ARAGORN
J. R. R. Tolkien's Undervalued Hero
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My book on Aragorn is the result of a long period of study and research dating back to the release of the first of Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings films in 2001. I saw the films many times but, much as I enjoyed Viggo Mortensen's portrayal of Aragorn, it was clear that this was not the Aragorn I had come to know, admire and love since my first reading of the book in the 1970s. Wanting to rediscover Tolkien's Aragorn I turned again to my well-thumbed, three-volume copy of The Lord of the Rings studying it in depth and making notes on my findings. This was purely for my own interest and satisfaction and it certainly did not occur to me, at that stage, that I would end up publishing any of my research.
However, over the ensuing years my "Project" (as I had started to call it) expanded to include material in The Silmarillion, Unfinished Tales, The Hobbit, The History of Middle-earth, The Letters of J. R. R. Tolkien (edited by Humphrey Carpenter) and various critical works. The more I delved into Aragorn's life, background, qualities and deeds, the more aware I became of the complexity and significance of this often misunderstood and undervalued character. By 2008 it was clear to me that I should take my research much more seriously and in the summer of that year "The Project" officially became "The Book". The book was originally self-published in 2012. However, in late 2016 I was offered a contract by Luna Press Publishing who brought out a new, updated edition in September 2017. |
Part 1 of this work is a biographical study of Aragorn covering his ancestry, pre-birth prophecies, the various stages of his life, and his death early in the Fourth Age. There is particular emphasis on the struggles he faced, both physical and mental, and on his crucially significant role (easily overlooked or underestimated) in bringing about the destruction of the One Ring and the downfall of Sauron. There are also discussions on his appearance and on his many names and titles.
Part 2 contains a detailed examination of his interactions and relationships with his contemporaries in Middle-earth, both individuals and races. It also considers the influence of some of his ancestors on his character and attitude.
Part 2 contains a detailed examination of his interactions and relationships with his contemporaries in Middle-earth, both individuals and races. It also considers the influence of some of his ancestors on his character and attitude.
** Second Edition September 2017 **
The new updated edition was published on September 15th 2017