Exploring Tolkien

Exploring Tolkien


Latest Episodes

137. Do the elves have ANYTHING valuable to trade? – The Hobbit #24
May 13, 2025

Bilbo and the barrel-sealed dwarves make it to Laketown--with most of them barely alive!

136. The Lowest IQ Elves of Middle-earth? – The Hobbit #23
April 29, 2025

In this very special episode, we reveal the exact barrel music sung in Thranduil's halls as the dwarves were tossed into the river!

135. The Greedy and Petty Elves of Mirkwood – The Hobbit #22
April 15, 2025

Bilbo fully embraces his role as hero and finds a way to save the dwarves.

134. When Bilbo Became the Hero – The Hobbit #21
April 01, 2025

Bilbo is the only one left to save the dwarves--and to his own surprise, he's up to the task!

133. Ainulindalë – A Reading in JRR Tolkien’s Voice
March 18, 2025

Here is an approximation of Tolkien's voice reading Ainulindal from The Silmarillion that we put together including some of his idiosyncratic pauses and speech patterns.

132. Evil or Elves or Both… Terror in Mirkwood : The Hobbit #20
March 04, 2025

In this first half of chapter 8 of the hobbit--Flies and Spiders--Jonathan and Michael discuss the evil enchantment of Mirkwood, and if the elves might have a small part in it.

131. The Weirdest Chapter in Middle-earth (with dancing bears!?) : The Hobbit #19
February 18, 2025

With talking animals, animals serving food and dancing bears, this may just be the oddest chapter in all of Middle-earth!

130. Where did Beorn Originate (and what was Tolkien’s inspiration)? : The Hobbit #18
February 04, 2025

Bilbo, Gandalf, and the Dwarves are dropped off on the Carrock, and find themselves in the company of a man who rather doesn't like dwarves--but who loves a good story!

129. Tolkien Loved Eagles (too much?) : The Hobbit #17
January 21, 2025

Stuck in trees with fire at their heels, the company find themselves surround by intelligent wolves and taunting orcs.

A Song of Ice and Fire
January 14, 2025

Life took an unexpected turn this week with the fires in Southern California this week.