Showing results by narrator "John M. Carswell" in All Categories

This book is part 3 in The Mind of Tolkien series. Why did Númenor fall? In Tolkien’s Tragedy, writer and podcaster John Carswell turns to the most devastating story in Tolkien’s legendarium: the rise and ruin of Númenor, the greatest realm of Men. Set at the heart of the Second Age, Númenor’s story is not merely one of political collapse or military defeat, but of moral failure —pride, envy, the fear of death, and the slow seduction of power.

In Tolkien’s Overture, John Carswell conducts a close reading of the text of “Ainulindalë”, and then goes on to explore the role of music in Middle-earth’s history, from the creation of Elves, Dwarves, and Men in the First Age to the great events of the late Third Age as recounted in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. Furthermore, it delves into the mystery of evil, as embodied in the mighty Melkor, the great villain of the First Age and the mentor of Sauron, the Dark Lord of Mordor.