
132. Evil or Elves or Both… Terror in Mirkwood : The Hobbit #20
In this first half of chapter 8 of the hobbit–Flies and Spiders–Jonathan and Michael discuss the evil enchantment of Mirkwood, and if the elves might have a small part in it. This week we also look at...
4 Mar 202554min

131. The Weirdest Chapter in Middle-earth (with dancing bears!?) : The Hobbit #19
With talking animals, animals serving food and dancing bears, this may just be the oddest chapter in all of Middle-earth! It kinda feels like it just doesn’t fit. We explore why the animals walk and t...
18 Feb 20251h 4min

130. Where did Beorn Originate (and what was Tolkien’s inspiration)? : The Hobbit #18
Bilbo, Gandalf, and the dwarves are dropped off on the Carrock, and find themselves in the company of a man (so-to-speak) who rather doesn’t like dwarves–but who loves a good story! This week we look ...
4 Feb 20250s

129. Tolkien Loved Eagles (too much?) : The Hobbit #17
Stuck in trees with fire at their heels, the company find themselves surround by intelligent wolves and taunting orcs… but the eagles notice the commotion and decide to save Gandalf and his friends. T...
21 Jan 202552min

A Song of Ice and Fire
Life took an unexpected turn this week with the fires in southern California.
15 Jan 20250s

128. A Courageous Hobbit and Disloyal Dwarves : The Hobbit #16
Bilbo makes it out of the Misty Mountains with more courage than ever before, while the dwarves prove their disloyalty. This is the chapter where Bilbo finally comes into his own as a Burglar–he’s be...
7 Jan 202540min

Revisiting Tolkien’s Lost ‘Noel’ Poem
This poem, Noel, was written by J.R.R. Tolkien before The Hobbit was published, and only just discovered in 2013. Here’s how that happened! In 2013, Tolkien scholars Wayne Hammond and Christina Scull ...
25 Des 20240s

127. Where War of the Rohirrim went Wrong – In Depth Review
We all had high hopes when War of the Rohirrim was announced a few years ago–particularly since it was attached to Philippa Boyen, screenwriter of the original trilogy. So, Michael and I went out this...
24 Des 20241h 9min






















