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Rating: 
Summary: A Must-Have for Tolkien Fans
Review: George Beahm's love for Tolkien's work shines through every page of The Essential J.R.R. Tolkien Sourcebook. Beahm starts with the Lord of the Rings books themselves and their various editions, from "the most elegant edition" to "the cleverest packaging." From there he branches out to chronicle related works by Tolkien and about Tolkien and LotR, and of course he examines the visual adaptations. He is both reverent and critical. He has harsh words, for instance, for the "full-screen" version of The Fellowship of the Ring, which is "severely cropped to fit the conventional television screen," and warns that the binding of one lavish edition "will not hold up after repeated readings." Audio adaptations, printed products, book- and movie-related collectibles, ring replicas, games and miniatures, websites...these and more fall under Beahm's Sauron-like all-seeing eye. Then there's Chapter 11, my favorite, that delves into Tolkien-inspired art. Illustrations by Colleen Doran, Tim Kirk, David Wenzel, Steve Hickman, and Donato Giancola enhance an informative chapter on Tolkien artists from the Hildebrandts to Michael Whelan. Doran contributes a number of lovely and delicate full-page illustrations to the book and also provides spot art and illustrated chapter headings, elegant touches that give evidence to Beahm's genuine love for the subject matter. For fans of Middle Earth, George Beahm's The Essential J.R.R. Tolkien Sourcebook is just that...essential.
Rating:
Summary: An excellent resource for the Tolkien fan!
Review: George Beahm's new book takes a long overdue look at the world of JRR Tolkien: not the world of Middle Earth itself, but rather the extraordinary industry which has grown up around the writer's creation. Upon perusing this book the Tolkien fan, both expert and novice, will find a wealth of information regarding just how much is available to them. Beahm provides clear and concise reviews of all manner of Tolkien books, art, games, DVDs, collectibles and merchandise; and provides details of various rare editions which the true fan may want to track down. All this is backed up with in-depth interviews with the best of the Tolkien artists, including Michael Whelan, Tim Kirk and Colleen Doran. Indeed, Doran provides a host of new drawings especially for this book - and magnificent they are too! For the Tolkien fan wondering where to go next, this book is a must.
Rating:
Summary: An excellent resource for the Tolkien fan!
Review: George Beahm's new book takes a long overdue look at the world of JRR Tolkien: not the world of Middle Earth itself, but rather the extraordinary industry which has grown up around the writer's creation. Upon perusing this book the Tolkien fan, both expert and novice, will find a wealth of information regarding just how much is available to them. Beahm provides clear and concise reviews of all manner of Tolkien books, art, games, DVDs, collectibles and merchandise; and provides details of various rare editions which the true fan may want to track down. All this is backed up with in-depth interviews with the best of the Tolkien artists, including Michael Whelan, Tim Kirk and Colleen Doran. Indeed, Doran provides a host of new drawings especially for this book - and magnificent they are too! For the Tolkien fan wondering where to go next, this book is a must.
Rating:
Summary: An enduringly popular literary saga
Review: The Essential J.R.R. Tolkien Sourcebook by George Beahm is a superbly presented, fan-centered guide to the fantasy world of Middle Earth, a magical land originally envisioned by celebrated author J.R.R. Tolkien in his famous trilogy "The Lord of the Rings" and his other thematically related writings. Featuring information about Lord of the Rings merchandise and collectibles, books about Tolkien, computer software, Tolkien-themed websites, and other online Tolkien related resources, The Essential J.R.R. Tolkien Sourcebook is highly recommended (indeed, an essential reference) for anyone seriously interested in learning more about the fan-culture surrounding this epic and enduringly popular literary saga.
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