Hello.
In this chapter, the Company continues down the river in their elvish boats. Gollum's presence is confirmed, and that he has been following them since Moria. Aragorn's spirit is renewed as they pass under the huge statues of Elendil and Anárion, the Gateway of Argonath. Orcs are sighted on the shore, as well as some great flying beast, but no direct attack takes place. They eventually go ashore at Amon Hen and make camp. Aragorn notices that Frodo's blade, Sting, is glowing slightly, a sign of orcs, though they may be on the other side of the river. After some discussion, Frodo takes a walk in the woods, where he is soon joined by Boromir. The Ring's corruption attacks Boromir and he attempts to assault Frodo to get it. Frodo puts the Ring on and climbs to the throne atop Amon Hen, invisible. He is confronted by the flaming Eye of Sauron, and soon takes it off. Frodo returns to camp and decides to leave. He departs by boat; Sam -- who cannot swim -- follows him, and Frodo is forced to save him and allow him to accompany him. The book ends there.
Most of this chapter was accurately represented in the film. The only major difference is that the orcs have yet to attack, though Frodo and Sam have already departed, while in the movie their attack, kidnapping of Merry and Pippin, and slaughter of Boromir occurs before the end. The stopping point is somewhat different, as in the films every member of the Fellowship who dies does it in the first movie, while Tolkien spreads it out more in the literary version.
This was my last post and I very much appreciate anyone who has been reading, so thank you. I hope that you enjoyed this blog.
Thanks for reading,
C
Saturday, July 27, 2013
Chapter Seven: The Mirror of Galadriel and Chapter Eight: Farewell to Lórien
Greetings.
At the beginning of the chapter, the Company meets with Galadriel and Celeborn in their tree-hall. They deliver the news of Gandalf's apparent death and otherwise consult with the elvish rulers. Frodo and Sam are taken to see Galadriel's mirror, which is more of a scrying basin. They see many things in the mirror, among them trouble in the Shire, various unexplained landscapes, and the great fiery eye of Sauron. Afterwards, Frodo offers the Ring to Galadriel for safe keeping, and she transforms into a dark visage of herself and proclaims the would-be result of her possession of the Ring. When the company leaves Lórien, they are given many gifts by the elves. All are gifted a cloak of the Galadhrim, lembas bread, and elven rope. Boromir, Merry, and Pippin receive belts; Aragorn receives a sheath for Andúril and a brooch from Lady Galadriel; Frodo receives the bottled light of Eärendil; Sam receives a box of Lórien earth; Legolas receives a bow of the Galadhrim; and Gimli receives three strands of Galadriel's hair. The company then sets out in boats upon the Great River.
These chapter were very accurately represented in the film. The only major difference I noticed was Aragorn's and Sam's gift.
I will be finishing the book today and posting on the last to chapters later this afternoon.
Thanks for reading,
C
At the beginning of the chapter, the Company meets with Galadriel and Celeborn in their tree-hall. They deliver the news of Gandalf's apparent death and otherwise consult with the elvish rulers. Frodo and Sam are taken to see Galadriel's mirror, which is more of a scrying basin. They see many things in the mirror, among them trouble in the Shire, various unexplained landscapes, and the great fiery eye of Sauron. Afterwards, Frodo offers the Ring to Galadriel for safe keeping, and she transforms into a dark visage of herself and proclaims the would-be result of her possession of the Ring. When the company leaves Lórien, they are given many gifts by the elves. All are gifted a cloak of the Galadhrim, lembas bread, and elven rope. Boromir, Merry, and Pippin receive belts; Aragorn receives a sheath for Andúril and a brooch from Lady Galadriel; Frodo receives the bottled light of Eärendil; Sam receives a box of Lórien earth; Legolas receives a bow of the Galadhrim; and Gimli receives three strands of Galadriel's hair. The company then sets out in boats upon the Great River.
These chapter were very accurately represented in the film. The only major difference I noticed was Aragorn's and Sam's gift.
I will be finishing the book today and posting on the last to chapters later this afternoon.
Thanks for reading,
C
Friday, July 26, 2013
Real Life Fantasy Immersion
Hello.
As a fantasy enthusiast, today I'm going to be talking about the recreation of fantasy worlds in reality rather than in the literary, cinematic, or virtual sense. I will start by saying that the time of year I most look forward to is the fall. This is because the Texas Renaissance Festival, arguably the best and largest renaissance festival in the country, takes place from mid October through December. I usually go twice a year, once with my father and sister and once with my friends. The Festival is a huge town-like setting (of permanent structures) with themes ranging from mediterranean to 'classic' piracy, but generally occupies a standard renaissance/medieval take with magical influence. There are literally hundreds of artisans and vendors, selling various food, armor, weapons, and crafts, as well as dozens of roughly non-anachronistic rides and games (meaning that though they may not have been present in the Middle Ages, the technology is very similar). Various troupes and acts roam the Festival, and performances ranging from comedy to acting to music appear regularly.
When I first started attending the festival close to ten years ago, almost every visitor dressed in costume; mine was originally just time-appropriate garb but has since drifted to a druidic theme and now shifted to a ranger/archer look. Now, few visitors actually dress up. While this does mean that many new people have discovered the entertainment of the Festival, it also means that they are not comfortable enough with the setting to become part of it, and for me personally, they ruin the ambiance. If you do attend any renaissance festival, please try to make yourself part of the environment! I don't want to compel you to dress up, but avoid bright colors, large modern logos, and very modern dress. It is especially annoying when people come dressed as something entirely anachronistic; I don't particularly mind pirates or Romans (which are a little out of place but fine) but I have seen Star Wars clone troopers, Star Trek characters, comic book superheroes, and other various costumes. Please remember that this is not some random costume party if you do choose to attend. Their is a costume rental company outside the main gate if you wish not to purchase a full costume.
I do want to bring 'LARPing' -- Live Action Role Play -- into this as renaissance festivals are in fact a type of casual role play. While I have never participated in a role-played battle, per say, I do think that non-modern dress and weaponry is interesting to have, even for personal amusement. I have several websites that I recommend for weapons (both foam and real), as well as a list of vendors at the Texas Renaissance Festival. I also have a website with listings of renaissance festivals in the United States, which I will link below.
Foam Weapons:
http://www.calimacil.com
Foam and Real Weapons:
http://www.swordsofmight.com
Real Weapons:
http://zombietools.net
Texas Renaissance Festival Weapon Vendors (Note that some of these vendors are not exclusive to Texas and may have operations at other festivals or independently):
http://texrenfest.com/artists_merchants/weaponry
Renaissance Festival Listings: http://www.therenlist.com
Also, on costumes: many people make their own costumes, though most buy them from vendors. The most impressive homemade costumes I have seen are exhibited at Blizzcon, the convention for Blizzard Games, the most popular of which is a fantasy game. Here is a video of the costume contest held at the last Blizzcon (2011):
I hope that you obtain the opportunity and the motivation to try this!
Thanks for reading,
C
As a fantasy enthusiast, today I'm going to be talking about the recreation of fantasy worlds in reality rather than in the literary, cinematic, or virtual sense. I will start by saying that the time of year I most look forward to is the fall. This is because the Texas Renaissance Festival, arguably the best and largest renaissance festival in the country, takes place from mid October through December. I usually go twice a year, once with my father and sister and once with my friends. The Festival is a huge town-like setting (of permanent structures) with themes ranging from mediterranean to 'classic' piracy, but generally occupies a standard renaissance/medieval take with magical influence. There are literally hundreds of artisans and vendors, selling various food, armor, weapons, and crafts, as well as dozens of roughly non-anachronistic rides and games (meaning that though they may not have been present in the Middle Ages, the technology is very similar). Various troupes and acts roam the Festival, and performances ranging from comedy to acting to music appear regularly.
When I first started attending the festival close to ten years ago, almost every visitor dressed in costume; mine was originally just time-appropriate garb but has since drifted to a druidic theme and now shifted to a ranger/archer look. Now, few visitors actually dress up. While this does mean that many new people have discovered the entertainment of the Festival, it also means that they are not comfortable enough with the setting to become part of it, and for me personally, they ruin the ambiance. If you do attend any renaissance festival, please try to make yourself part of the environment! I don't want to compel you to dress up, but avoid bright colors, large modern logos, and very modern dress. It is especially annoying when people come dressed as something entirely anachronistic; I don't particularly mind pirates or Romans (which are a little out of place but fine) but I have seen Star Wars clone troopers, Star Trek characters, comic book superheroes, and other various costumes. Please remember that this is not some random costume party if you do choose to attend. Their is a costume rental company outside the main gate if you wish not to purchase a full costume.
I do want to bring 'LARPing' -- Live Action Role Play -- into this as renaissance festivals are in fact a type of casual role play. While I have never participated in a role-played battle, per say, I do think that non-modern dress and weaponry is interesting to have, even for personal amusement. I have several websites that I recommend for weapons (both foam and real), as well as a list of vendors at the Texas Renaissance Festival. I also have a website with listings of renaissance festivals in the United States, which I will link below.
Foam Weapons:
http://www.calimacil.com
Foam and Real Weapons:
http://www.swordsofmight.com
Real Weapons:
http://zombietools.net
Texas Renaissance Festival Weapon Vendors (Note that some of these vendors are not exclusive to Texas and may have operations at other festivals or independently):
http://texrenfest.com/artists_merchants/weaponry
Renaissance Festival Listings: http://www.therenlist.com
Also, on costumes: many people make their own costumes, though most buy them from vendors. The most impressive homemade costumes I have seen are exhibited at Blizzcon, the convention for Blizzard Games, the most popular of which is a fantasy game. Here is a video of the costume contest held at the last Blizzcon (2011):
I hope that you obtain the opportunity and the motivation to try this!
Thanks for reading,
C
Thursday, July 25, 2013
Chapter Five: The Bridge of Khazad-Dûm and Chapter Six: Lothlórien
Hello.
At this point in the book, the company has just found the dwarf Balin's tomb. Gandalf finds a ledger-tome of the dwarves, finding terminal phrases such as "We cannot get out," "Drums in the deep," and "They are coming," and just as they finish assessing the situation, the aforementioned drums begin. The company prepares to make a stand against the orcs which have emerged from the darkness with an enormous cave troll. After a good many orcs are killed, the hordes draw back in fear. One orc drives a spear into Frodo's chest, which is luckily turned by Bilbo's mithril mail shirt. Gandalf discerns orcish words for fire amongst their fear; the fire is quickly revealed as a balrog, a terrifying flaming demon. The company flees to the Bridge of Khazad-Dûm, which spans a great chasm to connect to the exit. As the group travels across, Gandalf stands against the balrog, successfully deterring it with the made-famous phrase "You shall not pass!" However, as it falls into the chasm, it wraps its whip around the wizard's leg and drags with down as well, leaving the remaining company with the equally famous words "Fly, you fools." The company escapes the mines and makes its way to the woods of Lothlórien, where is encounters a party of elves led by Haldir. They travel to the tree dwellings of the Galadhrim, where they will soon meet the rulers of Lórien, Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel.
I was slightly disappointed, though not entirely surprised, by the literary depiction of the misadventures in Moria. Not only did I miss Pippin's mishap involving dropping a armor-clad skeleton down a well and Gandalf's angry retort, "Fool of a Took!" I found that the stand against the orcs was more of a small attack without a real focus, while the film adaptation centered around the attacking cave troll and its immense destructive strength. The film also did a much better job of dialogue -- of course, this was published more than fifty years ago, so the speech is somewhat different -- by writing it in a modern style and pulling some of the more iconic lines to places where they make more sense. One place I really noticed was Gandalf's speech to the balrog on the bridge: in the book it is basically a monologue, while in the film it is a back-and-forth between the wizard and the demon. Not enough has really happened in Lothlórien for me to make a comment, so I'll save it for tomorrow.
I did not get in time to do my real-life immersion post so it will definitely go up tomorrow.
Thanks for reading,
C
At this point in the book, the company has just found the dwarf Balin's tomb. Gandalf finds a ledger-tome of the dwarves, finding terminal phrases such as "We cannot get out," "Drums in the deep," and "They are coming," and just as they finish assessing the situation, the aforementioned drums begin. The company prepares to make a stand against the orcs which have emerged from the darkness with an enormous cave troll. After a good many orcs are killed, the hordes draw back in fear. One orc drives a spear into Frodo's chest, which is luckily turned by Bilbo's mithril mail shirt. Gandalf discerns orcish words for fire amongst their fear; the fire is quickly revealed as a balrog, a terrifying flaming demon. The company flees to the Bridge of Khazad-Dûm, which spans a great chasm to connect to the exit. As the group travels across, Gandalf stands against the balrog, successfully deterring it with the made-famous phrase "You shall not pass!" However, as it falls into the chasm, it wraps its whip around the wizard's leg and drags with down as well, leaving the remaining company with the equally famous words "Fly, you fools." The company escapes the mines and makes its way to the woods of Lothlórien, where is encounters a party of elves led by Haldir. They travel to the tree dwellings of the Galadhrim, where they will soon meet the rulers of Lórien, Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel.
I was slightly disappointed, though not entirely surprised, by the literary depiction of the misadventures in Moria. Not only did I miss Pippin's mishap involving dropping a armor-clad skeleton down a well and Gandalf's angry retort, "Fool of a Took!" I found that the stand against the orcs was more of a small attack without a real focus, while the film adaptation centered around the attacking cave troll and its immense destructive strength. The film also did a much better job of dialogue -- of course, this was published more than fifty years ago, so the speech is somewhat different -- by writing it in a modern style and pulling some of the more iconic lines to places where they make more sense. One place I really noticed was Gandalf's speech to the balrog on the bridge: in the book it is basically a monologue, while in the film it is a back-and-forth between the wizard and the demon. Not enough has really happened in Lothlórien for me to make a comment, so I'll save it for tomorrow.
I did not get in time to do my real-life immersion post so it will definitely go up tomorrow.
Thanks for reading,
C
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
Chapter Three: The Ring Goes South and Chapter Four: A Journey in the Dark
Greetings.
In these chapters the company begins their journey, beginning with their establishment: Frodo, Sam, Gandalf, Aragorn, Legolas -- to represent the elves, Gimli -- to represent the dwarves, Boromir -- to represent men (along with Aragorn), Merry, and Pippin. Bilbo presents Frodo with his elvish sword Sting and his valuable mithril chain shirt. Upon leaving Imladris they travel east to the mountains in an attempt to cross the Pass of Caradhras. On their way into the mountains they encounter a flock of spying crows, the crebain, though the spy is not specified. When they do reach Caradhras itself the storms stymie their progress and force them to retreat backwards. The company decided to attempt a trip through the abandoned underground dwarf mine of Moria, but not before being attacked by orcish wargs. When they do reach the entrance, Gandalf must first find the doorway and the password, which is hidden in a riddle on the title above the door: "Speak Friend and enter." When he finally opens it (the word being "Friend"), the company is attacked by a tentacled creature in the dark pool and are forced to retreat into the mines, where they become trapped and begin the path to the other side. The true value of Moria, in the mithril mined from it, is revealed to the reader. The chapter ends with the discovery of the tomb of Balin, the last dwarf lord of Moria.
While the film maintained close similarities in Rivendell, the journey varies more as they go. The sword Narsil is reforged as Anduril before they even leave Imladris as a mere sword, while in the movies it is remade in the third film and serves significantly as a key to win the battle of Pellinor Fields by commanding the Dead Army. There is much less obvious interference from Saruman: in the film he both spies through the crebain's eyes and amplifies the storms over Caradhras, as well as playing a part in revealing the danger of Moria in his book which says that the dwarves of Moria awoke "shadow and flame" from delving too deep into the earth; in the literary version he is neither identified as the spy nor as a force in the storm, and so far there has been no forewarning of the balrog. Also, when the company enters Moria in the film, Gimli expects to find a hospitable kingdom of dwarves but finds slaughtered kin and a dark, dusty mine. In the book, they know that the mine is certainly mostly abandoned, and there is no conflict of dwarf remains inside the entrance.
The next chapter is the Bridge of Khazad-Dûm, which I am very much looking forward to as it was possibly my favorite scene in the entire film series as well as my favorite non-elvish musical composition on the soundtrack (find it on iTunes!). If I have time I will also talk about the two biggest real world fantasy immersions: Renaissance Festivals and "Live-Action Role Playing." If I don't find time then (Thursday, July 25th) I will certainly find it the day after, so be sure to take a look.
Thanks for reading,
C
In these chapters the company begins their journey, beginning with their establishment: Frodo, Sam, Gandalf, Aragorn, Legolas -- to represent the elves, Gimli -- to represent the dwarves, Boromir -- to represent men (along with Aragorn), Merry, and Pippin. Bilbo presents Frodo with his elvish sword Sting and his valuable mithril chain shirt. Upon leaving Imladris they travel east to the mountains in an attempt to cross the Pass of Caradhras. On their way into the mountains they encounter a flock of spying crows, the crebain, though the spy is not specified. When they do reach Caradhras itself the storms stymie their progress and force them to retreat backwards. The company decided to attempt a trip through the abandoned underground dwarf mine of Moria, but not before being attacked by orcish wargs. When they do reach the entrance, Gandalf must first find the doorway and the password, which is hidden in a riddle on the title above the door: "Speak Friend and enter." When he finally opens it (the word being "Friend"), the company is attacked by a tentacled creature in the dark pool and are forced to retreat into the mines, where they become trapped and begin the path to the other side. The true value of Moria, in the mithril mined from it, is revealed to the reader. The chapter ends with the discovery of the tomb of Balin, the last dwarf lord of Moria.
While the film maintained close similarities in Rivendell, the journey varies more as they go. The sword Narsil is reforged as Anduril before they even leave Imladris as a mere sword, while in the movies it is remade in the third film and serves significantly as a key to win the battle of Pellinor Fields by commanding the Dead Army. There is much less obvious interference from Saruman: in the film he both spies through the crebain's eyes and amplifies the storms over Caradhras, as well as playing a part in revealing the danger of Moria in his book which says that the dwarves of Moria awoke "shadow and flame" from delving too deep into the earth; in the literary version he is neither identified as the spy nor as a force in the storm, and so far there has been no forewarning of the balrog. Also, when the company enters Moria in the film, Gimli expects to find a hospitable kingdom of dwarves but finds slaughtered kin and a dark, dusty mine. In the book, they know that the mine is certainly mostly abandoned, and there is no conflict of dwarf remains inside the entrance.
The next chapter is the Bridge of Khazad-Dûm, which I am very much looking forward to as it was possibly my favorite scene in the entire film series as well as my favorite non-elvish musical composition on the soundtrack (find it on iTunes!). If I have time I will also talk about the two biggest real world fantasy immersions: Renaissance Festivals and "Live-Action Role Playing." If I don't find time then (Thursday, July 25th) I will certainly find it the day after, so be sure to take a look.
Thanks for reading,
C
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
Chapter One: Many Meetings and Chapter Two: The Council of Elrond
Hello again.
These chapters take place entirely in Imladris -- that is, Rivendell. Frodo awakes from his wraith-induced coma, healed by Lord Elrond, and finds Gandalf with him. He is reunited with his previous traveling companions and meets the elves of Imladris, including Elrond and his daughter Arwen. Frodo also encounters Bilbo, who has traveled from the Shire to Rivendell, then to Dale, at the foot of the Lonely Mountain, and back to the elven sanctuary, where he plans to live out the rest of his days. We see the Ring's affliction upon him when he requests to see it from Frodo and practically transforms into a shadowy creature upon seeing it. Soon, many travelers arrive: the dwarf Glóin and his son Gimli, the elf-prince of Murkwood Legolas, and Boromir of Gondor. At Elrond's council meeting, much information of the Ring and several other rings -- the Three, the Seven, and the Nine -- is given. Gandalf also reports on his adventure to Isengarde and Saruman's treachery and war machine, his imprisonment atop the tower of Orthanc, and his escape with the great eagle and the journey from the Riddermark of Rohan thereafter. It is eventually decided that between the two options -- concealment or destruction of the Ring -- that the only viable choice is to destroy it, and the only possible way to do so to be in the fires in which it was made in Mordor. After some argument, Frodo volunteers to carry the Ring, and the story pauses there.
I found the film representation to be generally accurate for these chapters. The only part I really missed was that when Gimli attempts to destroy the Ring with a cleave of his axe. There was also a much more complicated story within Saruman's plot than was represented in the movie. At the end of the chapter, there was no immediate formation of the Fellowship of the Ring, but I am sure it will come promptly in the following chapters.
Thanks for reading,
C
These chapters take place entirely in Imladris -- that is, Rivendell. Frodo awakes from his wraith-induced coma, healed by Lord Elrond, and finds Gandalf with him. He is reunited with his previous traveling companions and meets the elves of Imladris, including Elrond and his daughter Arwen. Frodo also encounters Bilbo, who has traveled from the Shire to Rivendell, then to Dale, at the foot of the Lonely Mountain, and back to the elven sanctuary, where he plans to live out the rest of his days. We see the Ring's affliction upon him when he requests to see it from Frodo and practically transforms into a shadowy creature upon seeing it. Soon, many travelers arrive: the dwarf Glóin and his son Gimli, the elf-prince of Murkwood Legolas, and Boromir of Gondor. At Elrond's council meeting, much information of the Ring and several other rings -- the Three, the Seven, and the Nine -- is given. Gandalf also reports on his adventure to Isengarde and Saruman's treachery and war machine, his imprisonment atop the tower of Orthanc, and his escape with the great eagle and the journey from the Riddermark of Rohan thereafter. It is eventually decided that between the two options -- concealment or destruction of the Ring -- that the only viable choice is to destroy it, and the only possible way to do so to be in the fires in which it was made in Mordor. After some argument, Frodo volunteers to carry the Ring, and the story pauses there.
I found the film representation to be generally accurate for these chapters. The only part I really missed was that when Gimli attempts to destroy the Ring with a cleave of his axe. There was also a much more complicated story within Saruman's plot than was represented in the movie. At the end of the chapter, there was no immediate formation of the Fellowship of the Ring, but I am sure it will come promptly in the following chapters.
Thanks for reading,
C
Monday, July 22, 2013
Lord of the Rings: Video Games
Hello there.
Over the past few days I have looked into some of the video games based upon Tolkien's work. The first games, developed in the eighties, were text-based. Today, we have games for Nintendo systems, a LEGO video game (and many physical sets), and even an MMORPG. Over the last several days, I have been playing both the LEGO game and the MMO. Unfortunately, I do not have any gaming system consoles like Nintendo, so I was unable to test those games made for them. Below I have included a short review and Let's Play video from Youtube of each game (I couldn't get the video I made to upload to Blogger), as well as a video for the latest console game. I also learned of a very interesting Tolkien Middle Earth project in Minecraft and have provided a video of the server and a link to their website.
LOTRO: Lord of the Rings Online
This seemed like a pretty typical MMORPG, with a Lord of the Rings theme, of course. I didn't get very far, just to about level eight. Since my review is somewhat biased toward that smaller range, I have also included a link to a full review below. A typical ability bar and interface are located at the bottom of the screen, with a minimap in the upper right corner and a list of quests below, as well as a character profile in the upper left corner. Movement is the usual AWSD keys. I tried both the loremaster class as an elf and the hunter class as a human. I mildly enjoyed my gameplay and am sure that later zones are much more interesting (as per my experience). The music was a little dull but typically ambient, and the graphics were moderately good. Character animations were slightly lacking but movement was fine. I did find that though the game is free to play, much of the game came in microtransactions with the game's maker; things from quests to more characters to abilities to "emotes" were available -- dare I say necessary -- to purchase. I do think this is an entertaining game and a relatively good MMO, but I did not find it as interesting to play as others.
Review: http://www.pcgamer.com/review/lord-of-the-rings-online-review/
LOTRO: Lord of the Rings Online
This seemed like a pretty typical MMORPG, with a Lord of the Rings theme, of course. I didn't get very far, just to about level eight. Since my review is somewhat biased toward that smaller range, I have also included a link to a full review below. A typical ability bar and interface are located at the bottom of the screen, with a minimap in the upper right corner and a list of quests below, as well as a character profile in the upper left corner. Movement is the usual AWSD keys. I tried both the loremaster class as an elf and the hunter class as a human. I mildly enjoyed my gameplay and am sure that later zones are much more interesting (as per my experience). The music was a little dull but typically ambient, and the graphics were moderately good. Character animations were slightly lacking but movement was fine. I did find that though the game is free to play, much of the game came in microtransactions with the game's maker; things from quests to more characters to abilities to "emotes" were available -- dare I say necessary -- to purchase. I do think this is an entertaining game and a relatively good MMO, but I did not find it as interesting to play as others.
Review: http://www.pcgamer.com/review/lord-of-the-rings-online-review/
LEGO Lord of the Rings
I thought this was a great game, especially for LEGO. The graphics are very good (if somewhat LEGO-fied), the music is the same as the film's (which is amazing), and the gameplay is overall good. I have played the other LEGO games in the past (Star Wars and Indiana Jones) and found this to be superior to the versions of both. The player begins in the Shire and follows the story through the general storyline of the Ring. It adds interesting mechanics and simple puzzles that help make it interesting, features excellent character animations, and adds extra content beyond the levels in Middle Earth, with mini quests, forging of special items, and characters to unlock. One can play as any of the Fellowship or almost any other character, good or evil. My favorite are the Lothlórien elf soldier and Saruman, and it is even possible to play as Sauron's original corporeal form. The game's makers give a particular salute to the original literary story by adding characters such as Tom Bombadil and Gil-galad to the array. The game is available on the App Store for Mac computers or in disc copy, as well as for most gaming consoles.
Lord of the Rings: Aragorn's Quest
MineCraftMiddleEarth
This is so very cool you just have to look at it.
I plan to post on the last chapter of the book this Saturday, the 27th of July, as I am traveling for an extended period of time after that.
Thanks for reading,
C
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