I bought the Children of Hurin today along with Foucault’s Discipline and Punish and the second and third volumes of The History of Sexuality. I think I will read the Tolkien first.
Somehow the “Interstellar Alliance” didn’t strike me as very libertarian – more like a glorified galactic UN with some fancy warships and Sheridan as the Secretary General. Or would you say the virtues of B5 lie elsewhere than in its politics?
I’ve just begun reading The Hobbit again. The next thing on my Tolkien list is to finish The Lord of the Rings. I stopped halfway through the second book in middle school.The Children of Hurin looks intriguing too!
Or would you say the virtues of B5 lie elsewhere than in its politics?
B5 was a mix of libertarian themes and statist themes (the Interstellar Alliance definitely falling under the latter); but yeah, my reasons for liking B5 are not primarily political.
I would probably read the Silmarillion before The Children of Hurin
I would actually recommend The Book of Lost Tales (Tolkien’s earlier version of The Silmarillion), rather than The Silmarillion itself, as an initially more engaging/accessible background to The Children of Hurin.
Incidentally, the parallels between Tolkien’s Turin and Moorcock’s Elric (in both cases a dour and doomed prince, wielding an enchanted and cursed black sword predicted to betray its owner) are interesting, given that neither influenced the other. (I’m not saying that Tolkien didn’t influence Moorcock, only that Tolkien’s story of Turin was published too late to influence Moorcock.) Tolkien’s own chief inspirations for the Turin story, I would guess, were Beowulf and the Sigurd/Siegfried legend.
Although, Discipline and Punish is a good book, I didnt think there was enough about the proliferation of laws (non-violent) and criminals after shift from physical punishment to spiritual rehabiliaton.
I bought the Children of Hurin today along with Foucault’s Discipline and Punish and the second and third volumes of The History of Sexuality. I think I will read the Tolkien first.
Somehow the “Interstellar Alliance” didn’t strike me as very libertarian – more like a glorified galactic UN with some fancy warships and Sheridan as the Secretary General. Or would you say the virtues of B5 lie elsewhere than in its politics?
I’ve just begun reading The Hobbit again. The next thing on my Tolkien list is to finish The Lord of the Rings. I stopped halfway through the second book in middle school.The Children of Hurin looks intriguing too!
I would probably read the Silmarillion before The Children of Hurin, that way you will be better at differentiating which Noldor prince is which
Or would you say the virtues of B5 lie elsewhere than in its politics?
B5 was a mix of libertarian themes and statist themes (the Interstellar Alliance definitely falling under the latter); but yeah, my reasons for liking B5 are not primarily political.
I would probably read the Silmarillion before The Children of Hurin
I would actually recommend The Book of Lost Tales (Tolkien’s earlier version of The Silmarillion), rather than The Silmarillion itself, as an initially more engaging/accessible background to The Children of Hurin.
Incidentally, the parallels between Tolkien’s Turin and Moorcock’s Elric (in both cases a dour and doomed prince, wielding an enchanted and cursed black sword predicted to betray its owner) are interesting, given that neither influenced the other. (I’m not saying that Tolkien didn’t influence Moorcock, only that Tolkien’s story of Turin was published too late to influence Moorcock.) Tolkien’s own chief inspirations for the Turin story, I would guess, were Beowulf and the Sigurd/Siegfried legend.
I liked the style of presentation better in the Silmarillion and the Book of Unfinished Tales more than The Book of Lost Tales, but they are all good.
How about Lays of Beleriand? 😉
I haven’t read that one, but I will in time.
Although, Discipline and Punish is a good book, I didnt think there was enough about the proliferation of laws (non-violent) and criminals after shift from physical punishment to spiritual rehabiliaton.
Phillip Conti — Is this the post you meant that comment for?