Best of Middle-earth News

Sendak’s Sample Artwork for ‘The Hobbit’

Fri, 02 Oct 2026 11:00:00 +0100

Originally published by Evie on Middle-earth News on 9 June 2014.

Maurice Sendak is well known as the author and illustrator of the beloved children’s book Where the Wild Things Are but did you know he was once put forward to do the artwork for the 30th-anniversary deluxe illustrated edition of The Hobbit?

According to Open Culture, Sendak produced two sample illustrations, one of wood-elves dancing in the moonlight and one of Bilbo Baggins with Gandalf outside Bag End. Only the drawing on Bilbo and Gandalf survives today (pictured below).

Events then seemed to conspire against the project. The LA Times tells that the editor prepared Sendak’s illustrations for Tolkien’s approval but mislabelled the wood-elves as hobbits. Tolkien felt Sendak hadn’t read the book closely enough and didn’t understand what a hobbit was, so Tolkien would not approve the drawings. Sendak was angered by this. In an attempt to smooth things out between the two, a meeting was arranged in Oxford for when Sendak was touring England with Where the Wild Things Are. Sadly, the day before the meeting, Sendak suffered his first major heart attack. As a result, Sendak never met Tolkien and the project was shelved.

I’d have loved to have seen Sendak’s vision of The Hobbit. Wouldn’t you?

Maurice Sendak’s “The Hobbit,” in pen and ink, 1967 (Credit: Maurice Sendak/Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library of Yale University) via Open Culture

Why You Should Treasure Your LOTR & Hobbit Extended Editions

Thu, 01 Oct 2026 11:00:00 +0100

Originally published by Lily on Middle-earth News on 4 April 2014.

Have you ever met a fan who was content watching the theatrical release edition of The Lord of the Rings trilogy? We ran a poll on our social media accounts, and our followers were overwhelmingly in favor of watching the extended editions of all three films.

I have to suspect that most people who feel so strongly about the extended editions already own their own copies on DVD or Blu-ray. But what about first-time viewers who want to see what all the fuss is about? None of the (lawful) online streaming services offer the longer cuts, so their only hope is having an enthusiastic geeky friend who is willing to lend their copy.

While showing off the company’s next big step, streaming video at 4K, Netflix chief product officer Neil Hunt told Stuff.co.nz, “My guess is that there really isn’t a case for different versions of a film […] Our job is to get the director’s cut and not bother with all the rest of it; there are very, very few users who are going to care about watching the five different versions and geeking out on it. That’s probably not an audience that it’s cost-effective and worthwhile to chase.”

And while I agree with him that “very few users” will want to watch all of the different versions of a film, there are different types of users, and those different types of users have different viewing preferences. Casual viewers may want one version; film buffs and LOTR fans may want another. The same could be said for other films with different cuts, like Star Wars (I’ll take my Han Solo with a side of unprovoked gunfire, thank you very much), Blade Runner, and Apocalypse Now.

As we gradually shift towards more streaming of digital media and away from owning actual physical copies, are we in danger of being hemmed in to only one version by online content providers? Will future generations of audiences be unable to watch the alternate (and let’s face it, superior) cuts of films? Unless we can count on services like Amazon to allow us to purchase full downloads of alternate versions of films, we might need to start hoarding our extended editions in preparation for this likely, if accidental, censorship.

Book Recommendations: For Those who are Hobbits

Wed, 30 Sep 2026 11:00:00 +0100

Originally published by Myla on Middle-earth News on 15 February 2014.

With so many books dedicated to J.R.R. Tolkien and his work, there is something out there for every fan. Maybe you feel curious and want to learn more about the hobbit way a life, or maybe you know you’re a hobbit that truly belongs in Middle-earth. Whatever the case, these books can help bring a little of the Shire into your life.

The Wisdom of the Shire: A Short Guide to a Long and Happy Life

Noble Smith’s The Wisdom of the Shire is a necessity for every hobbit! “He explores subjects dear to a Halfling’s heart, such as beer, food, and friendship, as well as more serious concerns, such as courage, living in harmony with nature, and good versus evil.” This book can also help you learn how to deal with your own personal Gollums in life, and show you how to appreciate all of the amazing little things in life like a good long walk or a beautiful garden.

Hobbit Lessons: A Map for Life’s Unexpected Journeys

Hobbit Lessons by Tolkien scholar, Devin Brown, contains timeless and spiritual messages to help navigate your journey. “This is a book for anyone undertaking an adventure and leaving a life that has been familiar, comfortable, and predictable. It’s for anyone starting a new life where nothing may be familiar, a life that is sure to be uncomfortable at times and anything but predictable.” Whether it means you recently moved to a new home, graduated school, or are planning on going on your own adventure, Hobbit Lessons can help you on your way.

The Unofficial Hobbit Handbook: Everything I Need to Know about Life I Learned from Tolkien

If you want to know how to become more familiar with all forms of people in Middle-earth, learn about creatures that live beyond the comfort of the Shire or how to solve riddles, The Unofficial Hobbit Handbook from The Shire Collective is a must have. “So put another log on the fire, cut another slice of seed-cake (is it time for elevenses already?) and curl up with The Unofficial Hobbit Handbook. You’d never consider going on a nasty adventure, but it’s always best to be prepared, right?”

The Hobbit Companion

The Hobbit Companion by David Day is indeed a beautiful book and is filled with illustrations by artist, Lidia Postma. It sheds light on the different words Tolkien used in his stories which include The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. Readers can learn what exactly the word “hobbit” means, and the meanings behind the names of some of our favorite hobbits such as Frodo and Bilbo. This book is very interesting and is great for anyone who would like to learn more about the world of hobbits.

‘The Hobbit’ Gets A Marathi Translation

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 11:00:00 +0100

Originally published by Anastasia on Middle-earth News on 20 September 2013.

First published in 1937, The Hobbit has never gone out of publication, being translated into over 60 languages and selling over 100 million copies worldwide.

While writing the Tolkien Companion and Guide with Christina Scull, Wayne Hammond, a well-known Tolkien scholar, told Jason Fisher that they had recently contacted Harper Collins Publishers in order to inquire about the existence of the rumored Marathi translations of The Hobbit. Harper Collins have heard about some possible pirated editions of this sort, but they had no record of any such legally existing translation.

When he became aware of this, D.G. Pashte from Diamond Publications began his work on the translation of the book with his son Nilesh. Shortly afterwards, they set out to secure the copyright for translating The Hobbit into Marathi, making in the very first in any Indian language.

“The Hobbit has quite a niche audience, unlike the Harry Potter series. The middle class in this country isn’t aware of this book much. We wanted to propagate this book, and the idea of adventure that it contains, to a much wider audience,” said D. G. Pashte.

He also added that the idea for a Marathi translation came about when he realised a critical fact about Marathi readers.

“They have a taste for adventure stories; for works of fantasy.”

The publisher, Diamond Publication, decided to print 5,000 copies for the first printing, and collectors are definitely going to want to get a copy for their very own. This special translation features the iconic illustrations of the Award winning artist and an essential painter of Middle-earth–Alan Lee.

“The illustrations bring the story to readers, especially to ones who aren’t aware how an elf or a dwarf looks like. It gives us the confidence that the book will find good demand,” said Nilesh.

The Tolkien Library conducted an interview with Nilesh, in which he discusses the translation. You can read the full interview here.

You can purchase the Marathi Hobbit at Flipkart.com.

EXCLUSIVE: David Thorn Wenzel Interview

Mon, 28 Sep 2026 11:00:00 +0100

Originally published by Valdís on Middle-earth News on 16 September 2019.

This interview occurred during Dragon Con 2018. Mr. Wenzel returned to Dragon Con in 2019. This article combines material from the 2018 interview and Mr. Wenzel’s 2019 panel.

David Wenzel: The idea behind Kingdom of the Dwarfs was that I’m hoping most of the people who read The Hobbit want to escape to that world. I mean, I remember when I first read it—literally when I’d go to bed at night, I’d say, “Oh, I’m having trouble sleeping. What would it be like to walk around the Shire?” or something like that. So, I wanted to bring that world somehow into our world. The original idea—the germ of that idea—was based on “What if one of the races from Middle-earth actually existed in our world?”

But it couldn’t be elves, because the elves are so different in how people describe them throughout our folk tales, and obviously ents or all those things would be off the board. But the one thing that Tolkien really pulled from our past was the dwarves. And his dwarves are very much like the dwarves from the Scandinavian mythology. So my thought was, what if they found an archeological site that showed that this vast history of dwarves had been around, had survived loosely to the Middle Ages but had been dominant in early history, and that, how did it get covered up? So, how did many things get covered up? So, if you think about the past, the Norse tales would all have disappeared if it weren’t for the fact… Well, they disappeared except in Iceland. Because everywhere else, the Christian church destroyed them. So I always thought, well, what if the Christian church from back then decided that the dwarves were rebellious against that whole concept and just obliterated their past and took it out of the textbooks and, in fact, changed it into [the dwarf characters from folk tales]. If you think about the characters from the dwarves that go on, Rumpelstiltskin is a very good example, or there’s a character called King Lot, and then there’s several in the book [The Kingdom of the Dwarfs], the story of King Herla who was totally tricked by the dwarves. So it tied in the cruelty of history. When I started researching history, the first thing we arrived on was Piltdown Man. Piltdown Man was the hinge that made the archeological site disappear. Because all those British archeologists’ careers were destroyed when they misidentified that skull. So the concept behind the book is they send this archeological team, which I was part of to make sure this is a legit dig. However, the head archeologist, Dr. Dvaergen disappears, so they never, ever report it. He disappears, so everything goes off the board. But, it shows how they tie in. And it ties in with the anomalies of archaeology. Archeology — if you look at the history of our archeological past — has so many anomalies in it.

“The Dwarven King,” from The Kingdom of the Dwarves. Image copyright: David T. Wenzel

This is when I redid the book. The new book has tons of new pages, I wrote a whole bunch of stuff, so I became part of the writer of the book, which I’m real excited about. But the anomalies of history are really interesting. And what started to occur to me, and it has for a long time, that archeology is based on if they find writing or if they find sites… but essentially they wing a lot of archeology. I love ancient Rome, and when you start reading about ancient Rome, you realize how many of the writers that were writing then were influenced by whoever they were close to. So they changed things. So it offered me the opportunity to go, “Where are the holes in history?” There’re holes in history that, if I put them in the book, they would prove there were dwarves. Do you know that there are miles of tunnels under Europe that are like three feet tall? Now, they don’t interconnect, like some people say, but they’re there. And many of the tunnels are three feet tall. So who’s going through a tunnel three feet tall for miles? Dwarves. Then the Vikings created this sword, the Ulfberht sword. This sword, the metallurgy in it was so far beyond what was at the time that it wouldn’t be for a couple hundred years before they came up with the technology to make these swords. Interesting, because the dwarves were supposed to make a lot of swords for the Vikings. And then there’s the other, third, anomaly, which really led me to believe that maybe I’m writing the truth [laughs]. Göbekli Tepe is a site they found in Turkey in the late 1990’s, I think. But when they explored it, it was before the pyramids, before man had pottery; it was before man had developed metal tools, yet it has intricate stone carvings. They have no idea who made it, how they made it, particularly how they made it, and of course I know — the dwarves made it.

“The Hall of Dragons,” from Kingdom of the Dwarfs. Image copyright: David T. Wenzel.

Valdís: What motivated you to do the new edition now?

David Wenzel: I’ve been sitting on it for a long time. And like any artist, I’d look back at the work and go, “Gee, this is a great, great, idea.” And my style had changed over the years. So when I first did the original book, I was doing a lot of pen and ink, and the printing techniques back then were in that we had to print black and white, and then even the color pieces, I would do a black and white piece, but I would have to do a color section, which would be dropped in by the printer. So now I had the ability to create a lot of color work, with the advent of the four-color press now, so I can make the whole book in full color. So that was one of the incentives to do it. But I really wanted to revisit it because I had other ideas about what would translate into fun parts of the story.

“The Dowery,” from Kingdom of the Dwarfs. Image copyright: David T. Wenzel.

Valdís: You mentioned already some changes between the first edition and the new edition. Can you expand on that a little bit?

David Wenzel: Yeah, yeah. So the core of the writing of the first edition is still there. The core writing sort of tells a story, but I wanted to pull these little call-out parts into it so that people would relate more to the little tidbits [to work in little bits of history]. One for instance is how dwarves made charcoal to run their furnaces. [Another] is that during the Middle Ages, they walled off the towns. I mean, that’s real common, the towns were walled off because of protection, [from] roving bands of robbers, so they walled off the towns and nobody went outside the town. Well, in the forests at night, nobody’s around, [so] that’s the time they [dwarves] could go out. So I made a point of pointing out how they walled the towns off. It’s really a quick little thing.

“The Boar”, from Kingdom of the Dwarfs. Image copyright: David T. Wenzel.

Valdís: So you have the graphic novel of The Hobbit, and you have The Kingdom of the Dwarfs. Are there stylistic differences in how you drew the dwarves in one story versus the other?

David Wenzel: Yeah. That’s a really good question. So, the dwarves in The Hobbit… I did a lot of sketches, preliminary work, but they were more of a children’s book. They weren’t exactly, because at the time I was thinking, if the publisher wanted to do Lord of the Rings I wanted to be able to change, because the dwarves in The Lord of the Rings are a little more serious than the dwarves in The Hobbit. The dwarves in The Hobbit aren’t silly; they’re not as adept as the dwarves in Lord of the Rings. So when I did the dwarves in Kingdom of the Dwarfs, I made more of them gnarly and scruffy. There’re a lot of similarities, but they’re not exactly the same. The other thing is when I did the new book, the new art, I realized that I had made the original dwarves in Kingdom of the Dwarfs have really short legs. And when I was drawing dwarves now, I was extending their legs a little. That’s one change in general. There was a bunch.

“Crows,” from Kingdom of the Dwarfs. Image copyright: David T. Wenzel.

Valdís: I can’t wait for the new edition! I have the first edition.

David Wenzel: They’re going to be different! You can see by looking at the art.

Valdís: Yeah! I’m super excited. Is there anything else you want to tell us about the new book, or what’s coming next? The next project?

David Wenzel: I’m not sure what the next project is going to be. I’m going to ride Kingdom of the Dwarfs for a while. Believe it or not, the next project I want to do has nothing to do with Tolkien, but it’s related to fantasy, in that for years I have been working on a book, which I have various pieces of, and it’s gone through many forms. I have always loved the idea of the secret society of Santa’s elves, which you never see in your house. That they’re hiding in your house. And I want to do a book of how they manage to keep track of every kid. And, again — they’re Santa’s spies. They’re tiny, and they know how to hide, and they screw with your house, too. And you never see them. How do they camouflage themselves, how do they blend in? I’ve worked this book out many different ways. I think that would be a lot of fun.

Valdís: It sounds like a lot of fun! That’s great! I love it!

David Wenzel: So that’s one thing. And I have a couple graphic novels I’d love to develop. One is a space one, and one is a Kingdom of the Dwarfs related one.

Valdís: Thank you so much for your time!

You can find ‘The Kingdom of the Dwarfs’ now at your local bookseller or your favorite online merchant!

Tolkien Feast Week: A Look Back

Tue, 22 Sep 2026 11:00:50 +0100

Tolkien Feast Week became a tradition at Middle-earth News, and it all started with one person. Anna Maria Polidori, an Italian member of the Tolkien Society, created a Feast Week that commemorates events from The Lord of the Rings. Starting on Bilbo and Frodo Baggins’ birthday, participants “celebrate with an evening meal similar to the one the hobbits ate […] and/or engage in some activity described.” This means participants follow the early days of the hobbits' journey from Bag End by using the same ingredients mentioned in the books to make meals all their own.

Having discovered this tradition late in 2011, the Middle-earth News team waited and planned, and started it as an annual tradition in 2012. Middle-earth News Director Arwen kicked off the festivities on 22nd of September for Bilbo and Frodo's birthday. Officially, the only requirements from the book are wine and a toast:

Thursday, his birthday morning, dawned as fair and clear as it had long ago for Bilbo’s great party. Still Gandalf did not appear. In the evening Frodo gave his farewell feast: it was quite small, just a dinner for himself and his four helpers; but he was troubled and felt in no mood for it […] When they had sung many songs, and talked of many things they had done together, they toasted Bilbo’s birthday, and they drank his health and Frodo’s together according to Frodo’s custom.

The Fellowship of the Ring, Chapter 3: Three is Company

In addition to a lovely roasted herb-topped chicken, mushrooms, and potatoes paired with a crisp chardonnay, Arwen also recreated the iconic cake seen in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings film.

In 2014, Amanda went in a completely different direction and shared photos of The Hobbit LEGO figures feasting.

In 2015, Lily hilariously misread the prompt for the first day of Feast Week and thought that "toast" instead of "a toast" was the requirement. Her Hobbit Day feast included three different toast dishes and a spin on the film cake—a trifle!

The second day of feast week is when it's time to get creative. There are no officially approved ingredients, but the activity in the book is falling asleep outside.

Leaving the road they went into the deep resin-scented darkness of the trees, and gathered dead sticks and cones to make a fire. Soon they had a merry cackle of flame at the foot of a large fir-tree and they sat round it for a while, until they began to nod.

The Fellowship of the Ring, Chapter 3: Three is Company

Weather allowing, it's a perfect day (and night) to spend some time outdoors. The Middle-earth News teams enjoyed cooking over a campfire, twilight picnics, and s'mores.

On day three of Feast Week, the Hobbits chance across Gildor and his procession of elves. The requirements of this feast are white bread, apples, cold mead or white wine, berries and fruit.

Pippin afterwards recalled little of either food or drink, for his mind was filled with the light upon elf-faces, and the sound of voices so various and so beautiful that he felt in a waking dream. But he remembered that there was bread, surpassing the savour of a fine white loaf to one who is starving; and fruits sweet as wildberries and richer than the tended fruits of gardens; he drained a cup that was filled with a fragrant draught, cool as a clear fountain, golden as a summer afternoon.

Sam could never describe in words, nor picture clearly to himself, what he felt or thought that night, though it remained in his memory as one of the chief events of his life. The nearest he ever got was to say: “Well, sir, if I could grow apples like that, I would call myself a gardener. But it was the singing that went to my heart, if you know what I mean.”

The Fellowship of the Ring, Chapter 3: Three is Company

It's a good time to remember that the Middle-earth News team had members in different countries, and yet, the photos of this feast do tend to look similar. It's nice to think that anyone joining in the feast could be sharing a similar meal with someone an ocean away!

In 2013, Maria found a tutorial online for making an apple vase (or goblet, if you like). The original post is sadly lost, but you can see her lovely carved apple in the photo below on the right. Alice baked flax seed bread in 2012, and you can her loaf on the photo below on the left.

September 25 is a highly anticipated day for Feast Week participants (though the hobbits had no idea what was coming) because the menu requires bacon, mushrooms, and beer. This is when Frodo, Sam, and Pippin arrived at Farmer Maggot’s, who was the master of Bamfurlong in Marish.

In a short while fourteen sat down to eat. There was beer in plenty, and a mighty dish of mushrooms and bacon, besides much other solid farmhouse fare. The dogs lay by the fire and gnawed rinds and cracked bones.

The Fellowship of the Ring, Chapter 3: A Short Cut to Mushrooms

In 2012, Evie cooked a delicious bacon and mushroom gratin and staged photos in her cottage's kitchen. In 2013, Alice focused on dessert and made a lemon poppyseed cake. In 2014, Maria decided to give Farmer Maggot’s Feast a German touch. She cooked a North-Hessian bacon quiche, known as Speckkuchen, a popular snack on market days or bakeries. In 2016, Myla made roasted potatoes, roasted delicata squash, and mushrooms with bacon. As she said, what hobbit dinner is complete without mushrooms?

This is also the evening on which the conspiracy is unmasked and the hobbits bathe and sing in the house at Crickhollow. An appropriate evening activity for the Feast of Farmer Maggot could be to have a nice hot bath and sing one of Bilbo’s favourite bath songs.

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Next up, the hobbits spend two nights with Tom Bombadil and Goldberry. This accounts for the 26th and 27th of September, but it just meant that there were more opportunities for the Middle-earth News team to create different feasts with the same general ingredients. The requirements are “yellow cream, and honeycomb, and white bread, and butter; milk, cheese, and green herbs and ripe berries gathered."

A door opened and in came Tom Bombadil. He had now no hat and his thick brown hair was crowned with autumn leaves. He laughed, and going to Goldberry, took her hand.

‘Here’s my pretty lady!’ he said, bowing to the hobbits. ‘Here’s my Goldberry clothed all in silver-green with flowers in her girdle! Is the table laden? I see yellow cream and honeycomb, and white bread, and butter; milk, cheese, and green herbs and ripe berries gathered. Is that enough for us? Is the supper ready?’

The Fellowship of the Ring, Chapter 7: In the House of Tom Bombadil

In 2012, Lily baked bread and hunted down honeycomb for Day 5, and for Day 6, Oloriel put her green herbs in a salad and enjoyed orange blossom honey. In 2013, Rachel combined green herbs and berries into a gorgeous salad and took them outside to enjoy the ambience of the Old Forest; Anastasia made a chilled strawberry cheesecake. In 2014, Evie whipped up a fondue and did a berry and yoghurt layer for Day 5, and Valdís put out a whole spread (pictured below) for Day 6.

Day 7 of Feast Week is not for the faint-hearted. It is the day when the hobbits are trapped by a Barrow-wight in his barrow, and crucially for our purposes, there is not a meal to be found!

When he [Frodo Baggins] came to himself again, for a moment he could recall nothing except a sense of total dread. Then suddenly he knew that he was imprisoned, caught hopelessly; he was in a barrow. A Barrow-wight had taken him, and he was probably already under the dreadful spells of the Barrow-wights about which whispered tales spoke.

The Fellowship of the Ring, Chapter 8: Fog on the Barrow-downs

Arwen kicked off the tradition of spooky desserts in 2012 with her "Worms in Dirt" recipe, and Evie kept it going with her "Barrow-wight Mud and Grub Pudding" for 2013. In 2014, it was Arwen's turn again, and she made Barrow-wight cupcakes that are sure to turn your tongue and lips an interesting shade!

Feast week comes to an end on 29 September as the hobbits finally make their way to the Prancing Pony in Bree. After the travails of their journey, the familiar, homey food provided by innkeeper Barliman Butterbur must be a great comfort to the travel-worn hobbits.

In a twinkling table was laid. There was hot soup, cold meats, a blackberry tart, new loaves, slabs of butter, and half a ripe cheese: good plain food, as good as the Shire could show, and homelike enough to dispel the last of Sam’s misgivings (already much relieved by the excellence of the beer).

The Fellowship of the Ring, Chapter 9: At the Sign of the Prancing Pony

Since it's the last night of festivities, the Middle-earth News team took it seriously. In 2013, Myla crafted a beef barley soup and a blackberry tart big enough to feed several hobbits. In 2014, Rachel baked her own black berry tart and paired it with a butternut squash soup and a cup of black tea. In 2016, Valdis served up cold roast chicken, butternut squash soup, and her spin on a the blackberry tart in the form of blackberry puff pastry tarts.

After reading about (and looking at) all of the delightful meals that the Middle-earth News team made for Tolkien Feast Week, we hope you are inspired to join in this year, even if it's only for one night. Here's the list again!

Day 1 – Sep 22, Bilbo and Frodo’s Birthday – requirements are wine and a toast, and a short trip outside for fresh air and a look at the stars (or clouds). All other celebrations at whim.
Day 2 – Sep 23, Sleeping Outdoors – They slept outdoors (Do something fun for this night! Go camping, enjoy a bonfire with friends, be creative!)
Day 3 – Sep 24, The Feast of Gildor – requirements are white bread, apples, cold mead or white wine, berries and fruit. After dark, if it isn’t cloudy, we appreciate stars.
Day 4 – Sep 25, Farmer Maggot’s Feast – requirements are beer, mushrooms, and bacon, but we often round out the meal with, say, root vegetables, cheese, or seedcake. It is also the evening on which the conspiracy is unmasked and the hobbits bathe and sing in the house at Crickhollow. An appropriate evening activity for the Feast of Farmer Maggot could be to have a nice hot bath and sing one of Bilbo’s favorite bath songs.
Day 5 – Sep 26, Feast of Tom Bombadil – requirements are “yellow cream, and honeycomb, and white bread, and butter; milk, cheese, and green herbs and ripe berries gathered.”
Day 6 – Sep 27, Feast of Tom Bombadil Night 2 – Second night with Bombadil. Tolkien didn’t mention the meal for this night, so we use the same requirements as the previous night, but in a completely different meal. Be inventive!
Day 7 – Sep 28, Prisoners of the Barrow-wight – This is the day when the hobbits become lost on the barrow downs and spend the night in a cave, captives of a barrow-wight. Time to get wildly creative.
Day 8 – Sep 29, The Prancing Pony – requirements are “hot soup, cold meats, a blackberry tart, new loaves, slabs of butter, and half a ripe cheese; good plain food, as good as the Shire could show.”

It went there....and now its back again

Tue, 22 Sep 2026 11:00:40 +0100

Well, they're back!

We're celebrating Hobbit Day 2026 in style, by bringing back some of the finest fan made writing that Middle-earth has ever seen, as today we launch bestofmiddleearthnews.com.

Each day from Monday to Friday we'll be posting a jewel of an article that we've mined from the old Middle-earth News website, to make them freely and easily available to the fans again - and we've dropped a whole week's worth for you to enjoy as a birthday present today!

The original Middle-earth News team was an amazing collection of dedicated fans who laboured long and hard to bring some truly unique pieces and perspectives to the fans and we're fortunate to have the blessings for this project of some of that original team of writers, along with past directors and assistant directors, to bring their hard work back again.

We're feeling kinda emotional about bringing these posts back again, not least because we recognise that there isn't an infinite resource to draw on, eventually we'll run out of posts to repost and there won't be anything else to draw on from the original site. Yet, we will not deceive you....for another site has been made!

As well as launching bestofmiddleearthnews.com today we're also launching middleearth.news! We are Janus-like, one face looking backwards and another looking forwards. We intend not just to tend to the baton that was dropped when the original Middle-earth News went into the west, but to carry it forward too.

There's new news to write about, there's always something good turning up in Middle-earth and we want to talk about that too, particularly focusing on the fans and their heartfelt experiences and expressions of Middle-earth joy. There's some good in this world, and its worth writing about!

We hope you're going to have a wonderful Hobbit Day and that you're enjoying our own unexpected party of two website launches in one.

May the hair on your toes never fall out!

Dean O’Gorman EXCLUSIVE Interview at Dragon Con 2015!

Tue, 22 Sep 2026 11:00:10 +0100

Originally published by Valdís on Middle-earth News on 12 September 2015.

Middle-earth News Assistant Director and Staff Reporter Valdís had the great, good fortune to spend a few minutes chatting with actor Dean O’Gorman recently at Dragon Con 2015 in Atlanta, Georgia.

Photo of Dean O'Gorman at Dragon Con 2015 by Middle-earth News Reporter Valdís.

Valdis: So, this is your first Dragon Con!

Dean: It is, yes.

Valdis: How is your con going?

Dean: It’s going really well. Everyone’s really friendly and really nice, and they call me “Sir.” Which I really like; I guess it’s a Southern thing, because I’m not a knight. It’s really nice, and it’s a good chance to catch up with Stephen [Hunter] and Peter [Hambleton] as well.

Valdis: That’s terrific! So, I am with Middle-earth News–

Dean: –yes you are–

Valdis: –so we have to talk a lot about–

Dean: Middle-earth!

Valdis: And Fili! So, here’s the first thing that we’d like to ask: Your brother Kili has a runestone from your mother that says, “Return to me.” Does Fili have a runestone?

Dean: No, he doesn’t. Or if he does, he just left it at home, because he was much more responsible, and he knew that he’d probably misplace it.

Valdis: If he had one, what do you think it would say on it?

Dean: Oh man! It would probably say, “Look after your brother, please, and make sure he doesn’t lose the runestone.” (laughing)

Valdis: (laughing) I could completely see that!

Dean: (laughing) Yeah, “be the dad he never had.”

Fili (Dean O’Gorman) and Kili (Aidan Turner) await battle in ‘The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies.’ Image credit: Warner Bros. Pictures.

Valdis: So, if the story had ended differently, and Fili had eventually become King Under the Mountain, what would his priorities as ruler be? What laws would he pass? What sort of ruler do you think he would have been?

Dean: Oh my god, well, I think he would have taken a fair amount of leaves out of Thorin’s book. I think Fili would be a pretty fair ruler, to be honest! I think that because of the journey he went through, he has a more balanced perspective on what the dwarves wanted. As you see, Thorin gets very caught up in the gold, but I think that because Fili went through that, he’s not going to be as affected by holding onto the riches like the dwarves do. And you know, he’s a younger dwarf, so he’s of a different generation. I think it’s quite interesting to have the younger characters like Ori, Fili, and Kili because they represent a different aspect of the dwarves. The idea is that as the dwarves get older, maybe they get a bit more stuck in their ways. They are quite jealous by nature, but but the younger characters bring more of an openness, and you see that with the Kili and Tauriel relationship. There’s prejudice towards other races; you know, dwarves are not known for being tolerant of other species in Middle-earth! But they grow to be more tolerant. So I think that Fili would do a good job. I don’t think he’s ambitious, though. I think he feels responsible, and I think he feels aware of his potential responsibilities, but I don’t think he’s as ambitious as Thorin.

(L-r) DEAN O’GORMAN as Fili and RICHARD ARMITAGE as Thorin Oakenshield in the fantasy adventure “THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY,” a production of New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures (MGM), released by Warner Bros. Pictures and MGM.

Valdis: So let’s turn that question around just a little bit. Now, if Dean were to become King–

Dean: (laughing) Oh my god–

Valdis:–perhaps not under the Mountain–

Dean: Yeah, I wouldn’t want to live under the mountain. It’s way too dark! But maybe Rivendell. With the trees and the water, it’s much nicer.

Valdis: So same thing…what kind of ruler would you want to be?

Dean: (laughing) Just an awful, awful person.

Valdis: (laughing) A despot?

Dean: (laughing) Yeah, a despot. Just totalitarianism! No, no, again I would try to be as inclusive of others. I think the elves bring a sense of tidiness and good haircuts. You know, they really look out for their hair, and dwarves have a lot of hair, and to be honest, I think their personal hygiene could be improved. I think you’ll notice that Fili’s hair is actually more well-maintained than some of the other dwarves, so there’s a little bit of personal pride there. Oh, I don’t know, I’d like to think that I’d be a good ruler, but to be fair, I’d probably get distracted and just go on little adventures if I lived in Middle-earth. I wouldn’t want to stay in one place.

Valdis: So you bring up the hairstyles–

Dean: (laughing) Yeah.

Valdis: –so I just need to ask, were there any of the hairstyles of the other dwarves that as an actor you thought, “I really would like to have that one”?

Dean: Well, I can definitely saw the one I didn’t want was Jed’s [Brophy], because that’s like wearing a pyramid on top of your head. There’s so much hairspray that went into making that stick up like that. Gloin had so much hair that he [Peter Hambleton] just melted every time he put it on. To be honest, I really like Fili’s haircut. I thought it was a good wig. I thought Fili, Kili, and Thorin all had pretty good ‘dos. Adam’s? Absolutely the worst haircut ever imagined. (laughing) And you know Dwalin has that receding hairline, so no, I was pretty happy with what I had.

Valdis: So let’s talk a little bit more about your experiences as an actor working on The Hobbit and moving on to a couple of other things after that also. After that extended time that it took to film The Hobbit–I mean, the better part of two years–would you consider signing on for a role in another film franchise series like that?

Dean: Yeah. I mean, it always depends on what the job is, but if it was anything like The Hobbit, I would have a great time doing it. It’s a surprising amount of work, I think, working on such a big job like that, but it’s really satisfying to work so long and so hard on a job. So yeah, I would. I’d be interested to know what that franchise was.

Valdis: What are the positives and negatives you see as an actor working on those franchise films?

Dean: Well, there’s lots of different things. I think on the positive side, it’s an experience that’s very rare to have as an actor. The budget alone determines an amount of quite surreal aspects–so many people, lots of traveling, they look after you really well, you meet amazing people.

I think some of the negatives are that because it’s such a huge machine, sometimes–What are the negatives? You know, there’s not a hell of a lot of negatives. What I was going to say is that maybe in such a big machine you feel like you don’t have a voice, but actually, they were really great. Me and Aidan would talk to Philippa about some scenes that were originally cut out, but we really liked them, and they ended up getting back in. So, I give credit to Peter, Fran, and Philippa that this film, even though it was on such a huge scale (and obviously Warner Bros. was the producing company), it felt much smaller in terms of everyone’s relationship to each other. It didn’t feel like there was this huge weight of monetary pressure on us–which there must have been, especially for Peter and all of the producers. They were chewing their nails going, “God, I hope people watch this,” which of course they would have. So we didn’t really get the sense of some of the pitfalls of a bigger film. And, you know, it’s Peter’s ship and he steers it, but he’s very inclusive and he likes to make it feel like everyone can relate to each other. There’s not a lot of distancing between departments, which is really lovely.

Valdis: Is there a day that you could point to that was your best day on set?

Dean: Not specifically. I had lots and lots of great days. And if I didn’t have a great day all day, I had a great day at least some of the day, every day, really. Being in the barrels was fun, we’ve talked about that a lot. Being on location was amazing because Aidan and I got a car and could drive around and stay in all these different places and visit various pubs. But specifically one day? No, but sometimes it was just little moments where you’d be on set and someone would say something funny and we’d all start giggling. You know what I mean? I mean, the camaraderie itself was great, so it wasn’t necessarily because we were in a helicopter or because we were on the top of a mountain (even though that was fun as well), but sometimes the greatest moments were just little shared moments between friends. That’s what I really like.

Valdis: Was there a day that you felt was the worst day on set?

Dean: (laughing) We had a couple of hard days. Some days near the end, I think we were getting very tired. Everyone was getting tired; I don’t think Peter slept. (laughing) Ever! I think I saw him at the wrap party, and he’d been up for 48 hours. I couldn’t believe it. He’s amazing.

Again, there were moments that were just physically hard. Like sometimes, you didn’t want to get up at 3:30 in the morning or run through a paddock in a fat suit, but at the end of the day, it’s still pretty cool. It’s not like you’re crawling under a house to fix the plumbing, you know? (laughing) You’re working on a Peter Jackson movie. There’s worse things to do.

Valdis: I’d like to finish up with a lightning round. We wanted to do a quick game of “Would you rather”–

Dean: Ok cool. I’m awful at these, just to let you know, but I’ll give it my best shot.

Valdis: Alright, alright. Would you rather have Martin Freeman or James Earl Jones narrate your life?

Dean: (laughing) Definitely James Earl Jones, because there’s no way Martin could resist saying something–he wouldn’t be able to be nice the whole time–he’d have to say something awful.

Valdis: Would you rather be trapped in a room with puppies or kittens?

Dean: Puppies.

Valdis: Would you like to be an Avenger or an X-Men?

Dean: Oh god, my comic book knowledge is so bad. Which one is Robert Downey, Jr/Iron Man?

Valdis: That would be Avengers.

Dean: I would go with Avengers, then. Although, Wolverine’s pretty cool, isn’t he? Maybe Wolverine. Yeah, Wolverine’s pretty great.

Valdis: Would you rather have elephant tusks or seal flippers?

Dean: Do I still have my own feet, as well?

Valdis: I was thinking [seal flipper] hands, but interpret that as you wish.

Dean: Oh ok, well then I’d go tusks, because I use my hands all the time.

(Left to right) Dean O’Gorman, Emmett Skilton, Jared Turner, and Timothy Balme are the Johnson brothers in ‘The Almighty Johnsons.’

Valdis: Would you rather be Fili, The King Under the Mountain, or Anders Johnson, the human incarnation of the norse god Bragi.

Dean: Fili! I love playing Anders, but in terms of people to aspire to, Fili’s more of an aspirational character.

Valdis: Absolutely. Thank you so much. I had a wonderful time talking with you.

Dean: You too! Lovely to meet you.

Dean O'Gorman and Middle-earth News Reporter Valdís at Dragon Con 2015. Photo Credit: Valdís Longbeard.

Bringing Us There and Back Again: An Interview with Jemima Catlin

Tue, 22 Sep 2026 11:00:05 +0100

Originally published by Myla on Middle-earth News on 19 September 2013.

Like many fans around the world, I enjoy collecting Tolkien books. So when I heard that there was going to be a brand new illustrated edition of The Hobbit, I knew I would need to get my hands on a copy.

The last illustrated edition of the much-loved classic was released over a decade ago and featured artwork by Alan Lee. This time around, the artist who has the chance to show us their own version of Middle-earth is Jemima Catlin. The young artist is from Dorchester, Dorset and comes from a very creative background; her mother is an artist and her father, a photographer. It’s no surprise that she developed a passion for drawing at an early age.

Jemima graduated from The Arts University, Bournemouth with a degree in Visual Communication and completed a BA Honours Degree in Illustration in 2010. She was discovered by HarperCollins’ publisher, David Brawn, when she sent him a Tolkien inspired project she created for her illustration degree course.

Jemima has been a fan of Tolkien for many years, having read The Hobbit for the first time when she was 12. “I really loved it, and couldn’t put it down!” she admits.

She works with a wide range of media including: collage, pencil, ink, monoprinting, watercolor, and acrylic paints. You can visit Jemima’s official website to view her gallery, and see for yourself how she uses various materials to create her work.

In this interview I had the chance to learn more about Jemima, as well as her illustrations and interest in Tolkien.

Since the last illustrated edition of The Hobbit came out more than ten years ago, what was it like when you found out that you were going to be the one to illustrate for a new one?

Jemima: It was really exciting! I got the email at the end of November 2010 asking if I would like to submit some illustrations for The Hobbit, I started drawing straight away – I couldn’t wait.

The Tolkien community has been around for decades, and there are so many people out there who love and appreciate his works. What has the response been so far about your version of The Hobbit?

Jemima: I have had some lovely messages and emails from people; a lot of them are excited that they can now get their children interested in The Hobbit. It’s wonderful to think that a whole new generation are going to be reading about Middle-Earth.

Do you have any favorite editions of The Hobbit? What about favorite Tolkien artists?

Jemima: I think Tolkien himself was a fantastic illustrator; I love his illustrations for The Hobbit. I made sure that I kept the characters and landscapes looking similar to how he intended.

Have you done any illustrations for Tolkien’s other novels such as The Silmarillion or The Lord of the Rings? Maybe even something non-Middle-earth related such as Roverandom?

Jemima: Yes I illustrated Roverandom as my final major project at university. I found it a fascinating story, and really inspiring. I sent a few of the illustrations to HarperCollins, who invited me up to show them the whole project. They sent the work to the Tolkien Estate, who really liked it, but didn’t feel it accurately represented J. R. R. Tolkien’s vision of the story. It was a year later that the Tolkien Estate requested I submitted illustrations for The Hobbit! The first Middle-Earth related drawing I did was of two enormous Tree Ents for my sister’s wedding table plan in 2008, the table names were at the ends of the branches. I had no idea that would be the first of hundreds of Middle-Earth inspired drawings!

What was your favorite scene from The Hobbit to illustrate?

Jemima: I really enjoyed drawing the Dwarves playing their instruments at Bag End. That section is filled with magic and atmosphere.

What are your feelings towards The Hobbit trilogy? Anything you’re especially looking forward to in the next two movies?

Jemima: I love Peter Jacksons’ interpretation of Middle Earth, I must have seen The Lord of The Rings films countless times. I do think that The Hobbit didn’t need to be made into three films though, two probably would have been plenty. I am really looking forward to the next film though, this one should have all the really exciting bits in!

– –

The book will be available to purchase starting on September 12, 2013. Get ready, Tolkien fans, and make sure to keep an eye out at your local bookstores! As well as this edition of The Hobbit, Jemima will be releasing a 2014 calendar filled with her illustrations.

To stay updated with Jemima, be sure to visit her official website, follow her on Instagram, and like her Facebook page.

Rare Tolkien First Editions at George Washington University

Tue, 22 Sep 2026 11:00:00 +0100

Originally published by Lily on Middle-earth News on 26 May 2013.

Since the release of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, interest in the writings of J.R.R. Tolkien has swelled. Scholars and fans alike visit the Estelle and Melvin Gelman Library’s Special Collections Research Center at George Washington University for a special treat. The library houses first editions of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, which even carries a note written with The Professor’s own hand.

Inside the dust jacket of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring is a handwritten note from Tolkien to E. Rasdall, Esq., dated March 21, 1956. The text reads:

I am so sorry! Your parcel arrived safely, but it arrived at a crowded time, and I was also unwell. In fact, I had to go away to recuperate, and only returned yesterday. It was on my conscience that I had gone off without either returning your books or letting you know. I will send them off, I hope on Friday. Why not at once? Well, because tomorrow my wife and I celebrate our 40th or ruby wedding anniversary, and are preparing for the gathering of our children and children-in-law, which has not occurred complete for many years. I fear it will be a ceremony by Shire standards ‘brief, moderate, simple, and jejune’ but there may be a speech!

Yours truly, J. R. R. Tolkien

P.S. I have just had a letter from a real Sam Gamgee (of Tooting)!

Jenny Kinniff, public services and outreach librarian for Special Collections, explained to GWToday, “First editions are useful for scholars to see an author’s original intent, before edits that are sometimes made in subsequent editions.”

And though you might suspect that only serious academics are granted access, Kinniff wants to make it clear that any interested readers may request to see these rare copies. “These things are here to be used,” she said. “We feel very strongly about that.”

Thanks to “Got News, Precious?” Contributor Stephanie for alerting us to this story! (2026 Note: On the original Middle-earth News website, there was a form where readers could submit ideas or links for articles they had seen elsewhere on the internet that were Middle-earth related. This is just one!)

About Best of Middle-earth News

Thu, 10 Sep 2026 18:12:17 +0100

15 years ago, Middle-earth News first appeared on the Internet. It was fuelled by sheer passion and enjoyment, unbridled and unabashed geekery for the stories and people and world of Middle-earth. Forged in the fires of excitement surrounding the making of and impending release of the Hobbit movies, Middle-earth News built an amazing offering for their fellow fans, made by their all-women team of writers and contributors.

Two years later, team members were hobnobbing with the actors at the LA premiere of The Desolation of Smaug. Great oaks had grown from little acorn buttons.

Meanwhile, that all-women team were very hard at work. Hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of articles were posted, about the movies, the actors, the books, other fans who were creating things from that same pool of joy. Not everything posted was stellar and there were plenty of articles that strayed into celebrity news territory, but wow did they write some incredible pieces that were literally not found anywhere else on the Internet. The women of Middle-earth News were on fire (inside the mountain).

15 years is a long time, especially on the Internet. Lives change, priorities change and Middle-earth News sadly fell into decline, until it crumbled into ruins last year, the original domain only very recently rescued from the clutches of evil cyber squatters. With that went some of the best fandom articles ever published on the Internet.

Well, they're back.

We're an all women team (just like the original Middle-earth News team) from the heart of the shire and we have travelled to the ruins of Fornost and delved the drowned vaults of Annuminas, to recover fan treasure. Working alongside many of the OG Middle-earth News team, we're going to bring back and make available for posterity some of the best articles that were ever posted to Middle-earth News.

Why would we do this? Why do it now? Its now 15 years since Middle-earth News was established. Its 25 years since Fellowship of the Ring hit the big screen. Its time to simply enjoy enjoying something again, just for the fun of it, just because there is joy in the experience of sharing that enjoyment with others.

We are those fans, motivated by fun and whimsy and nothing more, fans of Middle-earth and fans of those great Middle-earth News articles written by a great team. We're not doing this for any other reason than the pleasure of making great writing available for fans to enjoy once more. This is not a commercial project in any way, shape or form; there'll never be any advertising, or sponsorships, or partnerships, or promotions, or Patreon pleas, etc. We're doing this purely for the love of it. Lets show that we can have good things in 2026 and beyond.

We don't have any particular plan to what we're going to exactly what we're going to post, we're just going to post the good things we uncover as we find them and add one article from the archives every day from Monday to Friday, so keep checking back or even pretend like its 2011 again and subscribe via RSS.

We will always credit the original author of a piece and won't repost anything that is currently available on a live website.

We really hope you enjoy rediscovering the best of Middle-earth News and if you're discovering these pieces for the first time we're especially glad to welcome you. Lets just enjoy being fans together.

Heather, Daisy, Blossom & Primrose, your Middle-earth News websites team