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This is a prime example of what I was talking about in one my earlier posts: Snobby I-know-more-than-you Tolkien elitism. Martinez spends much of the early portion of his esoteric article telling anybody who doesn't know or read as much Tolkien as he does is simply is just stubbornly wrong about niggling, tiny, trivial facts. Like who Gil-Galads father was. Like, who cares? Frodo still dumps the Ring in Mount Doom, doesn't he? Gil-Galad still dies at the end of the Second Age fighting Sauron, correct? Martinez makes one wonder if Tolkien bothered to give Gil-Galad had a father rather than exploring the history of the character and enlightening-- as opposed to his finger-wagging-- along the way. Anybody buying a copy a copy of The Silmarillion after being awed by The Lord of the Rings with a reasonable expectation of learning something about Tolkien's melieu should be rewarded for doing so. It's peddled as being written by Tolkien and wasn't edited by Christopher with the intent to misinform. So why alienate your readers with this nebbish tripe about Gil-Galad's dad and who's right or wrong about it? Okay, Michael, you are THE Ring Geek of Ring Geeks. We'll close the door so you can bask in your self-admiration uninterrupted. I'd say 99% of all Tolkien fans move on to the Silmarillion as their first exposure to the deeper world of Middle Earth and the foundations that underlie Lord of the Rings. They still encounter powerful writing (if cast in a historical narrative) and new perspectives on marginal characters that double the pleasure of a series they've just read. Some want more. Many do not. But their appreciation Tolkien usually stands higher. Or at least undiminished. Then you enocunter an article like Michael's and his first words are, essentially, "everything you know is wrong." Then he leads you away from the mountain tops and into the salt mines to show you how deep he's dug. Whee. Anyone tells you Gil-Galad's pop was Fingon, you tell 'em, "No. You're wrong. WROOOONG. It was Orodreth." And show them the wonder of the Martinez salt mines.

Okay, okay, okay! I know, I know, I know! Formatting is your firend!

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IThis is a prime example of what I was talking about in one my earlier posts: Snobby I-know-more-than-you Tolkien elitism. Martinez spends much of the early portion of his esoteric article telling anybody who doesn't know or read as much Tolkien as he does is simply is just stubbornly wrong about niggling, tiny, trivial facts. Like who Gil-Galads father was. Like, who cares? Frodo still dumps the Ring in Mount Doom, doesn't he? Gil-Galad still dies at the end of the Second Age fighting Sauron, correct? Martinez makes one wonder if Tolkien bothered to give Gil-Galad had a father rather than exploring the history of the character and enlightening-- as opposed to his finger-wagging-- along the way.

Anybody buying a copy a copy of The Silmarillion after being awed by The Lord of the Rings with a reasonable expectation of learning something about Tolkien's melieu should be rewarded for doing so. It's peddled as being written by Tolkien and wasn't edited by Christopher with the intent to misinform. So why alienate your readers with this nebbish tripe about Gil-Galad's dad and who's right or wrong about it?

Okay, Michael, you are THE Ring Geek of Ring Geeks. We'll close the door so you can bask in your self-admiration uninterrupted.

I'd say 99% of all Tolkien fans move on to the Silmarillion as their first exposure to the deeper world of Middle Earth and the foundations that underlie Lord of the Rings. They still encounter powerful writing (if cast in a historical narrative) and new perspectives on marginal characters that double the pleasure of a series they've just read. Some want more. Many do not. But their appreciation Tolkien usually stands higher. Or at least undiminished.

Then you enocunter an article like Michael's and his first words are, essentially, "everything you know is wrong." Then he leads you away from the mountain tops and into the salt mines to show you how deep he's dug. Whee.

Anyone tells you Gil-Galad's pop was Fingon, you tell 'em, "No. You're wrong. WROOOONG. It was Orodreth." And show them the wonder of the Martinez salt mines.