Just how much was Smaug’s stolen hoard worth? Tolkien fans certainly seem to think they know. So much so that Forbes had to revise their original estimate of $8.6 billion due to enthusiastic input from those very fans:
“Taking into account a variety of factors including the estimated length of a dragon (64 feet), how many scales he has on his belly (822), the percentage of air in the treasure mound (30%) and the price of gold, silver and diamonds I estimated the ancient wyrm to be worth $8.6 billion. The Internet disagreed…”
Follow the “Read More” link to read this hugely entertaining account of how they recalculated Smaug’s worth based on fan input, and what the final result was. Then follow the link in the article to find out how much the other “Fictional 15” characters are worth, including characters such as Tony Stark, Bruce Wayne and Tywin Lannister from Game of Thrones. Read More ...
Discussion board member Modtheow reminds us of this annual event where discussion board members N.E. Brigand, visualweasel and Indigo Istar will be among the presenters!
Every year about 3,000 medievalists descend on Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, MI for the International Congress on Medieval Studies, but tucked into the over 600 sessions on every medieval topic imaginable, you can find 6 or 7 sessions on Tolkien, often referred to as “Tolkien at Kalamazoo.” You don’t have to be a medieval scholar to attend this conference, though I should say that it is meant to be a scholarly event — still, there’s lots of fun to be had, especially in the Friday night “Tolkien Unbound” entertainment, or the Saturday night dance, or in some of the gaming sessions, or dinner at Bilbo’s Restaurant. You can find information about the full conference here.
Poet Michael Tolkien, the eldest grandson of the The Hobbit author, will write two novels based on stories his grandfather read to him as a child. Gerald Dickens, the great-great grandson of Charles, will narrate the audiobook versions. Both works are due to be released later this year. Publisher Thames River Press said the first book, Wish, was inspired by Florence Bone’s 1923 story, The Rose-Coloured Wish. It tells the story of two children who set out to use an evil enchanter’s wishing chain of stones to save their alpine valley, only to fall into trouble.
It May not be Middle Earth – but Birmingham’s tourism bosses are hoping to cash in on Hobbit-mania with a new attraction devoted to author JRR Tolkien. Interest in the fantasy writer, who was raised in the city between 1895 and 1911, is expected to soar when the film version of his famous book hits cinema screens later this year. Scenery and architecture from Birmingham was reflected in his stories, most notably Perrott’s Folly and Edgbaston Waterworks, which are thought to be The Two Towers from Lord of the Rings.
But Birmingham has previously been accused of not making the most of its Tolkien links. Now a new gallery has opened at Sarehole Mill in Hall Green highlighting the author’s strong ties with the city with a series of displays and a short film. And a new tourism strategy hopes to build on the attraction with more publicity, a dedicated website, bids for heritage funding and conservation of Tolkien-related sites and buildings. Read More …
Our friends at Houghton Mifflin alerted us that they will be publishing the U.S. books from The Hobbit films. The entire press release follows:
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt to be U.S. Publisher of Official Tie-ins to The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and The Hobbit: There and Back Again Films
New York – April 13, 2012 – Houghton Mifflin Harcourt has acquired U.S. publishing rights from HarperCollins UK, through a licensing agreement with Warner Bros. Consumer Products, for tie-in books to the two highly anticipated films The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and The Hobbit: There and Back Again, directed by Peter Jackson and productions of New Line Cinema and MGM.
“Inspired by the two films based on The Hobbit, the companion books are a fantastic way for fans of the world of Middle-earth to immerse themselves in the film experience,” said Karen McTier, Executive Vice President of Domestic Licensing and Worldwide Marketing for Warner Bros. Consumer Products. “Houghton Mifflin Harcourt has a strong history with the works of J.R.R. Tolkien, and we know that the detailed tie-in books will bring The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and The Hobbit: There and Back Again to life in an in-depth and imaginative way.” Continue reading “Houghton Mifflin Harcourt to publish U.S. ‘Hobbit’ tie-in books”
London, 13 April 2012: HarperCollinsPublishers has acquired exclusive worldwide publishing rights from Warner Bros. Consumer Products for tie-in books to the two highly anticipated films The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and The Hobbit: There and Back Again, directed by Peter Jackson and productions of New Line Cinema and MGM.
“Inspired by the two films based on The Hobbit, the HarperCollins companion books are a fantastic way for fans of the world of Middle-earth to immerse themselves in the film experience,” said Karen McTier, Executive Vice President of Domestic Licensing and Worldwide Marketing for Warner Bros. Consumer Products. “HarperCollins has a strong history with the works of J.R.R. Tolkien, and we know that the detailed tie-in books will bring The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and The Hobbit: There and Back Again to life in an in-depth and imaginative way.”
Just how much was Smaug’s stolen hoard worth? Tolkien fans certainly seem to think they know. So much so that Forbes had to revise their original estimate of $8.6 billion due to enthusiastic input from those very fans:
