Athrabeth

Join us this month for a deep dive on Tolkien’s bodacious baddie, the one and only Sauron. Tolkien scholar and Sauron expert, Cameron Bourquein, leads us down her lesser-trod path exploring Sauron’s evolving nature, the meanings of his name, and his changing role in the legendarium throughout its development.  Citations: Thank you to our guest host, Cameron Bourquein! How to find Cameron’s work:Website: https://cameronbourquein.com/Blog: https://theroadtoardahealed.substack.com/Website: https://sauronproject.com/Twitter: @CameronBorgQeenBluesky: cameronbourquein.bsky.socialBlog post with Cameron’s Sauron citations:https://theroadtoardahealed.substack.com/p/a-sauron-bibliography Works referenced in this episode: Letter 66 (To Christopher Tolkien, May 6, 1944)From Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien. Ed. Humphrey Carpenter with Christopher Tolkien. HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd, London. Letter 131 (To Milton Waldman, undated- probably written in late 1951)From Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien. Ed. Humphrey Carpenter with Christopher Tolkien. HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd, London. Dr. Richard Eliot BlackwelderAs cited in Wayne G. Hammond and Christina Scull, The Lord of the Rings: A Reader’s Companion, London: HarperCollins, 2014, page xii.Link: https://harpercollins.co.uk/products/the-lord-of-the-rings-a-readers-companion-wayne-g-hammondchristina-scull?variant=32611676192846 A. R. Bossert“Surely You Don’t Disbelieve”: Tolkien and Pius X: Anti-modernism in Middle-earthMythlore Vol. 25, No. 1, 2006Link: https://dc.swosu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1289&context=mythlore Cameron Bourquein and Nick PolkReading, Rending, and Queering the Web of Story: With the Lenses of "Con-creation" and Process [Conference Presentation]Presented at MythSoc OMS on Feb 10th, 2024 Link: https://substack.com/home/post/p-153238639 Stafford CaldecottThe Power of the Ring: The Spiritual Vision Behind the Lord of the Rings and The HobbitThe Crossroad Publishing Company, 2013Link: https://crossroadpublishing.com/product/the-power-of-the-ring/ John GarthIlu's Music: The Creation of Tolkien's Creation MythFrom Sub-creating Arda: World-building in J.R.R. Tolkien's Works, its Precursors, and Legacies, Dimitra Fimi and Thomas Honegger (editors), Cormarë Series No. 40Walking Tree Publishers, 2019Link: http://www.walking-tree.org/books/sub-creating_arda.php#h Gwenyth HoodSauron as Gorgon and BasiliskMarshall University, 1987Link: https://mds.marshall.edu/english_faculty/30/ Jonathan S. McIntoshThe Flame Imperishable: Tolkien, St. Thomas, and the Metaphysics of FaërieAngelico Press, 2017Link: https://angelicopress.com/products/the-flame-imperishable Brian RoseberryTolkien: A Cultural PhenomenonPalgrave Macmillan, 2003Link: https://link.springer.com/book/10.1057/9780230599987 Elizabeth A. WhittinghamThe Evolution of Tolkien's Mythology: A Study of the History of Middle-earthMcFarland & Company, 2007Link: https://mcfarlandbooks.com/product/the-evolution-of-tolkiens-mythology/ The work of Mercury Natis, Tolkien ScholarLink: https://lushthemagicdragon.carrd.co/ The work of Robin A. Reid, Tolkien ScholarLink: https://tolkienists.org/robin-anne-reid/

In this very special AthraChat, Jude and Stef sit down to discuss the new film, Lord of the Rings: War of the Rohirrim, directed by Kenji Kamiyama. We ruminate on giant turkey legs, things that go crunch in the water, and general punching. Beware of spoilers! Citations:Smith, Chris. The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim Visual Companion. William Morrow. ISBN: 9780063422223https://www.harpercollins.com/products/the-lord-of-the-rings-the-war-of-the-rohirrim-visual-companion-chris-smith?variant=42417601511458Find us on the web at https://podcast.athrabeth.com/Join the conversation on the Athrabeth discord!Athrabeth is a production of the Athrabeth Podcast Network.Athrabeth is produced by James Kaku Pierson

Stef and Jude are joined by Tolkien collecting expert and moderator of the Tolkien Collector’s Guide, Andrew “Trotter” Ferguson. Andrew tells us about his experience collecting and sharing the Professor’s material culture. As it is the holiday season, we finish our discussion with the Father Christmas Letters. Thank you for joining us, Andrew!  Citations: Thank you to our special guest, Andrew “Trotter” Ferguson!Andrew’s Bsky: @trotter.tolkienguide.comTolkien Collector’s Guide website: https://www.tolkienguide.com/Tolkien Collector’s Guide Calendar: https://www.tolkienguide.com/calendar/Guide to Tolkien Letters: https://www.tolkienguide.com/guide/letters/Tolkien Collector’s Guide YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/@tolkienguide?si=_30xJ-HNmvRKXokqYou Tube Videos featuring Andrew’s collection: Part 1: https://youtu.be/8LMYXyxMK9I?si=pYb3hHxxdmLvKcGHPart 2: https://youtu.be/6ir_GzMZv5k?si=-0IvfM30qkgQDXYiAndrew’s Prancing Pony Podcast appearance:Episode 231 “Spirits in the Material World” December 5, 2021: https://theprancingponypodcast.com/2021/12/05/231-spirits-in-the-material-world/Other announcements-Tolkien Society Hybrid Seminar 2024 – Tolkien as HeritageIn partnership with with Tolkinovo društvo Srbije (the Tolkien Society of Serbia) and Centar za Muzeologiju I Heritologiju (the Centre for Museology and Heritology, the Faculty of Philosophy at the University of Belgrade)December 7-8, 2024Information at: https://www.tolkiensociety.org/events/tolkien-society-hybrid-seminar-2024-tolkien-as-heritage/Tolkien Society: Westmoot 2025May 9-11 in Kansas City, Missouri, at the National WWI Museum and Memorial. https://www.tolkiensociety.org/events/westmoot-2025/*Early bird Discount: Register before December 7, 2024 and use the discount code AZOG to receive a $30 discount on your registration fee!Find us on the web at https://www.athrabethnetwork.com/athrabethJoin the conversation on the Athrabeth discord!Athrabeth is a production of the Athrabeth Podcast NetworkAthrabeth is Produced by James Kaku Pierson

Join us this month for a special interview with Shaun Gunner, Chair of the Tolkien Society. We discuss Shaun’s time with the Society, the upcoming Christopher Tolkien Centenary Conference, and a brand new event for 2025. Citations:Thank you to our special guest, Shaun Gunner! Twitter: @ShaunGunnerWebsites: shaungunner.comTolkien Society-https://www.tolkiensociety.org@TolkienSocietyChristopher Tolkien Centenary ConferenceOnline only, November 23-24, 2024Information and registration at: https://www.tolkiensociety.org/events/christopher-tolkien-centenary-conference/Tolkien Society Hybrid Seminar 2024 – Tolkien as HeritageIn partnership with with Tolkinovo društvo Srbije (the Tolkien Society of Serbia) and Centar za Muzeologiju I Heritologiju (the Centre for Museology and Heritology, the Faculty of Philosophy at the University of Belgrade)December 7-8, 2024Information at: https://www.tolkiensociety.org/events/tolkien-society-hybrid-seminar-2024-tolkien-as-heritage/Find us on the web at https://www.athrabethnetwork.com/athrabethJoin the conversation on the Athrabeth discord!Athrabeth is a production of the Athrabeth Podcast NetworkAthrabeth is Produced by James Kaku Pierson

To celebrate the ghastliest time of the year, the Weenie gang is back in this very special bonus episode of creepy chimeras and monstrous mills. Join us for Hobbitween 5, and Happy Hobbitween to one and all! CitationsThe One Ring role playing game by Free League: https://freeleaguepublishing.com/en/games/the-one-ring/Cast:Lore Master: James Kaku Pierson, @jpiersonTheo Fleetfoot: Max JiménezOzzie Oiolaire: Zeke Pease, @ezpease,  @greenvillearms Iadar Listbalarion: Jude Vais, @eremiticjudePumpkins Proudfoot: Stef Midlock, @thenorthfourTitle music is “Lord of the Devil Rings” by Ponymusic, courtesy of Pond5Soundscapes provided by Tabletop Audio, https://tabletopaudio.comFeatured tracks courtesy of Epidemic Sound:Adriel Fair - All the WondersAiyo - Locked InAnna Dager, Hanna Ekström - HesitancyBasixx - Shangri-LaBinkley - Pork Chop SpecialBonnie Grace - The Fairy DanceDASHI - HiyajiruDream Cave - Epic VoyageDream Cave - The InvestigatorEden Avery - Great Eagle’s LairEdgar Hopp - A Million UpheavalsEdgar Hopp - Phoenix RisingFormantX - Urban ChaseGlenwood Quartet - Dvořák: String Quartet no. 12 in F major, "American" Op. 96, B. 179 I. Allegro ma non troppoHampus Naeselius - DeactivatorHampus Naeselius - Iron DomeHampus Naeselius - Team SixHara Noda - Look LookHunter Quinn - Chickasaw OutbackJohannes Bornlöf - Air on the G StringLennon Hutton - Who’s at the Window?Ludvig Moulin - Forgotten CastleMagnus Ludvigsson - CoincidencesPhello - Happy FeetRuiqi Zhao - Ancient SpellsRuiqi Zhao - Behind YouAdditional Music and sound effects licensed from soundstripe, https://www.soundstripe.com  Support Zeke and check out The Greenville Arms 1889 Inn! https://www.greenvillearms.comFind us on the web at https://www.athrabethnetwork.com/athrabethJoin the conversation on the Athrabeth discord!Athrabeth is a production of the Athrabeth Podcast NetworkAthrabeth is Produced by James Kaku Pierson 

We are bummed that Amazon’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 2 is over. Join us for one last AthraChat for episode 8, “Shadow and Flame.” Beware of spoilers and sexy Sauron. Find us on the web at https://podcast.athrabeth.com/Join the conversation on the Athrabeth discord!Athrabeth is a production of the Athrabeth Podcast Network.Athrabeth is Produced by James Kaku Pierson

In episode 75, Jude and Stef take you on a textual safari to explore the... let's be honest… very weird magic of Sauron. Jude connects the Ósanwe-kenta to how Sauron gets the title of Necromancer, and we have a SPIRITed (hah, see what we did there) discussion of explicit descriptions of his magic in The Lord of the Rings and the Silmarillion. Come for the werewolves and stay for the vampires!Citations:Ósanwe-kenta:J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Morgoth's Ring, "Part Five. Myths Transformed", "X" Ósanwe-kenta:J.R.R. Tolkien, Carl F. Hostetter (ed.), The Nature of Middle-earth, "Part Two. Body, Mind and Spirit: IX. Ósanwe-kenta", pp. 205-216 Laws and Customs Among the Eldar:J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Morgoth's Ring, “Part Three. The Later Quenta Silmarillion”, “The Second Phase: Laws and Customs Among the Eldar" Notes on motives in the Silmarillion:J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Morgoth's Ring, "Part Five. Myths Transformed:, “VII” “Notes on motives in the Silmarillion (i)”.  Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien. Ed. Humphrey Carpenter with Christopher Tolkien. HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd, London. Apple Books Edition. Ebook Edition © 2012 ISBN: 9780007381234. Version 2019-03-07. Letter 131, letter 163, letter 257. (Accessed Sept 28, 2024) Tolkien, J. R. R. The Lord of the Rings. HarperCollins e-books. Apple Books edition. (Accessed Sept 28, 2024) Tolkien, J. R. R. The Silmarillion. Edited by Christopher Tolkien. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Apple Books edition.  (Accessed Sept 28, 2024) Tolkien Gateway entry for “Sauron”https://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Sauron (Accessed Sept 28, 2024) Tolkien Society event “Christopher Tolkien Centenary Conference”November 23-24, 2024https://www.tolkiensociety.org/events/christopher-tolkien-centenary-conference/ (Accessed Oct 1, 2024) Find us on the web at https://podcast.athrabeth.com/ Join the conversation on the Athrabeth discord! Athrabeth is a production of the Athrabeth Podcast Network

This isn’t fine…. We just dropped a new AthraChat in which Jude and Stef discuss just how Celebrimboned everyone is in Amazon’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 2, episode 7, “Doomed to Die.” Beware of spoilers and aerial horse acrobatics. Find us on the web at https://podcast.athrabeth.com/Join the conversation on the Athrabeth discord!Athrabeth is a production of the Athrabeth Podcast Network.

Take the plunge with us in our new AthraChat episode as we discuss Amazon’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 2, episode 6, “Where Is He?” We’re taking a deep dive and making a splash! Water you waiting for? Beware of spoilers in the Abyss!Citations Tolkien Gateway entry for “Secret Fire” https://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Secret_Fire (Accessed Sept 21, 2024)Find us on the web at https://podcast.athrabeth.com/Join the conversation on the Athrabeth discord!Athrabeth is a production of the Athrabeth Podcast Network.

Citations Lea’s Tiktok account- silmarilleannehttps://www.tiktok.com/@silmarilleanne?lang=enFind us on the web at https://podcast.athrabeth.com/Join the Athrabeth discord: https://discord.gg/4rZynfWv3fAthrabeth is a production of the Athrabeth Podcast Network.

Join Jude and Stef for a fun, informal AthraChat about Amazon’s The Lords of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 2, episode 4. Beware of spoilers and a tree or mud that may swallow you.

Citations: Francesco Nepitello on Twitter: @FNepitelloThe One Ring by Free League Publishing: https://freeleaguepublishing.com/games/the-one-ring/  (Accessed August 27, 2024)War of the Ring strategy game by Ares Games: https://www.aresgames.eu/games/war-of-the-ring-line (Accessed August 27, 2024)

Find Athrabeth on the web at https://podcast.athrabeth.com/Join the Athrabeth discord: https://discord.gg/DH2WJP452a

Jude and Stef discuss the first episode of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power - season two! Beware spoilers for episode 1 of season 2, as well as spicy opinions about Elrond, elven set-design, and which version of Sauron is sexiest!

Citations: Tolkien, J. R. R. The Lays of Beleriand. Ed. Christopher Tolkien. The History of Middle-earth: Vol. 3, George Allen and Unwin, London, 1985. Kindle edition, eISBN: 978-0-358-61268-1, Version 07182023KO v1.0421 (Accessed July 12, 2024)Tolkien, J. R. R. The Lord of the Rings. HarperCollins e-books. Apple Books edition. (Accessed July 12, 2024)Tolkien Gateway entry for “The Lays of Beleriand”https://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/The_Lays_of_Beleriand (Accessed July 12, 2024)Tolkien Society - Oxonmoot 51: Thursday, August 29 - Sunday, September 1.Website: https://www.tolkiensociety.org/events/oxonmoot-2024/

Citations: Garth, John. Tolkien And The Great War: The Threshold of Middle-earth. First Mariner Books edition 2005. eISBN 978-0-544-26372-7. V2.0519. (Accessed June 30, 2024)Tolkien, J. R. R. The Book of Lost Tales, Part II. Ed. Christopher Tolkien. The History of Middle-earth: Vol. 2. George Allen and Unwin, London, 1984. (Accessed June 30, 2024)Tolkien, J. R. R. The Silmarillion. Edited by Christopher Tolkien. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Apple Books edition. (Accessed June 30, 2024)Tolkien Gateway entry for Eärendil https://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/E%C3%A4rendil (Accessed June 29, 2024)Tolkien Gateway entry for The Book of Lost Tales: Part Twohttps://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/The_Book_of_Lost_Tales:_Part_Two (Accessed June 29, 2024)Tolkien Gateway entry for The Tale of Eärendelhttps://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/The_Tale_of_E%C3%A4rendel (Accessed June 29, 2024)Join the Athrabeth Discord!https://discord.gg/x5UVB7M3Summer learning opportunities:Saturday July 6: Tolkien Society Summer Seminar - Tolkien’s Romantic Resonanceshttps://www.tolkiensociety.org/events/the-tolkien-society-hybrid-seminar-2024-tolkiens-romantic-resonances/ (Accessed June 29, 2024)Sunday August 4: From the Politics and Prose bookstore - “Tolkien's “The Athrabeth” and “Myths Transformed” Presented by Tolkien scholar Verlyn Flieger. https://www.politics-prose.com/class/online-class-tolkiens-athrabeth-and-myths-transformed-2485 (Accessed June 29, 2024)Thank you to friend-of-the-show Clare Moore for alerting us to this class! Clare can be found on Twitter @claremoore94Thursday August 29- Sunday Sept. 1: Tolkien Society - Oxonmoot 51https://www.tolkiensociety.org/events/oxonmoot-2024/ (Accessed June 29, 2024) 

CitationsTolkien, J. R. R. The Book of Lost Tales, Part I. Ed. Christopher Tolkien. The History of Middle-earth: Vol. 1. George Allen and Unwin, London, 1983.Tolkien, J. R. R. The Book of Lost Tales, Part II. Ed. Christopher Tolkien. The History of Middle-earth: Vol. 2. George Allen and Unwin, London, 1984. Takahashi, Dean. A new generation of J.R.R. Tolkien games is coming | Lee Guinchard exclusive interview. Venture Beat website.  https://venturebeat.com/games/a-new-generation-of-j-r-r-tolkien-games-is-coming-lee-guinchard-exclusive-interview/ (Accessed June 4, 2024)New York Tolkien Conference 2024https://nyctolkienconference.wordpress.com (Accessed June 4, 2024)Tolkien Society- Oxonmoot 2024https://www.tolkiensociety.org/events/oxonmoot-2024/ (Accessed June 4, 2024)

Citations: Tolkien, J. R. R. The Book of Lost Tales, Part I. Ed. Christopher Tolkien. The History of Middle-earth: Vol. 1. George Allen and Unwin, London, 1983.Tolkien Gateway entry for “The Music of the Ainur” https://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/The_Music_of_the_Ainur (Accessed April 27, 2024)

Citations: Thank you to Fornad for joining us this month on Athrabeth! Check out these ArdaCraft links: ArdaCraft’s linktree: https://linktr.ee/ardacraftArdaCraft homepage: https://ardacraft.me/How to join ArdaCraft: https://ardacraft.me/join/Discord: https://discord.com/invite/qcYBkCmAKZPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/ArdacraftYou Tube: https://www.youtube.com/@ArdaCraftMCInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ardacraft/TikTok: https://tr.ee/gM2mTG1JeSTwitter: https://twitter.com/ArdaCraft_Bluesky: https://staging.bsky.app/profile/ardacraft.bsky.socialOfficial Server List: https://findmcserver.com/server/ardacraftPlanet Minecraft: https://www.planetminecraft.com/member/ardacraft/See their beautiful map: https://ardacraft.io/map/Here is an incredible Google Earth view of the ArdaCraft map: https://sites.google.com/view/micahvanderlugt/middle-earth?authuser=0 

Citations: Tolkien, J. R. R. The Book of Lost Tales, Part 1. Ed. Christopher Tolkien. The History of Middle-earth: Vol. 1. George Allen and Unwin, London, 1983.