Two handwritten letters, from J.R.R. Tolkien to the British Council, have been uncovered by a volunteer at the National Archives in Kew.
In a recently published blog, we are told: ‘The correspondence centres on Tolkien’s research collaboration with Simonne d’Ardenne, a former student of his at Oxford, who shared his academic interest in historical languages.’
It’s always exciting to uncover new items related to the Professor – and especially to see that familiar and unique handwriting. The letters will remain at the National Archives, added to the previously catalogued Tolkien correspondence in their collection. You can read more about this unearthed treasure here.
Begun by The Tolkien Society in 2003, March 25th – the date of the downfall of Barad-dûr – is Tolkien Reading Day, a day to celebrate the works and worlds of the Professor. This year, something special is in the works, for your listening pleasure!
In May of last year, we let you know about an exciting project by composer and sound engineer Jordan Rannells. He is creating ‘an immersive audio soundscape‘ – music and ambient sounds to create a world around you, as you read The Lord of the Rings.
Tomorrow you can experience some of this incredible audio adventure. Rannells is joining with the folks from ArdaCraft to create a live stream event, where parts of The Fellowship of the Ring will be read over the corresponding chapters of Rannell’s A Long-Expected Soundscape. This 10-hour (or so!) stream will include guest readers from the Prancing Pony Podcast, James Tauber of the Digital Tolkien Project, and more – including TORn’s own staffer greendragon, who’ll pop in briefly early on in the proceedings! ArdaCraft will be providing the visuals.
The whole thing kicks off at 1pm EDT tomorrow, Saturday 25th March, and you can join the live stream here. The event will only be available live – you won’t be able to catch it later – but of course you can drop in and out as your day permits. Spend a little – or a lot! – of Reading Day immersed in Middle-earth, courtesy of these amazing, creative folks.
Watch the video below for a little more information about the event; then join the fun from 1pm EDT tomorrow.
Our good friends at Sideshow were kind enough to send us one of the Iron Studios Cave Troll statues to review. This thing is massive, detailed, heavy, and has a real presence, especially for those doing the whole Balin’s Tomb scene. You can get this guy for $730 USD retail – but right now he is sold out through Sideshow. Keep an eye out on their site though, as it could come back in stock or the wait list may open up. We hope you enjoy the review and all the pics, showing off a very cool collectible.
Good news for all the fans out there who are disappointed that we have yet to see tales from The Silmarillion performed on stage or screen: composer Paul Corfield Godfrey’s suitably epic opera of First Age stories is now available, in a recording made by singers from Welsh National Opera. We may not yet be seeing these tales; but at least you can listen to them!
There are four parts to this mammoth labour of love, all using text taken directly from Tolkien’s writing (with full permission from the Tolkien Estate). Fëanor, Beren and Lúthien, The Children of Húrin and The Fall of Gondolin are available now; and they will be joined in 2023 by a fifth and final part, The War of Wrath. Here are details from the official press release:
The exclusive The Lord of The Rings™ Roleplaying game live event for Extra Life, a charity uniting thousands of gamers around the world in support of Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals — Only at LA Comic Con
For every Middle-earth fan attending L.A. Comic Con, this Roleplaying live event is the perfect way to end your Saturday evening. There will be an All-Star group of gamers and actors playing the game, all for charity, and you can be there to watch it live.
LIVE EVENT DETAILS: How: Redeem your free ticket at the Legion M booth (booth 1015) starting at 11 am PST on Sat, December 3rd, 2022 When: Saturday, December 3rd, 2022 Where: Only at Los Angeles Comic Con in room 301AB Time: Doors open 6 pm | Show starts 7 pm PT Donate to Extra Life at: https://www.extra-life.org/participant/lostodyssey
The full press release is below:
LOS ANGELES, Ca., Nov. 29 — One charity campaign to unite fans of fantasy and gaming alike. ‘From the mind of Kate Welch’, Lost Odyssey: The Red Scribe will see a fellowship of heroes come together in the World Premiere of the brand new The Lord of the Rings™ Roleplaying Game, in a spectacular, never-before-heard tale from Middle Earth. The game will kick off a first-of-its-kind digital marketplace, hosted by eBay, where both fans and companies can buy and sell products to benefit Extra Life, a program that’s raised over $100 million to fund critical life-saving treatments and healthcare services, along with innovative research, vital pediatric medical equipment, and child life services across the nation.
Join game master Kate Welch (Acquisitions Incorporated), alongside an all-star cast of players including Deborah Ann Woll (True Blood, Daredevil), Reggie Watts (The Late Late Show with James Corden), TJ Storm (Godzilla, Deadpool), Luke Gygax (GaryCon, GaxxWorx), and The Dark Lord Sauron himself, Sala Baker (The Lord of the Rings Trilogy), for a tabletop roleplaying experience like no other. Free to attend for any LACC Saturday badge holder, the star-studded celebrity gaming series Lost Odyssey returns to a physical table after two years of webcam games for an incredible cause. People coming together and telling stories to help one another—gathering around the proverbial campfire, and telling a story as one. Be the first to get your free ticket at the Legion M booth starting at 11 am PST on December 3rd – A limited number of tickets are available! Attendees will receive exclusive Comic-Con giveaways like minis, dice, and more… they may even have a role to play in the onstage story itself!
Lost Odyssey: The Red Scribe is presented by The Lord of the Rings™: Rise to War (an officially licensed mobile strategy game based on the iconic trilogy of books by J.R.R. Tolkien, developed by NetEase Games), and brought to you from sponsors including Free League Publishing (Creators of hit TTRPGs like ALIEN The Roleplaying Game, Blade Runner The Roleplaying Game, The One Ring™, and of course the new The Lord of the Rings™ Roleplaying Game), Legion M (the world’s first fan-owned entertainment company), Magpie Games (Avatar: Legends, Root The Roleplaying Game, and Urban Shadows), Spidermind Games (creator of the new technologically advanced, Dragon Eye Dice), Miniature Market (the online gaming superstore), DUST (a diverse platform for visionaries across the sci-fi community), GaxxWorx (veteran-owned company focused on creating well-designed and fun games and gaming accessories for everyone), and Syrinscape (the app that brings immersive sound effects and music to your tabletop roleplaying games, offering unique soundscapes that will elevate your game at home the same way you’ll see at-play in Lost Odyssey: The Red Scribe).
Stay tuned for more game details at: lostodysseyevents.com
Follow along on Twitter/Facebook/Instagram/TikTok: @LostOdysseyLive
About LOST ODYSSEY EVENTS: From the production company INSIGNIS PICTURES, LOST ODYSSEY EVENTS is a TTRPG event series created by Douglisio DiMuccio and Rob D. Miller, a narrative multiverse bringing together the organizations and personalities of the TTRPG community behind common causes. Story saves.
About EXTRA LIFE: Extra Life is a charity uniting thousands of gamers around the world to play games in support of their local Children’s Miracle Network Hospital. Since its inception in 2008, Extra Life has raised over $100 million to fund critical life-saving treatments and healthcare services, along with innovative research, vital pediatric medical equipment, and child life services across the nation. For Lost Odyssey Events: inquiries@insignispictures.com
If you’re looking for the perfect holiday gift for your favorite Tolkien fan, you’ve come to the right place! The staff of TheOneRing.net have put together a list of our favorite items of the year, with price points for every budget. And while it’s nice to know that 2-day shipping exists (thanks, Amazon!), shipping delays around the holidays are inevitable, so we recommend starting your gift shopping now. Not to mention that the perfect item you’ve been looking for could sell out!
From our Fellowship to yours, TheOneRing.net would like to wish you all a peaceful and happy holiday season.
Deej recommends:
Mini Epics: Witch-King of the Unseen Lands Limited Edition by Weta Workshop: $44.99
I’ve been a fan of Weta Workshop’s Mini Epics line since they started releasing them, but this might be my favorite one so far. The attention to detail on these little guys is so…epic! And like all Weta collectibles, they were designed by the same artists that worked on the films. “Peeking through the mortal veil, we glimpsed the mighty Witch-king’s true visage, immortalized now for all to fear in Mini Epic form.”
Not only is this Witch-King fear-inducing , he’s also kind of cute! Click HERE to pre-order.
greendragon recommends:
Realm of Middle-earth Moonlit Throw by Oscha: £96.00
It’s no secret that I’ve always been a huge fan of Scottish company Oscha’s Middle-earth range. Their designs are so beautiful; you can choose a throw, shawl, mug, or bag, if you’re not in the market for a baby sling or baby blanket. (Though I have to say, the baby blankets make great wall hangings!) This year I’m highlighting their ‘Realm of Middle-earth’ pattern, on the ‘moonlit’ colour scheme throw. Who doesn’t like a good map from Tolkien’s world? This would look beautiful on any sofa or bed. Do yourself a favour and check out Oscha’s entire collection; you’ll be glad you did! Click HERE to order.
Hobbit Mini Gandalf Hat by Stansborough: $79
It’s great to know that small, family run businesses creating sustainable and ethical products (such as Oscha, above) can thrive; and as one of the best, I’m thrilled that Stansborough in New Zealand are still going strong. They are the folks who made the magical Elven cloaks for The Lord of the Rings movies, as well as Gandalf’s scarf in The Hobbit movies, and further fabrics for The Rings of Power! Once again, they have fabulous scarfs, throws, caps, etc. – and even Gandalf’s hat! My choice for the gift list is the mini Gandalf hat; I already said this in another homepage post, but I think it would be an adorable tree topper. Own a little piece of genuine New Zealand goodness; check out Stansborough’s website. Their treasures aren’t cheap – but the standard is so high, they’re worth every penny! Click HERE to order.
Collectibles from NZ Post: prices vary
NZ Post continue their celebration of Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy with 20th anniversary collectibles for The Two Towers. Their products are beautiful, and would be treasured by any collector. I particularly love the Limited Edition stamp presentation pack, and this stunning art print. The new range of pins would be wonderful stocking stuffers! There are three, all great designs and very attractive presentation; again, very collectible. Choose from Eye of Sauron, Gollum, or Mount Doom.
The Fall of Númenor: And Other Tales from the Second Age of Middle-earth by J.R.R Tolkien and edited by Brian Sibley: $34.99
My ‘must have’ this year is “The Fall of Numenor” edited by Brian Sibley, who expertly weaves together all the Second Age story strands into one, cohesive timeline custom-made for the fans of Tolkien who want to dig deeper into the lore, but without having to scour numerous other volumes. Add to this the glorious new watercolor and pencil drawings from Alan Lee, and this book becomes the perfect Holiday gift for new and existing Tolkien fans. Click HERE to order.
saystine recommends:
The Lord of the Rings Jewelry Collection by Enso Rings: starting at $44.99
Enso has a collection of silicone rings inspired by The Lord of the Rings. The Shire Leaf ring is perfect for anyone who dreams of the simple life. This ring celebrates the idyllic, peaceful home of the Hobbits with a leaf etching on Distressed Ashy Green and Black Pearl. Click HERE to see other designs and to order.
kelvarhin recommends:
The Silmarillion (Illustrated Edition): Illustrated by J.R.R. Tolkien: $39.00
For the first time ever, a very special edition of the forerunner to The Lord of the Rings, illustrated throughout in color by J.R.R. Tolkien himself and with the complete text printed in two colors. The Silmarillion fills in the background which lies behind the more popular work, and gives the earlier history of Middle-earth, introducing some of the key characters. Click HERE to order.
Elessar recommends:
The Lord of The Rings: The Fellowship of The Ring 2000 Piece Jigsaw Puzzle by Ravensburger: $44.99
Join the Fellowship in their quest through Middle Earth to rid the world of Sauron’s One Ring. Pursued by Ringwraiths, the Hobbits Frodo, Samwise, Merry and Pippin are aided by the Wizard Gandalf, the Ranger Aragorn, Legolas the elf, Gimli the dwarf and Boromir. The Watcher nearly prevents their perilous trek through the Mines of Moria, where Gandalf confronts a Balrog on the Bridge of Khazad-dûm. Galadriel provides comfort, but Saruman’s Uruk-hai pursue. Will the Fellowship make it to Mordor? An immersive illustrated map of Middle Earth, this “The Fellowship of the Ring” puzzle is a Ravensburger exclusive, perfect for any Lord of the Rings fan! Click HERE to order the FotR puzzle, or HERE for their ‘Two Towers’ puzzle.
Wee Tanya recommends:
The Lord of the Rings Apparel and Accessories line by Her Universe: prices vary
I am a huge fan of costuming, but can’t always put on a full elf outfit at work. The brand Her Universe currently has a range of all-gender Lord of the Rings apparel, including cloaks, hoodies, leggings, t-shirts, and a fantastic blouse with Fellowship broach embroidery on the collar that can keep us Tolkiening along in a more subtle way. If you can’t find an specific item that you want, the Her Universe LOTR line is also sold at Hot Topic. Some of my favorite items include the Middle-earth map button-down in men’s sizes, the dress that is suitable for a Ren Faire or Hobbit dance party, and the Loungefly bag. Click HERE to order.
