102. An Interview with Billy Boyd (Pippin) and Dominic Monaghan (Merry) – 2003 Roundtable Interviews

Ted Nasmith has been creating visions of Middle-earth since the early 1970s when he decided to send JRR Tolkien one of his early pieces--and the professor responded with encouragement!  In addition to being the sole featured artist in 12 Tolkien calendars (2022 most recently), he worked closely with Christopher Tolkien to create the incredible illustrated Silmarillion in 1998. Michael and I had the privilege of discussing not just his inspiration and visions of Tolkien, but also: What kinds of paintings are the greatest challenge? Why he wasn't involved in Peter Jackson's films --and what he thinks of them! How will AI art impact artists like him? Then, join us in our extended episode (https://theonering.com/members) where we: Which place in Middle-earth inspires him most? What art styles inspire him? Who is HIS favorite Middle-earth artist? What's his take on upcoming War of the Rohirrim Film? And our infamous Confessions from the Comfy Chair, including: What level of Dante's Hell does The Rings of Power belong in? What's the nerdiest thing he's ever done? Who is his favorite Tolkien character? What cheesy movie or book does he like? 🎉 To get the extended episode, become a member at https://theonering.com/members ($4/mo and free for the 1st month)! BECOME A MEMBER! Get access to the extended edition of this podcast, our private Discord chat, and  live chats. Click here! 🔗 Episode Links TedNasmith.com Illustrated Silmarillion Ted's Book Recommendation - World without Mind by Franklin Foer 🎧 Subscribe to our Podcast Get the Extended Podcast Subscribe on Apple Subscribe on Google 🔍 If You Like Tolkien The Silmarillion The Fall of Númenor The Fall of Gondolin The Children of Hurin The Atlas of Middle-earth The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien 🗣 Special Thanks to Austin Robertson for the use of his voice! 🖼 Special Thanks to Anna Grumbine for the artwork!

11 Juli 202347min

This week, Michael, Dan, and I discuss the first part of Tolkien's seminal essay "On Fairy Stories", where Tolkien defines what a fairy (aka fantasy) story is. Why is this important? Well, the "fairy tale" in Tolkien's era was relegated to simple children's fiction, something adults grew out of along with their innocence and naiveté. But to Tolkien, these stories that take place in the land of Faërie contain more beauty and truths than any tale set in modern day environs. In this essay Tolkien defines these stories by what they have, and what they are not, not precisely by what they ARE. And we even jump into whether Star Wars or Star Trek might match Tolkien's definition! Then, join us in our extended episode (https://theonering.com/members) where we: Discuss what our favorite fairy story is (other than LOTR) Try and figure out what the best fairy story of the last 2 decades is (or if there even IS one!) 🎉 To get the extended episode, become a member at https://theonering.com/members ($4/mo and free for the 1st month)! BECOME A MEMBER! Get access to the extended edition of this podcast, our private Discord chat, and  live chats. Click here! 🔗 Episode Links Tales from the Perilous Realm ("On Fairy Stories") Make Tolkien Great Again - Tengwar Hat 🎧 Subscribe to our Podcast Get the Extended Podcast Subscribe on Apple Subscribe on Google 🔍 If You Like Tolkien The Silmarillion The Fall of Númenor The Fall of Gondolin The Children of Hurin The Atlas of Middle-earth The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien 🗣 Special Thanks to Austin Robertson for the use of his voice! 🖼 Special Thanks to Anna Grumbine for the artwork!

4 Juli 20230s

High beauty, strong women, and the meat of Middle-earth!

27 Juni 20230s

** Use the code "GREAT" at https://shop.theonering.com to get $2 off anything! ** It's hard to believe, but this week we finish "Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age"--the last chapter of The Silmarillion! We talk about the the truth and beauty of Middle-earth (and how we're not connected to it), how Peter Jackson portrayed the battle between Gil-Galad, Elendil, and Sauron poorly, and Saruman's mysterious visit to the east--after which he took up residence in Orthanc and started his evil turn. Then, join us in our extended episode (https://theonering.com/members) where we discuss if Isildur just took the glory over Elendil and Gil-Galad when they defeated Sauron, why Tolkien mentioned Frodo's destruction of the differently in The Silmarillion, and whether Sauron should've bribed the Dwarves with gold (since the Rings of Power didn't sway them a bit). To get the extended episode, become a member at https://theonering.com/members ($4/mo and free for the 1st month)! 📕 Join our Book Club! Become a member and join our bi-weekly Book Club where we're reading through Taliesin by Stephen R. Lawhead. BECOME A MEMBER! Get access to the extended edition of this podcast, our private Discord chat, and  live chats. Click here! 🔗 Episode Links The One Ring Shop Make Tolkien Great Again 🎧 Subscribe to our Podcast Get the Extended Podcast Subscribe on Apple Subscribe on Google 🔍 If You Like Tolkien The Silmarillion The Fall of Númenor The Fall of Gondolin The Children of Hurin The Atlas of Middle-earth The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien 🗣 Special Thanks to Austin Robertson for the use of his voice!

20 Juni 20230s

Many of us endured Amazon's Rings of Power show last year... and now we've finally reached that part of The Silmarillion. Of course, here we actually talk about the Rings more than they were featured in the show for those, erm, amazing 5 minutes. This week we take Michael to task for defending Amazon's show, why the rings were so seductive to each race, and why do the green elves also long for Valinor? Then, join us in our extended episode where we discuss how the idea of Galadriel and Halbrand in a relationship (or "Haladriel" as we've heard) is absolutely absurd, and look deeper at the the lure of Rings for dwarves, elves, and men.  To get the extended episode, become a member at https://www.theonering.com/members ($4/mo and free for the 1st month)! 📕 Join our Book Club! Become a member and join our bi-weekly Book Club where we're reading through Taliesin by Stephen R. Lawhead. BECOME A MEMBER! Get access to the extended edition of this podcast, our private Discord chat, and  live chats. Click here! 🔗 Episode Links The Silmarillion 🎧 Subscribe to our Podcast Get the Extended Podcast Subscribe on Apple Subscribe on Google 🔍 If You Like Tolkien The Silmarillion The Fall of Númenor The Fall of Gondolin The Children of Hurin The Atlas of Middle-earth The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien

13 Juni 20230s

Join us as we look back on one year of Exploring Tolkien! This week we talk why we love Tolkien so much, the path that brought us to be a part of this show, all the stats for the show... and most importantly, we ask each other our EXTREMELY personal TORC Inquisition questions :) ! And join us in our extended episode where we discuss what our families think of us doing this show, if we've had any big debates, and we think we each resemble in Tolkien's legendarium! To get the extended episode, become a member at https://www.theonering.com/members ($4/mo and free for the 1st month)! Thanks for listening to this weeks rather different episode... next week it's on to "Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age"! ???? Join our Book Club! ???? Become a member and join our bi-weekly Book Club where we're reading through "Taliesin" by Stephen R. Lawhead! BECOME A MEMBER! Get access to the extended edition of this podcast, our private Discord chat, and  live chats. Click here! Episode Links Game Livestream #1 Game Livestream #2 ???? Subscribe to our Podcast Get the Extended Podcast Subscribe on Apple Subscribe on Google ???? If You Like Tolkien The Silmarillion The Fall of Númenor The Fall of Gondolin The Children of Hurin The Atlas of Middle-earth The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien

6 Juni 20230s

With the release of the new Gollum game, we decided to take a deeper dive at this character--not his motivations or history, but what Tolkien specifically said about him in his letters. Tolkien indicates that the most moving scene in all of the Lord of the Rings was Gollum's near repentance on the stairs of Cirith Ungol, as he looked on Frodo and Sam sleeping: "Gollum looked at them. A strange expression passed over his lean hungry face. The gleam faded from his eyes, and they went dim and grey, old and tired. A spasm of pain seemed to twist him, and he turned away, peering back up towards the pass, shaking his head, as if engaged in some interior debate. Then he came back, and slowly putting out a trembling hand, very cautiously he touched Frodo’s knee – but almost the touch was a caress. For a fleeting moment, could one of the sleepers have seen him, they would have thought that they beheld an old weary hobbit, shrunken by the years that had carried him far beyond his time, beyond friends and kin, and the fields and streams of youth, an old starved pitiable thing." Tolkien believed that Gollum was on the precipice of redemption, and quite nearly found his love for Frodo competing with his desire for the ring! Join us in our extended episode where we discuss the best Lord of the Rings games made, and--if we were given the opportunity to make a game--what game would each of us create in Tolkien's world. To get the extended episode, become a member at https://www.theonering.com/members ($4/mo and free for the 1st month)! BECOME A MEMBER! Get access to the extended edition of this podcast, our private Discord chat, and  live chats. Click here! Episode Links Gollum Game (only buy this at a deep discount) Game Livestream #1 Game Livestream #2 ???? Subscribe to our Podcast Get the Extended Podcast Subscribe on Apple Subscribe on Google ???? If You Like Tolkien The Silmarillion The Fall of Númenor The Fall of Gondolin The Children of Hurin The Atlas of Middle-earth The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien

30 Maj 20230s

Join us as we talk about Galadriel's "life-changing" event in Rings of Power season 2, the Gollum game releasing May 25, 2023, the newly announced MMO game from Amazon, if we accept the reason for Legolas walking on snow, and more!

23 Maj 20230s