Exploring Tolkien

Exploring Tolkien


Latest Episodes

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.

128. A Courageous Hobbit and Disloyal Dwarves : The Hobbit #16
January 07, 2025

Bilbo makes it out of the Misty Mountains with more courage than ever before, while the dwarves prove their disloyalty.

Revisiting Tolkien’s Lost ‘Noel’ Poem
December 25, 2024

This poem, Noel, was written by J.R.R. Tolkien before The Hobbit was published, and only just discovered in 2013. Heres how that happened!

127. Where War of the Rohirrim went Wrong – In Depth Review
December 24, 2024

We all had high hopes when War of the Rohirrim was announced a few years ago. Are those hopes realized in this anime Lord of the Rings film?