Category: Fantasy

The Russian Hobbit, Part 2

After The Hobbit was published in the Soviet Union in 1976 the same translation was used for subsequent editions. The artists again featured those same furry feet and legs for Bilbo Baggins. Like the creature above who looks far from human-like with his claws, donkey ears, and misshapen face. Well, it’s an honest attempt at …

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The Russian Hobbit, Part 1

As I said in my last post, the first edition of The Hobbit was published in the Soviet Union in 1976 as a hardback children’s book. Translation was by Natalia Rakhmanova with illustrations by artist Mikhail Belomlinsky. Notice anything different about Bilbo? That’s right, his entire legs are hairy, not just his feet. That’s because …

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Worldbuilding Wednesday 3/5/25: Welcome to Middle-Russia

Russia loves Tolkien. The first officially translated edition of The Hobbit was released there in 1976 and has stayed in print there ever since (note: Tolkien’s works circulated there unofficially for years in samizdat) and not only that, it was Russia that attempted the first live-action movies of both The Hobbit and the The Lord …

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Sauron in the Bathroom

He’s trimming his nose hairs, apparently.

It’s Tolkien March!

This month I’ll be concentrating on writer J.R.R. Tolkien, with an emphasis on Middle-Earth. Essays, articles, artwork, and more!

Shields and Helms

I found these illustrations of interest and thought I’d post them here. One way to get armor and weapons right!  

Worldbuilding Wednesday 2/19/25: Elf-maids of The Silmarillion

Since I’ve been reading The Silmarillion, I thought I’d generate some names of Elven women, or as Tolkien might put it, elf-maids. Elf names all meant something in the languages he created – he was a linguist after all. In the text of the book they are explained to you, and defined again in the …

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A Less Than Impressive Hobbit.

It’s amazing to me how differently artists interpret Bilbo Baggins. Last month I found these two covers and now, here’s this one. It’s not a great depiction. First off, Bilbo is too tall and portly, and his signature feature, the hairy feet, is missing. He looks more like John Goodman from the 1990s sitcom Roseanne. …

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Worldbuilding Wednesday 1/1/25: Best of Twittersnips 2024 (Magic Items)

My favorite Twittersnip magic items of the year 2024, chosen from my Twitter feed.   2024 Magic Items (Best of) Athena’s Purification Tonic: Drinkers receive wisdom and strength (+2 each) like that of the Greek goddess. Lasts for a few hours. Physical components are an owl feather and gorgon blood. Beetle Slippers: Made of wool …

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The Fall of Númenor [Reading Challenge 2024]

The Fall of Númenor by J. R. R. Tolkien, ed. by Brian Sibley William Morrow, 2022 [ #23  Pixies and Dryads and Elves, oh my! : A high fantasy ] I am backposting this review, as I finished the book only a few days before the end of 2024. Let’s hope 2025 is a little …

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