I have read it twice, and thoroughly enjoyed it as one of the best pieces of writing l have ever read. After l had reread it, l gave my mum a copy of it for mother’s day. At first she was a hesitant, until l gave a quick outline of the story. Whatever l said intrigued her, and she started reading. l would call in a couple of times a week on my home from work, and mum would tell me a little of what she had just read. then she would ask me what would happen next, but l refused to divulge any more details.
Finally the Christmas holidays were coming up and mum and dad were to Queensland to visit family. Mum said she didn’t want to take the book with her. When l asked her why, she said she didn’t want the story to end.
If we’re talking the actual LOTR novels, it starts off quite juvenile , more like The Hobbit , and imo the first chapter or two sit somewhat uneasily against what follows, when it shifts in both gear and tone and Tolkien’s vast back history starts adding genuine depth to the story. Although this would’ve been at least partly deliberate to contrast the Hobbit existence with the broader perils of the world.
I’ve just read Tolkien wrote conflicting accounts on the lore around the wizards. Initially he wrote that all five arrived during the Third Age, but later notes indicate that the two blue wizards actually arrived during the Second Age. According to those notes however, their arrival would occur at least several hundred years after the events of the first two Rings of Power episode. I don’t believe that the meteor guy is a wizard, but its plausible.
The Harfoots , in lore , are ancestors of what were later known as Hobbits. Fwiw, There’s a suggestion that Gollum is a distant kin of the 3rd Age Hobbits, which is how he resisted the effects of The Ring for so long. And no, The Shire certainly doesn’t exist during the Second Age.
The Wizards are meant to be sent from Valinor early in the Third Age . Gandalf arrives by ship at The Havens , certainly not by comet, lol. In simple terms, there is zero way to stay consistent with Tolkien’s work by introducing Gandalf into this tale. The two wizards known as “The Blue Wizards” are relatively obscure, all that is really noted about them is that their mission took them far to the East and nothing is known of their fate. As Sniggles just mentioned, there are hints in some unpublished drafts that they may have arrived earlier, but even so that wouldn’t gell with it being this early. Numenor hasn’t even been introduced yet, let alone it’s rise and fall.
Umm, speaking of sitting uneasily alongside other elements :
just a thought, but could Comet man be Bombadil? Bombadil , iirc, was an ancient Maiar who opted to leave Valinor and live in Middle Earth. I’d have to dig the books out, but was he reputedly there actually before the Sun started illuminating the earth? He was a bizarre character in LOTR , but iirc Gandalf said towards the end that he wanted to go and see him and discuss the history of the world? At very least, his presence in the 2nd Age isn’t against cannon
I’ve seen it speculated, however Tolkien wrote that Bombadil was “old when the Elves were young” so it would be a rather big shift away from the established lore
Changing the subject to something far less intellectual I have been watching Bad Sisters on Apple. Light hearted comedy about a murder with some good acting. Enjoying it so far.
yeh there was one creepy bit where 40 year old virgin (has dreams about her, poor bloke. )
is generally a lot better taste than house of dragon, where people are pushing their kids/young adults to step in to marry the king who is still grieving for his recently departed wife.
My family bought our first telly on the morning of the 1983 Grand Final (urgh). Race 7 of the America’s Cup was two days later, and may also have played a part in that. Saw that finish.
I was not interested, but I was in the Melbourne CBD and it was on TVs everywhere. Crowds outside shop windows, Pubs full early in the morning and it was a massive party. Very crazy day.