Category Archives: Books

Jim Butcher and Ardian Syaf’s Welcome to the Jungle

Welcome to the Jungle marks Jim Butcher‘s first foray into a genre near and dear to his heart: comics. This volume collects four individual issues comprising a standalone storyline in the world of Harry Dresden, prefaced by an introduction from … Continue reading

Posted in Books, Graphic Literature | Tagged | Comments Off on Jim Butcher and Ardian Syaf’s Welcome to the Jungle

Martha Wells’ System Collapse

This installment of The Murderbot Diaries series picks up pretty much where Network Effect left off. SecUnit (aka Murderbot) and its frenemy, the transport ship mind Perihelion (which Murderbot calls ART for Asshole Research Transport) and a handful of humans … Continue reading

Posted in Books | Tagged | Comments Off on Martha Wells’ System Collapse

Anonymous’s Beowulf, translated and with commentary by Howard Chickering, Jr.

I first encountered the Beowulf saga while performing with my band at a local midwinter festival where a storyteller was doing the entire saga starting late in the evening around a roaring fire. This dual translation is good enough to … Continue reading

Posted in Books | Tagged | Comments Off on Anonymous’s Beowulf, translated and with commentary by Howard Chickering, Jr.

Anonymous’ Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, J.R.R. Tolkien, translator; audio, read by Terry Jones

Matthew Winslow wrote this for Folk Tales. Aside from writing the highly influential and most important fantasy work of the twentieth century, J.R.R. Tolkien was also a scholar and philologist. While his actual scholarly work was not too prodigious, much … Continue reading

Posted in Books | Tagged , | Comments Off on Anonymous’ Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, J.R.R. Tolkien, translator; audio, read by Terry Jones

Robert Foster and the Brothers Hildebrandt’s Tolkien’s World From A to Z: The Complete Guide to Middle-earth; and J.E.A. Tyler and Kevin Reilly’s The Tolkien Companion

Tolkien’s mythos is complex enough that having a guide or two to it is something that any reader should consider. There are, I doubt not, given the overwhelming popularity of Tolkien right now, dozens of concordances to the legends, history, … Continue reading

Posted in Books | Tagged , | Comments Off on Robert Foster and the Brothers Hildebrandt’s Tolkien’s World From A to Z: The Complete Guide to Middle-earth; and J.E.A. Tyler and Kevin Reilly’s The Tolkien Companion

Christopher Tolkien’s The History of Middle-earth Index

Matthew Scott Winslow wrote this review. With the publication of the final volume of the twelve-volume History of Middle-earth, Tolkien fans and scholars found themselves with a truly wonderful resource. Comprised of much of the unpublished writings and notes of … Continue reading

Posted in Books | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Christopher Tolkien’s The History of Middle-earth Index

J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Adventures of Tom Bombadil and Other Verses from the Red Book

Asher Black wrote this review. With the resurgence of interest in J. R. R. Tolkien’s work spurred by the Christmas 2001 release of the film version of The Lord of the Rings, and because, as the recent film review by … Continue reading

Posted in Books | Tagged , , | Comments Off on J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Adventures of Tom Bombadil and Other Verses from the Red Book

J.R.R. Tolkien’s Beowulf and the Critics (Michael Drout, editor)

Once upon a time – don’t groan please! – there was an obscure Oxford don by the name of J.R.R. Tolkien (at the time that he wrote these volumes, he was basically unknown by anyone outside of England or academia), … Continue reading

Posted in Books | Tagged , | Comments Off on J.R.R. Tolkien’s Beowulf and the Critics (Michael Drout, editor)

J.R.R. Tolkien’s Narn I Chîn Húrin – The Tale of the Children of Húrin; Christopher Tolkien, editor

Lisa Spangenberg wrote this review. The Children of Húrin is most of all about Húrin’s son, Túrin (better known to Tolkien mavens as Túrin Turambor) and, to a lesser extent, about Húrin’s daughter Nienor, and Húrin’s wife Morwen. It’s a … Continue reading

Posted in Books | Tagged | Comments Off on J.R.R. Tolkien’s Narn I Chîn Húrin – The Tale of the Children of Húrin; Christopher Tolkien, editor

J.R.R. Tolkien’s Letters from Father Christmas audio, read by Derek Jacobi

Most children have at one point or another written a letter to Father Christmas (or Santa Claus or Saint Nicholas or whoever brings your presents). Now imagine one day finding a reply to your letter. Not only would that cement … Continue reading

Posted in Books | Tagged , | Comments Off on J.R.R. Tolkien’s Letters from Father Christmas audio, read by Derek Jacobi