{"product_id":"9780312275365","title":"Meditations on Middle-Earth","description":"NOMINATED FOR THE 2002 HUGO AND LOCUS AWARD \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e When J.R.R. Tolkien created the extraordinary world of Middle-earth and populated it with fantastic, archetypal denizens, reinventing the heroic quest, the world hardly noticed.  Sales of\u003ci\u003eThe Lord of the Rings \u003c\/i\u003e  languished for the better part of two decades, until the Ballantine editions were published here in America.  By late 1950s, however, the books were selling well and beginning to change the face of fantasy. . . . forever. \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e A generation of students and aspiring writers had their hearts and imaginations captured by the rich tapestry of the Middle-earth mythos, the larger-than-life heroic characters, the extraordinary and exquisite nature of Tolkien's prose, and the unending quest to balance evil with good.  These young readers grew up to become the successful writers of modern fantasy.  They created their own worlds and universes, in some cases their own languages, and their own epic heroic quests.  And all of them owe a debt of gratitude to the works and the author who first set them on the path. \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e \u003ci\u003eIn Meditations on Middle-earth\u003c\/i\u003e, sixteen bestselling fantasy authors share details of their personal relationships with Tolkien's mythos, for it inspired them all.  Had there been no\u003ci\u003eLord of the Rings\u003c\/i\u003e, there would also have been no\u003ci\u003eEarthsea \u003c\/i\u003e  books by Ursula K. Le Guin; no\u003ci\u003eSong of Ice and Fire \u003c\/i\u003e  saga from George R. R. Martin; no\u003ci\u003eTales of Discworld \u003c\/i\u003e  from Terry Pratchett; no\u003ci\u003eLegends of Alvin Maker \u003c\/i\u003e  from Orson Scott Card.  Each of them was influenced by the master mythmaker, and now each reveals the nature of that influence and their personal relationships with the greatest fantasy novels ever written in the English language. \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e If you've never read the Tolkien books, read these essays and discover the depthy and beauty of his work.  If you are a fan of\u003ci\u003eThe Lord of the Rings\u003c\/i\u003e, the candid comments of these modern mythmakers will give you new insight into the subtlety, power, and majesty of Tolkien's tales and how he told them. \u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Haber, Karen","offers":[{"title":"Hardback","offer_id":43329733165280,"sku":"","price":22.17,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0330\/3125\/8248\/products\/61660.jpg?v=1662388265","url":"https:\/\/agricola-street-books.myshopify.com\/products\/9780312275365","provider":"Agricola Street Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}