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A new power is arising. Saruman’s forces, often joined by some wild Men who don’t know better, are felling the good trees of Middle-earth to make weapons of war. In response, some would-be trolls come out of their hoards to stomp all over this land and forget the true meaning of Tolkien. How then do today’s fans still love The Lord of the Rings—books, films, and/or memes?

Episode sponsors

1. Enclave Publishing: Winter’s Maiden by Morgan L. Busse
2. The Katrosi Revolution series by Jamie Foley
3. Lorehaven Guild: monthly book quests

Mission update

• Lorehaven article: ‘Furiosa’ Quenches Hope and Doubles Down on Darkness, Marian Jacobs
• Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild

Introducing guest Evan Cooney

Evan Cooney hosts The Middle-earth Mixer podcast (with occasional forays into conical themed ratios on social media). He is a Christian, husband, and father to a little girl. He’s also a fan of history, good literature, and the Philadelphia Eagles, with aspirations to be a writer.

• MiddleEarthMixer.com
• Podcast: The Middle-earth Mixer

Concession stand

• This episode was inspired by Daniel Whyte IV’s recent Lorehaven article.
• He has a fun, swashbuckling takes on some of these politicized critiques.
• We may have the same. But here we aim to celebrate LOTR in all forms.

Quotes and notes

Does it bother me that Tolkien’s name and work are getting rucked through the mire of the modern political hellscape? Yes. Does it bother me that people are suddenly considered weirdo extremists for liking Middle-earth, investing in companies named after Aragorn’s sword, and nicknaming their friends after hobbits? Also yes.

But I’m more bothered by critics leveling their aim at the entire genre of fantasy, and casting those who enjoy life-giving, inspirational truths in fantastic stories—truths that apply to politics as much as anywhere else—as somehow outlandish.

Daniel Whyte IV, “Political Criticism of Middle-earth Fans is Stranger Than Fantasy“

“I wrote this story for you, but when I began it I had not realized that girls grow quicker than books. As a result you are already too old for fairy tales, and by the time it is printed and bound you will be older still. But some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again.”

C. S. Lewis, dedication to The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

“And instead of being grave and mysterious like most Calormenes, they walked with a swing and let their arms and shoulders go free, and chatted and laughed. One was whistling. You could see that they were ready to be friends with anyone who was friendly, and didn’t give a fig for anyone who wasn’t. Shasta thought he had never seen anything so lovely in his life.”

C. S. Lewis, The Horse and His Boy

“If this picture of the young captain of Gondor absolutely ripping a heater gets more likes, then …” Evan Cooney reminds us that intentionally low-effort responses like this one can help gently roast certain assumed beliefs and bureaucrats.

Notable social media ratios from @MiddleEarthMixr include:

• May 12, 2023
• March 26, 2023
• Aug. 8, 2024

1. Why classic fans love the original LOTR novels

• Just for review, let’s summarize J. R. R. Tolkien and why he wrote LOTR.
• This includes his love of languages and desire for a British mythology.
• Since the 1960s, fans of many beliefs have journeyed into Middle-earth.

2. Why new fans love the now-classic LOTR films

• Last year we celebrated the 20-year anniversary of Return of the King.
• Peter Jackson’s epic introduced many more fans to Middle-earth lands.
• One cannot engage Tolkien’s original novels without recognizing this.

This other LOTR meme appeals to many Christians fans.

3. Why newest fans also love sharing LOTR memes

• Similarly, one can’t engage this fandom without recognizing the memes.
• Stephen says any would-be critic of the fandom must first answer this question: What happened when Viggo Mortenson kicked the helmet?
• Memes can be flippant, but they also quickly reflect much truth at once.

Com station

Top question for listeners

• How did you first discover LOTR: books, films, memes?
• Or perhaps “all of them at once, I suppose”?

Next on Fantastical Truth

Whether it’s Middle-earth or a new novel Christians love, we’re often so affected that we think the Holy Spirit must be working in this artwork. We might say the story was “inspired,” similar to how we believe the Bible was inspired by the Holy Spirit. But as we celebrate stories #MadeByHumans, do we also believe God Himself does special work to help make these stories?