If you think about Middle-earth at least once a day—or numerous times, all throughout, like me—you should allow the Roving Ranger to keep you informed!

There's a scene from 2000's The 6th Day that I think of sometimes when contemplating some of our real-life villains. (It's a not half-bad Schwarzenegger film with a few interesting things to say, but also riffs/steals a bit from other films in the genre, like Blade Runner and even Total Recall.)

This cute little hobbit-sized orc is from a desk calendar I bought in the year prior to the release of Fellowship of the Ring. To the best of my knowledge, he never appeared anywhere in the movies. And I was looking. Poor little guy. Moria-orc left on the cutting room floor, I'm pretty sure.

Who wore it best? (And by "it" I mean the helm and chainmail coif and amor.) Stainless Steel Cleaner & Polish by Thor Products . . . or the spriggan from 1983's Monster Manual II? One has the ability to temporarily grow to giant size. The other smells of fresh lemons. #dungeonsanddragons #spriggan

Fun fact: Even though they both eat rotted flesh and can paralyze you by touch, ghouls and carrion crawlers clearly don’t always get along! At least, not *these* ghouls from 1987. The more you know!

Fly! Fly! Part 2 of my NoName StoryTeller podcast visitation is upon us! Lots of talk of The Silmarillion this time, and Orcs (in and outside of Tolkien)! And a few honest thoughts about The Rings of Power. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/u...

Narnians unite! Dr. Sørina Higgins—who knows a thing or two (or eighty thousand things) about the Inklings—is conducting a course this fall on everything to do with lions, witches, and wardrobes beyond the lands of Spare Oom! I literally can't think of anyone more qualified.

Ah! This just dropped today. Part 1 of 2. It was much fun hopping into the NoName Storyteller Podcast! I talk more about D&D and Eberron and game writing than Tolkien in part 1. creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/...

For anyone able to reach NYC and didn't make this year's New York Tolkien Conference, I highly recommend next year! It was quite fun, and always informative!

I will always recommend this book for newcomers to Tolkien!

Guess which man of the cloth from the film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves represents an actual (and realistically flawed) Christian and which one is the perfect symbol for a MAGA Christian? And isn't it curious how we just all instinctively know the answer, on a visceral level?

I wrote this right before Season 2 of The Rings of Power began, and I still stand by it. In fact, it's the Hill of Himring that I will die upon. #Tolkien #Sauron #Annatar #LordoftheRings #Silmarillion

Hey, look! A project page for The Silmarillion Primer. Hopefully, in a few months, there'll even be a spot in the Signum store! press.signumuniversity.org/.../the-silm... #Tolkien #Silmarillion

This is how MAGA readers perceive The Lord of the Rings. Their brains render whatever redaction or confirmation bias adjustments are needed so they can get to the "good" stuff such as the killing foreigners. The themes of pity, sorrow, and fellowship go WAY over their heads. Fingers in ears.

Been enjoying episodes of the NoName Storyteller Podcast. Like your recent episode, @arsenaultrivera.bsky.social. I quite enjoyed hearing you mention some of my past (and present) Tor colleagues, and discussion IP fiction writing. Plus general geekery. open.spotify.com/episode/1zZC...

A meandering post about religion, heresy, and hypocrasy in a D&D game world (but really, the real world) with no solid conclusions because that's how messy things are today.

Long ago, when I was writing my D&D novel, I had two primary sources of inspiration for my male protagonist: Madmartigan (waggish fighter) and MacGuyver (resourceful problem-solver who hated conventional weapons). They remain my film/TV heroes. Today, I've got the roles of Val Kilmer in mind.

I was there, Gandalf. Seven years ago, when LotR-based memes were only in the millions and I made a few of my own.

An awesome ad on the back of some boring old non-AD&D comic book. #dungeonsanddragons #forgottenrealms

If you're not willing to put on the grisly hide of a skinned werewolf in support of the one you love, then run on four legs beneath her winged, vampire-transformed body so you can infiltrate the Hells of Iron . . . what are you even doing? Happy #ValentinesDay #Tolkien

The New York Times did an "Overlooked No More" article about Karen Wynn Fonstad and I mostly just want to send people to read it, because it's very interesting. Then I added a few words of appreciation of my own. jefflasala.online/2025/01/14/k...

It's that time of year again, a sample of . . . "How Count Strahd Stole Christmas." -------------------------------- Every soul In the Village of Barovia Liked Christmas a lot... But the count Who lived northwest Certainly did NOT!

Just a few thoughts about The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim, and not even all of them.

'Yeah, with both hands,' said Melkor slyly.

🎶 "I saw three ships come sailing in On 🎄 Day, on 🎄Day I saw more ships come sailing in With black sails bellying in the breeze "'Wither sailed those ships?' men shouted On 🎄 Day, on 🎄 Day 'The Corsairs of Umbar! Look! It is the last stroke of our doom!'"

Haven't listened yet, but I already know I will want to share it. I don't know this guy or this podcast, but Donna's always in the right place with the right frame of mind. Plus, y'know, RUSH.

Being one of the “Mortal Men doomed to die” who became Ringwraiths—subservient to the will of the One—isn’t enough of any excuse for you not to wear that scarf your mother made for you. And would it kill you to put a hat on that horse of yours? Nazgûl, it’s cold outside.

This year's Christmas is a bit somber, but here are four household vignettes from Christmas past.

There, I fixed it. "Last🎄, I gave you my ❤️ The very next day, you gave it away This year, to save me from 😢 I'll be more responsible and keep it "Frankly, I need both working Right and left ventricles Plus, did I knowingly give it away last 🎄 To someone I DIDN'T think was special? That's on ME"

Carrying over from Twitter: Elendil’s new hit single, fresh out of Episode 6 of The Rings of Power season 2.

Might as well port some stuff over from Twitter for posterity. My son has become a budding Genesis fan (among other greats), so I'm trotting out this wonderful crossover once more, especially now, during this time of political turmoil and division. "Can't you see this is a land of confusion?"

I’m a few weeks behind when I wanted to talk and share a tiny bit about the Brothers Hildebrandt and some of my favorite art, after the recent passing of Greg. jefflasala.online/2024/12/01/t...

The video of the conference held on 18/11 to celebrate the centenary of Christopher Tolkien's birth at the Bodleian Library (Oxford) is now online: youtu.be/9F2UPSfTF38 I recommend listening to Baillie Tolkien's speech first youtu.be/9F2UPSfTF38?... which includes some never-before-seen photos :-)

Signum University's YouTube page now includes my new Silmarillion Primer introduction video! Yay! youtu.be/ZbpWQ_lZVw0?...

Whenever I see the name of this site, U2's "Indian Summer Sky" becomes an instant earworm. "Two rivers run too deep The seasons change and so do I The light that strikes the tallest trees Will light a way for I Will light a way Up toward the sky It’s a blue sky" www.youtube.com/watch?v=01m_...

"Look to my coming on the first light of the fifth day. At dawn, look to the east. . . possibly with a Weeping Angel beside me." —#Gandalf (This photo was taken in my first office in the Flat Iron Building in 2013, when Macmillan was still there.)

Silmarillion miniatures from a Dragon magazine ad in 1991. WAY before I was familiar with these characters. I don't know what I like more, the fact that they made two Túrins (why not one for each name?) or the fact that they also made Gwindor (poor Gwindor) and Beleg (poor Beleg).

The news! The internet arguments! The politics! The idiots! #Tolkien #Silmarillion #Ancalagon