SciFi and Fantasy Book Club discussion

Some comments in another topic made me want to ask this question. I know that the Tolkien estate has made Middle Earth off limits for writers, but if they suddenly changed their minds, what new stories would you like to see told in Tolkien's world?

I'll start it off by saying that I've always thought it would be cool to re-tell the Return of the King from the perspective of a young soldier from the South (the Haradrim) who gets recruited to fight against what he is told are the "evil oppressors" of Gondor.

"You kids get off my Tolkien!" **grumpypants**

Honestly, I don't trust anyone with that world. Especially not New Zealand filmmakers.

];D

I think it's unneeded enough people make copy cat worlds and that's the better way to handle it.

Plus a story like that would be better if you learned as the main character did that he was on the wrong side instead of knowing it all ahead of time.

Well, there's this: After the King: Stories In Honor of J.R.R. Tolkien. I read it long enough ago that I don't remember too many details, though I do remember liking some of the stories. There are certainly plenty of big names in the author list.

I'd go with, none.

I'd rather not hear "updated" or "modern" interpretations set in that universe. The guy had a very specific voice and tone and other writers, even good ones, are not he.

The late Paul Edwin Zimmer basically created his own world for The Lost Prince and King Chondos' Ride, but I've heard it said (maybe by the author himself) that he started with the concept of a royal heir being kidnapped and raised in Mordor.

This shows just how much I forgot. This web page says "Note: None of the short stories are set in, or directly related to, Tolkien's legendarium."

enter middle earth at your own peril. Treebeard says "don't be hasty". it would take balls the size of cantaloupes for a writer to throw his craft in the same pool where LOTR is swimming.

Thank you all so much for your interesting takes on my question. If some day I wish to know whether you think it should be done or not, I'll ask that question here.
In the meantime, perhaps I can ask it again in a way that doesn't compromise your sensibilities: if a long-lost treasure trove of previously unknown Tolkien stories were found, written by J.R.R. himself, what would you wish to find among them?

I have a semi-supernatural "good vs evil" sort of book bubbling in the back of my brain with a protagonist who was rendered mute in an accident.

I've got another about a very frank look at what would happen to the world if all of the men gradually died off over 2-3 generations. I'm afraid to write it though. Not sure my constitution could handle the hate mail.

Whenever I want to write a Tolkienesque idea I clasp it under my arm, run off, and file off the serial numbers before embellishing it with my own ideas. More freedom that way.

"What The Damn Eagles Were Doing When Everyone Else Was Saving The Whole Damn World."

I would love to know more about the Hobbits. Sure, you see them going off for an adventure in both The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings but apart from the last chapters in LotR you don't get much about The Shire.
It's a bit sad that although Tolkien loved his hobbits enough to invent and include them that he apparently didn't write more about them.

Unless I'm wrong, if so, please tell me what books to read.

I would like a first person perspective from the Ring Itself, Ash Nazg. At least, I think that is its name. The object of desire and power functions like a character in a lot of ways, and I when I read the books and watch the movies I often wonder what it is thinking.

So, yeah... I would love a cynical and sinister first person tale from the perspective of the ring right up until it melts.

Hmmmm.... perhaps cynical, but maybe not sinister? Could it have been orchestrating everything in regards to a greater purpose?

William wrote: "Hmmmm.... perhaps cynical, but maybe not sinister? Could it have been orchestrating everything in regards to a greater purpose? "

I think that would basically make it not the Ring. It would be fine to scrub off the serial numbers and write another story about that idea, but once removed of its evil, the Ring is not the Ring.

That is true. I think what I was toying with more is the perception of evil instead of the long term intent. Evil more as an instrumental property, not an intrinsic one. Granted, I don't personally believe that but the ring just might.