All the Secrets of Tolkien's World: The Symphony of Ilúvatar

J. R. R. Tolkien’s books have become a real phenomenon of the 20th and 21st centuries. The film adaptations of his works, so masterfully made by Peter Jackson, turned the writer into a cult figure of our time. The trilogy “The Lord of the Rings,” the novella “The Hobbit, or There and Back Again,” the famous “The Silmarillion”—all of it is an entire world created by a genius writer. The author of this book, the well-known researcher of Tolkien’s works Alvdis N. Rutiën (the pen name of the writer and professor at the Institute of History of Cultural Studies Alexandra Borkova), offers readers a thorough study of Tolkien’s universe. Why did this writer’s work captivate millions of readers around the world? On what myths was the creator of Middle-earth based? How did Tolkien studies become the favorite pastime of millions of people worldwide, including in Russia? Could “The Lord of the Rings” become a science-fiction saga? Who brought the world of Middle-earth to the screens before and after Jackson, and who failed to do it? The answers to these and many other questions can be found in this new expanded edition of the book.