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The Wisconsin cartographer who mapped Tolkien's fantasy world

(www.wpr.org)
233 points bookofjoe | 5 comments | 11 Apr 25 17:26 UTC | HN request time: 0s | source
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jfengel ◴[14 Apr 25 19:25 UTC] No.43685180[source]▶
Atlas of Middle-earth is a truly monumental feat.

I think the article writer misses how much of it is really about The Silmarillion, rather than about Lord of the Rings. Tolkien put a lot of work into First Age geography, an entire (interminable, excruciating) chapter of The Silmarillion. Very little of it would be familiar to viewers of the films, and a lot of it opaque even to readers just of LotR.

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rimunroe ◴[14 Apr 25 20:28 UTC] No.43685956[source]▶
> an entire (interminable, excruciating) chapter of The Silmarillion

I’ve read The Silmarillion easily more than 20 times and I swear Of Beleriand and its Realms gets longer every time I read it.

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1. jfengel ◴[14 Apr 25 21:29 UTC] No.43686523[source]▶
I just wish it had been relegated to an appendix. A lot of people drop Silmarillion there, but you can just skip it and get on to much better material.

It could be replaced on first read with a decent map. Or even a mediocre map. Or nothing; you just don't need it.

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2. thaumasiotes ◴[14 Apr 25 21:57 UTC] No.43686759[source]▶
> I just wish it had been relegated to an appendix.

It was; it wasn't even published.

3. bombcar ◴[14 Apr 25 22:38 UTC] No.43687063[source]▶
Most of the Silmarillion can be read out of order, if you want. That should have been made more clear to the "casual" reader (as if casual readers pick it up!).
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4. rimunroe ◴[15 Apr 25 03:18 UTC] No.43688688[source]▶
> as if casual readers pick it up!

I was a casual reader, but then I picked it up.

5. tigerlily ◴[15 Apr 25 08:51 UTC] No.43690477[source]▶
I picked it up with intent, aged 12.