THE LORD OF THE RINGS is documented.

This revised and reset volume contains fabulous tales of heroes and monsters, and the history of the Elves and of the Silmarils – the magical jewels produced by the Children of Iluvatar, or Elves (humans being the Younger Children of Iluvatar); it tells of the creation of Middle-earth, and the coming of Men into the world; it chronicles the early battles between good and evil, forces of light and dark, which foreshadow the great conflict with Sauron, the Dark Lord, in LORD OF THE RINGS.

These tales of Middle-earth were published posthumously in 1977. Tolkien worked on THE SILMARILLION all his life – long before THE HOBBIT or LORD OF THE RINGS – and his son and literary executor Christopher Tolkien edited the material he left behind into its current form.

With the close collaboration of Christopher Tolkien, THE SILMARILLION has now been completely reset, using the Second Edition text, and redesigned and repackaged to complement the stunningly illustrated hardbacks of THE LORD OF THE RINGS and COMPLETE GUIDE TO MIDDLE-EARTH, providing the reader with a definitive text.

Furthermore, acclaimed Tolkien artist Ted Nasmith has been commissioned to provide 28 breathtaking new paintings, making this new illustrated edition of THE SILMARILLION the most sumptuous and desirable ever published.

‘How, given little over half a century of work, did one man become the creative equivalent of a people?’ The Guardian

‘Demanding to be compared with English mythologies… at times rises to the greatness of true myth’ Financial Times

‘A creation of singular beauty… magnificent in its best moments’ Washington Post

Ted Nasmith has contributed to a range of illustrated works including The Tolkien Calendar, the Complete Guide to Middle-earth, Realms of Tolkien and Tolkien’s World.

Bruce Hopkins aka Gamling the Old pointed out that since both he and Bernard Hill will be at the Fellowship Festival in London later this month, this would be a rare opportunity to see both of them actng together. Rumours are that some lucky fans may get to be involved in some interactive drama with them – but this is only a RUMOUR at this point. But if you want another reason to book a ticket to the Festival, just remember – every ticket purchased enters you in the draw for a free trip to New Zealand to tour LOTR locations – courtesy of Red Carpet Tours.