Book Review: Middle-earth Envisioned: The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings: On Screen, On Stage, and Beyond

The painstakingly crafted world that J.R.R. Tolkien created for The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion is so vivid that it’s easy to briefly imagine Middle-earth as a real place—even Tolkien himself had said it existed somewhere on Earth. From the languages spoken and the creatures that peopled it to the wars and cosmology, the richly imagined Middle-earth has left many artists and fans worldwide imagining what it would look and feel like to inhabit such a wildly inspired world. Tolkien left out no details in his picture so it is no surprise that Middle-earth has inspired such inventiveness in turn.

Middle-earth Envisioned is the first book to explore the artistic legacy left by Tolkien’s world. Paintings, drawings, theatrical performances, radio serials, and films inspired by The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings are all discussed in a manner that further illuminates the brilliance of Tolkien’s creation. Readers will discover details surrounding an attempted Beatles live-action version (with Paul McCartney as Frodo Baggins), a nearly four-hour Canadian musical, the West End stage production of Lord of the Rings, and of course, the Peter Jackson films—including the Hobbit trilogy—and much more. In this beautifully illustrated gift book, discover the richness of Middle-earth anew, through the works of the artists inspired by it.

From NYT bestselling author Brian J. Robb and Paul Simpson, TV guide writer/reporter and the former editor of the Star Trek magazine.

Our Thoughts

Being that I am a Tolkien fan I thought that this book would be fun to review as I love seeing all the different ways things have been done with stories such as The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. I remember the first time I was introduced to The Hobbit, I was just a child - probably no more than nine or ten years old - and I was fascinated by the story played out in front of me on the TV screen as a cartoon movie. That is specifically when I think I really fell in love with Tolkien's works. 

This book is something that will touch not only the most avid fans of Tolkien's works but those who know very little of him too. Explaining how these stories came about, how they were adapted not only to stage but movie and radio, and even going into Peter Jackson's versions that are now what we think of when we hear The Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit. The nice thing with Middle Earth Envisioned is that it doesn't just stop with the previously mentioned adaptations. It covers games, Legos, and even fan work! I found it amazing that the fan work was recognized as a lot of times it goes unnoticed or at least unpublished.

The book is the size of a coffee table book and has beautiful pictures and illustrations. It's a beautiful book that I will be leaving out on an end table for my guests and children to peruse. This is definitely something I would highly recommend for the Tolkien fan in your life!  Rated at 5 stars!

Click here to order it on Amazon. Or you can see it on Goodreads here.