Booklist
The J. R. R. Tolkien Encyclopedia is a substantial volume incorporating both Tolkien's works and critical, scholarly analysis. For example, the entry on Aragorn begins with the character's first appearance in The Fellowship of the Ring, chronicles his further activities throughout the trilogy, explains his history as it appears in Tolkien's works, and explores his role as the hero of the Lord of the Rings saga. In terms of scholarship, his sword, Narsil, is discussed in relationship to both Arthuriana and Old Norse sagas. This is just one example of the more than 500 thoughtful, well-written, and just plain interesting entries. Covering all aspects of Tolkien studies from Old Norse influences to his colleagues, the Inklings, in addition to information about all aspects of Middlearth, this is a truly comprehensive source. The inclusion of scholarly studies will make it valuable as an academic resource. And it is refreshingly easy to use. Every entry has a further reading list, and most have references to related entries. There are alphabetical thematic lists of entries at the front of the volume in addition to the numerous cross-references throughout the text and the exhaustive 50-plus page index at the end of the volume. Even better, this work is not limited to the books. The recent movies are referenced throughout, and the entry on Peter Jackson is one of the longest ones in the encyclopedia. Useful to anyone at any level studying Tolkien and any iterations of his works and of equal interest to fans. Highly recommended for academic and large public libraries. Moyer, Jessica
