Coming Soon: David Day's 'The Battles of Tolkien'

Scheduled for release on 14 March 2017, The Battles of Tolkien is another encyclopedic work from Canadian author David Day, which matches the aesthetic of previous releases such as Tolkien: An Illustrated Atlas and Tolkien: A Dictionary. 

"The history of J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional world of Middle-earth is filled with epic battles in an ongoing struggle between good and evil. The Battles of Tolkien recounts many of the greatest conflicts over thousands of years, from the earliest skirmishes of the Valarian Ages to the defining battles in the War of the Ring. Insightful commentary by Tolkien scholar David Day discusses how the people, tactics, and weapons influenced the outcome of each battle, and also how the legends of Middle-earth relate to the real-world mythology on which Tolkien based his famous literary creation. Maps and full-color illustrations help bring this rich universe to life, making it an invaluable reference book for Tolkien fans of all ages.

This work is unofficial and is not authorized by the Tolkien Estate or HarperCollins Publishers."


The Battles of Tolkien, published by Thunder Bay Press, can be pre-ordered on Amazon for $15.99.

David Day has written numerous books on poetry, literature, and more; but he is perhaps most widely known for his writings on J.R.R. Tolkien, including:

A Tolkien Bestiary (1978)
Tolkien: The Illustrated Encyclopedia (1992)
A to Z of Tolkien (1993)
Tolkien's Ring (1994)
The Hobbit Companion (1997)
Tolkien's World (2002)

You can also read my review of The Hobbit Companion here.

Celebrate Bilbo's & Frodo's Birthday with Badali Jewelry!

For the entire month of September, Badali Jewelry has discounted all of their Hobbit and Lord of the Rings merchandise in celebration of the birthdays of Bilbo and Frodo Baggins! If you've been thinking about buying any of their items, now is certainly the time!

If you follow me on other forms of social media – particularly Instagram – you'll notice I post about them A LOT! That's because I have been a loyal fan since my first purchase back in 2004. I cannot recommend their products enough. Before I discovered Badali's products, I purchased a number of rings from the official movie sites; and now, having bought most of Badali's Middle-earth rings, I can tell you that the latter is far superior. You can just feel the love and attention to detail that goes into each individual item; not to mention it's nice to own some bling that is inspired by the books and not the films. I really like their interpretations of the Elven Rings of Power.

I've posted about some of their items here on my blog; feel free to read up on some of my entries if you need a little help deciding what item(s) to get!

My Badali Jewelry Collection
Smaug Ring and Arkenstone Necklace/Earring Set
Thrór's Key Necklace
Gollum Gold One Ring Necklace

I'm currently trying to decide what I want to buy next; I'm torn between the Dwarven Axe necklace and adding two tracer bands to my Nenya ring. But then I also want the Elfstone... and the Arkenstone... and obviously everything else...

Be sure to follow Badali Jewelery on all of their social media platforms:

Facebook: Badali Jewelry Specialties, Inc.
Instagram: @BadaliJewelry
Twitter: @BadaliJewelry
Website: BadaliJewelry.com
YouTube: Badali Jewelry

3 New Helms from Weta Workshop

Weta Workshop has three new helms from The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit films available for pre-order this month. Two have already been announced, with the third set to be revealed sometime in "late September".

The Trophy Helm of the Orc Lieutenant – $79.99

"Orc war commander Gothmog’s chief lieutenant was a lean, straight-backed Gorgoroth Orc with a face rent by a savage wound. Determined to stand out amongst his troops during the Siege of Minas Tirith, the Lieutenant wore a distinctive helm of his own fashioning."

The War Helm of Dáin Ironfoot – $79.99

"Fashioned after a boar, a crest rose high above the bowl of Dain’s helm, maned with red and black quills that shone beneath the sun. From its cheeks curled bladed tusks. Of great weight was the king’s helm, but Dwarves made light of such burdens, and in truth the bone of Dain’s skull was every bit as thick. Even helmetless he could render senseless Orcs twice his size with a swift head butt."

What do you think the next one might be?

Folks who pre-order all three by 11:59 pm September 30 (NZT) will be entered for a chance to win this classic helm (1/500 edition):

Visit Weta's official website to pre-order these helms! 

And stay tuned for the final reveal later this month!

Two New Products Hit the Official Tolkien Online Book Shop!

Two new items have been added to the Official Tolkien Book Shop – the 2017 Tolkien Calendar and The Hobbit 80th Anniversary Facsimile Edition!

The 2017 Tolkien Calendar £9.99

"This year’s calendar features 13 paintings and illustrations by J.R.R. Tolkien himself, which were drawn by Tolkien when writing his beloved children’s classic, The Hobbit. They provide a fascinating insight into how Tolkien imagined the world of Middle-earth would look.

The images are accompanied by extracts from Tolkien’s letters, providing exquisite insight into both the writing process, and the illustrations themselves."

The Hobbit Facsimile First Edition – £25

"The Hobbit was published on 21 September 1937, with a print run of 1,500 copies. With a beautiful cover design, nearly a dozen black & white illustrations and two black & red maps by the author himself, the book proved to be popular and was reprinted shortly afterwards. History was already being made.

The scarcity of the first edition has resulted in copies commanding huge prices, way beyond the reach of most Tolkien fans. In addition, subsequent changes to the text particularly those to chapter 5, when Tolkien decided in 1947 to revise the text to bring it better into accord with events as they were developing in its sequel’, The Lord of the Rings - mean that the opportunity to read the book in its original form and format has become quite difficult.

This special printing reprints the first edition, so that readers of all ages not just children between the ages of 5 and 9’, as Rayner Unwin famously declared in his report on the original submission can finally enjoy Tolkien’s story as it originally appeared."

I can't wait to get my hands on both of these! 

You can pre-order the calendar here and The Hobbit here.