The Greatest Books Ever

Production Blog

2007-11-15T19:05:00.000-08:00

http://blueskeltonproductions.blogspot.com/

Harry Potter Review

2007-08-02T12:48:00.000-07:00

At first I was not going to do a Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows review but then I decided that hey it is the biggest literary event of this millennium so far. It might even become the biggest literary event of all time.

I realize that many of you haven’t read the book and I guarantee that I won’t reveal any Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows spoilers. I’m not going to be the one who tells you who dies in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

What I really want to talk about is the phenomenon itself. It is the fan-base that JK Rowling deserves credit for. Harry Potter has a fan base equal to Star Wars, Star Trek or the Lord of the Rings. Whether she can retain that base is the true question. Regardless it is always cool to see nerds running around in Wizard Outfits, unless of course you are my friend’s ex-husband. He thinks he is a real wizard and an idiot. He has tried to take me on a couple of times but the force is strong with me. All it took was a couple whacks to the face with a plastic light saber and he was finished.

I have to admit that at the beginning of the Harry Potter phenomenon, I was skeptical. Still I have found true love in JK Rowling. Despite the fact that JK Rowling was born in 1965 she is still one beautiful lady. Maybe when I am a famous author (ha-ha) she will marry me.

I am trying to decide if I want to buy the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Deluxe Edition. I have to say that it looks like something special. I am not sure if just my hardcover will do.

I am tempted to write a JK Rowling Profile or a J.K. Rowling biography for The Literary Junkie Anthology. Let me know what you think.

Children of Hurin

2007-07-27T19:01:00.000-07:00

If Achilles was the greatest warrior to ever walk the face of the Earth then Turin Turambar would be the second greatest. Turin was the baddest man in Middle Earth. And now he is featured in JRR Tolkien’s new book Children of Hurin published in May of this Year. The book was compiled and edited by his son Christopher Lee.

For years Turin was forced to languish in the obscure and tedious history of M.E. entitled The Silmarillion. Only the most die-hard Tolkien fan would appreciate The Silmarillion and luckily I fit into that category. The book details the history of just about everything in Middle Earth including the weaponry. It features the Elves attempts to regain their sacred jewels (silmarils) which have been stolen by the dreaded Morgoth. But the book can be a bit tedious to read. However “Of Turin Turambar” and the story of Beren and Luthien are two of Tolkien’s most renowned works. Both of these were featured in The Silmarillion.

And now Children of Hurin has been published in JRR Tolkien’s own words in prose very similar to that found in The Hobbit or The Lord of the Rings. The work was only edited in a few spots for clarity by Professor Tolkien’s son, Christopher Tolkien. I cannot say how excited I am to read this novel. I have peaked at it a few times (it reads very well) at the bookstore but so far I have lacked the funds necessary to purchase it.

The book is illustrated by renowned Tolkien artist Alan Lee who was influential in the creative portion of the Lord of the Ring’s movies. Many of the creatures and sets were based off his artwork.

The story of Turin Turambar is one of my most favorite works aside from The Iliad. For Turin’s glory on the battlefield is what inevitably leads to his downfall. It represents the cruel irony of life, that sometimes even great glory can be turned into tragedy. There are twinges of Achilles and the Oedipus Myth intertwined in Turin’s legacy but it remains a unique story all to its own. I hope that you will order Children of Hurin and I hope that you will enjoy it.