The Fireside

I got this book a little bit ahead of publication date. Sometimes that happens. I finished The Wheel of Time series a few years back (I believe it was 2013 or 2014 sometime, I forget which year; but I've documented all my Wheel of Time reviews.) I haven't "read" this book, and that's because it's essentially an A-Z companion of the entire saga. One COULD read the book, cover to cover, AS a book but that's the intent for its existance. So how can I review it then?? Because judging from the size, and nature of the contents, I know enough to give it a rating, and write about it. First of all, the edition I got was the (trade) paperback (which, size-wise is about the size of a hardback, except it's made a paperback). I've always gotten The Wheel of Time as paperbacks. Way back when I started reading / buying the series, I believe the most recent book to be published in (mass market) paperback would have been Book 10, "Crossroads of Twili...

Pictured above is the backcover from the forthcoming Beren and Luthien . Before I get into this post, I will say a big thanks to "Tolkien Italia" for providing this info on The Tolkien Society's Facebook group page. What follows is what they've posted to the group: News about "Beren and Luthien" with extracts from Christopher's Preface. Here's the table of contents: CONTENTS - List of plates (p.8) - Preface (p.9) - Beren and Lúthien (p. 27) - Appendix: Revisions to “The Lay of Leithian” (p.257) - List of Names (p.274) - Cat3 (p. 286) ------------------------------------------ In addition, some extracts from the preface of Christopher Tolkien. «After the publication of The Silmarillion in 1977 I spent several years investigating the earlier history of the work, and writing a book which I called “The History of The Silmarillion”. Later this because the (somewhat shortened) basis of the earlier volumes of “The History of Middle-earth”. In 1981 I wrote...

There's been quite a bit of buzz going around lately about the recently announced Game of Thrones  spinoffs. George R.R. Martin himself sets the record straight via a blog post: So while I was on the road out California way, the story broke about the four GAME OF THRONES spinoffs that HBO is developing. And of course the news has since spread everywhere, all over the web and all over the world. Yes, it's true. More or less. Though, as is all too common these days, various distortions and misapprehensions have crept into some of the reports along the way. And television being the fast-moving business that it is, there have already been some further developments. For what it's worth, I don't especially like the term "spinoff," and I don't think it really applies to these new projects. What we're talking about are new stories set in the "secondary universe" (to borrow Tolkien's term) of Westeros and the world beyond, the world I created fo...

Well this is definitely a surprise!! Ottawa has made it to the Eastern Final against Pittsburgh (and won the first game, as well). I am definitely pleasantly surprised that Ottawa has done so well thus far during the playoffs to make it this far. Keep it up Ottawa, you can win this..... In the West, the final two teams are Anaheim and Nashville. I'm pulling for Nashville; with hopes of an Ottawa - Nashville Cup Final....with Ottawa winning, of course. We'll see how it goes, but the playoff hockey has definitely heated up now!

"I'll Netflix that" is an expression I use. Most of the time, it means I want to see a movie, but I don't want to pay the prices of seeing it at the cinema, nor do I want to "rush out and see it." This is usually determined by how the trailer looks, as well as various other aspects about the film. It could even be due to how it's received. I usually don't follow or pay attention to reviews or feedback; but if a movie gets bad enough feedback, then I'll skip out on seeing it at the cinema; opting to watch it "whenever" it arrives on Netflix. So, the first movie I'll cover in this new trend (or 'banner, rather) is Snow White and the Huntsman . There a few reasons why I  chose to skip this one at the cinema, but mostly was due to the casting of Kirsten Stewart. Those Twilight films have left a sour taste in my mouth, to the point that I'm quite wary over anything that stars cast members from those films. I haven't ...

Today, as you may well know is "May the Fourth." Which, I get - it's a silly play play on words, or sounds like someone has a lisp. You see, Star Wars  (or, Star Wars: Episode IV ) did NOT come out on May 4, but May 25 instead. Anyway, this year, this month, in fact Star Wars  turns 40. As we know, Disney now owns the Star Wars franchise, much the same in how they own Marvel. There have been a few projects already ( Star Wars: Episode VII, Star Wars: Rebels, Rogue One, the upcoming Star Wars: Episode VIII , Han Solo  and Star Wars: Episode IX ), plus a few others in the works. A few months ago, it was revealed that there is about 15 years of Star Wars movies ahead of us. Upon hearing this, I got reminded of Marvel's Cinematic Universe, and calling the new 'Disney owns star Wars', the Star Wars Cinematic Universe, or SWCU. I am curious to see what these post- Episode IX  projects will be. I'm expecting a few more spin-off films here and there, but most im...

Waterstones, national bookseller of the UK, is hosting a series of Beren and Luthien  events close to the book's publication. You can read more about them here: https://www.waterstones.com/events/search?shop=&date=&region=&author=332510  " Celebrate the launch of J.R.R. Tolkien’s "Beren and Lúthien" with Alan Lee, the book’s illustrator and the man behind much beautiful and iconic Tolkien artwork, for a discussion and book signing." Living in Canada, I won't be able to make it, sadly. It would be wonderful to meet Alan. He is renown for illustrating The Hobbit  in 1997, the three volumes of The Lord of the Rings  ( The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers  and The Return of the King ) in 2002, and The Children of Hurin  in 2007. He was also involved with the art direction of The Lord of the Rings  film trilogy. So be sure to swing by, my UK readers, whichever location best suits you to get your copy of Beren and Luthien  signed, a...