Our 2025 Silmarillion journey continues with Chapter 16 of Quenta Silmarillion - Of Maeglin. “Of Maeglin” represents a shift in the style of The Silmarillion. While we had previously been dealing in something like a chronicle of the various Elves in Beleriand, with this chapter the scope becomes much narrower, and we focus in on the story of Aredhel, the sister of Turgon, and on the hidden city of Gondolin. “Of Maeglin” is one of the book’s first chapters that really works well as a tale unto it...
Jun 02, 2025•53 min
Our 2025 Silmarillion journey continues with Chapter 15 of Quenta Silmarillion - Of the Noldor in Beleriand. In Chapter 15, Turgon establishes the secret and glorious realm of Gondolin, Galadriel becomes a handmaiden of Melian, and Thingol learns of the kinslaying! Silm Guide Link: https://www.tolkienroad.com/silmguide/sg18/ To support our work here, please visit Patreon.com/TolkienRoad . Enjoy! OTHER LINKS: Video of this episode: https://youtu.be/Pr4lj4orwAk Watch AD-FREE: https://www.patreon.c...
May 26, 2025•43 min
Our 2025 Silmarillion journey continues with Chapter 14 of Quenta Silmarillion - Of Beleriand and Its Realms. Silm Guide Link: https://www.tolkienroad.com/silmguide/sg17/ To support our work here, please visit Patreon.com/TolkienRoad . Enjoy! OTHER LINKS: Video of this episode: https://youtu.be/AQCD0gBtfoE Watch AD-FREE: https://www.patreon.com/posts/129220734/ Listen AD-FREE: https://www.patreon.com/posts/66825891/ Buy Tolkien Road merch @ True Myths Press Become a supporter of this podcast: ht...
May 19, 2025•40 min
Our 2025 Silmarillion journey continues with Chapter 13 of Quenta Silmarillion - Of the Return of the Noldor. The action really picks back up in Chapter 13: a faceoff between Fëanor and Balrogs, the capture and torment of Maedhros, a confrontation with Thingol, and to top it all, Melkor introduces a dragon into the mix! Over the next several months, we'll be continuing to revisit the entire 30-episode Silmarillion series that Greta and I recorded back in 2022. While you're listening, check out S...
May 12, 2025•53 min
Our 2025 Silmarillion journey continues with Chapter 12 of Quenta Silmarillion - Of Men. Yes, Chapter 12 introduces a mysterious new intelligent species to Middle-earth - the Atani, that is, the mortal people of mankind - and speaks of their first contact with the Elves of Beleriand. Over the next several months, we'll be continuing to revisit the entire 30-episode Silmarillion series that Greta and I recorded back in 2022. While you're listening, check out SilmGuide.com for guides to individual...
May 05, 2025•44 min
Our 2025 Silmarillion journey continues with Chapter 11 of Quenta Silmarillion - Of The Sun and Moon and the Hiding of Valinor. With the hurricane of catastrophes brought on by Morgoth’s murder of the Two Trees subsiding, the dust is settling, and the Valar have some decisions to make. Chapter 11 of The Silmarillion deals with the creation of the Sun and the Moon following the disasters in the Blessed Realm, as well as the hiding of Valinor from the peoples of Beleriand and all other lands. Over...
Apr 28, 2025•1 hr
Our 2025 Silmarillion journey continues with Chapter 10 of Quenta Silmarillion - Of The Sindar. The Noldor, led by Fëanor, have re-entered Beleriand in pursuit of Morgoth and the Silmarils. This chapter brings us up to speed with the Elves that already inhabit Beleriand, especially the people of King Elwë Thingol (a.k.a. the Sindar) and what has transpired in the long span of years since their brethren departed Beleriand for the Blessed Realm. Over the next several months, we'll be continuing to...
Apr 21, 2025•53 min
Our 2025 Silmarillion journey continues with Chapter 9 of Quenta Silmarillion - Of The Flight Of The Noldor. With Melkor and Ungoliant having slain the Two Trees and stolen the Silmarils, Chapter 9 concerns the consequences of these actions for the Valar and the Elves, as well as the fate of Ungoliant. Over the next several months, we'll be continuing to revisit the entire 30-episode Silmarillion series that Greta and I recorded back in 2022. While you're listening, check out SilmGuide.com for g...
Apr 14, 2025•1 hr 22 min
Our 2025 Silmarillion journey continues with Chapter 8 of Quenta Silmarillion - Of the Darkening of Valinor. In Chapter 8, the bliss of Valinor comes to a sudden end as Melkor unleashes his sinister plot with the aid of the horrifying monster Ungoliant. Over the next several months, we'll be continuing to revisit the entire 30-episode Silmarillion series that Greta and I recorded back in 2022. While you're listening, check out SilmGuide.com for guides to individual chapters. To support our work ...
Apr 07, 2025•53 min
Our 2025 Silmarillion journey continues with Chapter 7 of Quenta Silmarillion - Of the Silmarils and the Unrest of the Noldor. In Chapter 7, we learn what the Silmarils are, where they came from, and how clouds begin to gather over the blessed realm of Valinor. Over the next several months, we'll be continuing to revisit the entire 30-episode Silmarillion series that Greta and I recorded back in 2022. While you're listening, check out SilmGuide.com for guides to individual chapters. To support o...
Mar 31, 2025•1 hr 8 min
Our 2025 Silmarillion journey continues with Chapter 6 of Quenta Silmarillion - Of Fëanor and the Unchaining of Melkor. Chapter 6 is really the quiet calm before the storm. All hell is about to break loose. Yet first, we must become acquainted with the great Fëanor, one of the most significant characters in the whole Middle-earth legedarium, and also understand how Melkor escapes bondage and comes once again to freedom. Over the next several months, we'll be continuing to revisit the entire 30-e...
Mar 24, 2025•1 hr 6 min
Our 2025 Silmarillion journey continues with Chapter 5 of Quenta Silmarillion - Of Eldamar and the Princes of the Eldalië. In Chapter 5, we come to find out how the three Elvish peoples (the Vanyar, the Noldor, and the Teleri) came to Aman, the Blessed Realm. We also learn a great deal more about the Noldor and the Teleri, and about the personalities of these groups of Elves. The princes of the Noldor, in particular, start to come into focus as key players near the end of the chapter. Over the n...
Mar 17, 2025•55 min
Hey there, fellow travelers! Our 2025 Silmarillion journey continues with Chapter 4 of Quenta Silmarillion - Of Thingol and Melian! Over the next several months, we'll be continuing to revisit the entire 30-episode Silmarillion series that Greta and I recorded back in 2022. And while you're listening, check out SilmGuide.com for guides to individual chapters. Chapter 4 of The Silmarillion is a short and succinct “boy-meets-girl” story, or so a surface reading would suggest. However, as with most...
Mar 10, 2025•50 min
Hey there, fellow travelers! Our 2025 Silmarillion journey continues with Chapter 3 of Quenta Silmarillion - Of The Awakening of the Elves and the Captivity of Melkor! Over the next several months, we'll be continuing to revisit the entire 30-episode Silmarillion series that Greta and I recorded back in 2022. And while you're listening, check out SilmGuide.com for guides to individual chapters. In Chapter 3, we finally embark upon something like a continuous narrative. Up to this point, much has...
Mar 03, 2025•1 hr 15 min
Hey there, fellow travellers! Our 2025 Silmarillion journey continues with Chapter 2 of Quenta Silmarillion - Of Aulë and Yavanna! Over the next several months, we'll be continuing to revisit the entire 30-episode Silmarillion series that Greta and I recorded back in 2022. And while you're listening, check out SilmGuide.com for guides to individual chapters. In Chapter 2, we're introduced to the contentious relationship of Aulë, the father of the Dwarves, and Yavanna, the mother of the Ents. To ...
Feb 24, 2025•50 min
Hey there, fellow travellers! Our 2025 Silmarillion journey continues with Chapter 1 of Quenta Silmarillion - Of the Beginning of Days, part 2! Yes, Chapter 1 had so much to discuss that we had to break it into two parts, so you're getting the second half right now! Over the next several months, we'll be continuing to revisit the entire 30-episode Silmarillion series that Greta and I recorded back in 2022. And while you're listening, check out SilmGuide.com for guides to individual chapters. Hav...
Feb 17, 2025•1 hr 14 min
Hey there, fellow travellers! Our 2025 Silmarillion journey continues with Chapter 1 of Quenta Silmarillion - Of the Beginning of Days. Just to be clear, "Quenta Silmarillion" means "The History of the Silmarils". While Tolkien intended "Ainulindalë" and "Valaquenta" to be essentially standalone works, Quenta Silmarillion encompasses the next 24 chapters. Over the next several months, we'll be revisiting the entire 30-episode Silmarillion series that Greta and I recorded back in 2022. And while ...
Feb 10, 2025•48 min
Hey there, fellow travellers! Our 2025 Silmarillion journey continues with Valaquenta - The Story of the Valar! Over the next several months, we'll be revisiting the entire 30-episode Silmarillion series that Greta and I recorded back in 2022. And while you're listening, check out SilmGuide.com for guides to individual chapters. As mentioned, this episode is an overview of Valaquenta - The Story of the Valar - which introduces us to many of the great powers, or gods, that govern Middle-earth. In...
Feb 03, 2025•1 hr 12 min
Hey there, fellow travellers! Our 2025 Silmarillion journey continues with Ainulindalë - The Music of the Ainur - which, simply put, is the Middle-earth creation story. Over the next several months, we'll be revisiting the 30-episode series that Greta and I recorded back in 2022. And while you're listening, check out SilmGuide.com for guides to individual chapters. This episode is an overview of Ainulindalë - The Music of the Ainur - which is the creation story of Middle-earth. To support our wo...
Jan 27, 2025•1 hr 7 min
Hey there, fellow travellers! Right now, I have one major goal for The Tolkien Road: to finish my next book! While I'm doing that, I want to invite you to read through The Silmarillion with The Tolkien Road this year! Over the next several months, we'll be revisiting the 30-episode series that Greta and I recorded back in 2022. And while you're listening, check out SilmGuide.com for guides to individual chapters. You can find that link in the show notes! The first episode is an overview of The S...
Jan 22, 2025•1 hr 8 min
Hey there fellow travellers! This week we'll be revisiting episode 197, which focused on 6 amazing spiritual insights from Tolkien. Visit TolkienRoad.com/spirit to download these 6 points as a PDF! Also, visit TrueMythsPress.com to for Tolkien Road gear like Two Trees coffee mugs, Tolkien Road t-shirts, and signed copies of my books (which are almost gone!). Finally, if you'd like to support our work, visit Patron.com/TolkienRoad ! Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/pod...
Jan 15, 2025•38 min
Listen to the whole episode: https://www.ringspodcast.com/190-why-and-how-the-lord-of-the-rings-is-a-religious-and-catholic-work/ Hey there, fellow travellers! Merry Christmas! I was recently a guest on the Lore of the Rings podcast - that's L-O-R-E - where I joined host Aaron to discuss the ways in which Lord of the Rings is a "fundamentally religous work". We uncovered: - The grace Faramir says before sharing a meal with Frodo and Sam. - The liturgical significance of March 25 — the day the On...
Dec 21, 2024•21 min
In The Tolkien Road Episode 396, we review The War of the Rohirrim, the newly released animated Middle-earth film from Executive Producer Peter Jackson! I have to be honest: the first 2 seasons of The Rings of Power were so painfully bad that I was not feeling enthusiastic about The War of the Rohirrim going into seeing it last night. The one spark of hope that I felt was the knowledge that it had Peter Jackson as an Executive Producer, and that it had nothing to do with Amazon Studios. We staye...
Dec 16, 2024•53 min
Hey there fellow travellers! This week we'll be revisiting episode 261, which focused on Tolkien's EPIC Christmas poem NOEL. Visit TolkienRoad.com/noel for plenty of resources related to it! Also, visit TrueMythsPress.com to for Tolkien Road gear like Two Trees coffee mugs, Tolkien Road t-shirts, and signed copies of my books (which are almost gone!). Use promo code NOEL20 to take 20% off your purchase until December 14th. Show Notes » https://tolkienroad.com/noel Buy Christmas Gifts » https://t...
Dec 04, 2024•40 min
I'm done with Season 2 of Amazon's The Rings of Power, but I didn't watch all 8 episodes. I just can't watch anymore... EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: - Kaitlyn of Tea with Tolkien - John R - KG - Eärendil Hope WATCH THE VIDEO » https://youtu.be/4g1ugQfbHFE FOLLOW & SUPPORT THE TOLKIEN ROAD : PATREON » SUPERFANS! TWITTER FACEBOOK INSTAGRAM LINKS & MATHOMS: - take 10% OFF Tolkien Road merch at True Myths Press » https://truemythspress.com/discount/TENOFF (enter code TENOFF at checkout) - listen to ...
Nov 25, 2024•15 min
Welcome to The Tolkien Road Episode 394! In this bonus MAILBAG episode of DO NOT BE HASTY, we’ll be considering your thoughts on the Foreword and Prologue to The Lord of the Rings! EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: - Kaitlyn of Tea with Tolkien - John R - KG - Eärendil Hope WATCH THE VIDEO » https://youtu.be/Lr_mqGgHwCw WATCH / LISTEN AD-FREE » https://www.patreon.com/tolkienroad FOLLOW & SUPPORT THE TOLKIEN ROAD : PATREON » SUPERFANS! TWITTER FACEBOOK INSTAGRAM LINKS & MATHOMS: - take 10% OFF Tolkie...
Oct 14, 2024•22 min
Welcome to The Tolkien Road Episode 393! In this bonus MATHOMS episode of DO NOT BE HASTY, we’ll take a look at some fascinating footnotes to the Foreword and Prologue of The Lord of Rings! TOPICS COVERED: - Lord of the Rings' attraction - The Silmarillion adapted - Negative reviews of Lord of the Rings - Tolkien vs allegory - Sarehole Mill as Hobbiton - The word "Hobbit" - "Dwarrow", Dwarfs, Dwarves - Tolkien's description of hobbits - The location of Middle-earth - Arnor / Gondor meanings - Ma...
Oct 07, 2024•45 min
Hey there, fellow travellers! Let's revisit our discussion of Sauron's sack of Eregion and defeat of Celebrimbor from 2023, as Tolkien told it! Episode notes: https://www.tolkienroad.com/e0349/ Video: https://youtu.be/DnI07pSeqXQ Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-tolkien-road--5222755/support ....
Oct 04, 2024•31 min
Hey there, fellow travellers! Let's revisit our 2023 episode on Sauron's seduction of the Elves, which led to the creation of the Rings of Power! Episode notes: https://www.tolkienroad.com/e0345/ Video: https://youtu.be/cY5EmQrBD2k Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-tolkien-road--5222755/support ....
Oct 02, 2024•23 min
Welcome to Episode 22 of DO NOT BE HASTY - I'm calling this one "Sam's Grand Entrance". (This is episode 392 of The Tolkien Road podcast). ‘Well, sir,’ said Sam dithering a little. ‘I heard a deal that I didn’t rightly understand, about an enemy, and rings, and Mr. Bilbo, sir, and dragons, and a fiery mountain, and – and Elves, sir. I listened because I couldn’t help myself, if you know what I mean. Lor bless me, sir, but I do love tales of that sort. And I believe them too, whatever Ted may say...
Sep 30, 2024•36 min
