Writing Down the Dragon: and Other Essays on the Tolkien Method and the Craft of Fantasy

If I could read only one book on Tolkien, this would be it. This is a fabulous book by a writer about Tolkien's writing process and purpose. He examines what Tolkien wanted to do, how, and when, as well as his inspirations and unique contributions. I found this far more interesting and illuminated than any of the critical or scholarly books on Tolkien I've read. Whether you're a writer or a reader (or both) this is a unique approach and Simon has done an immense amount of research, as well as having an encyclopedic knowledge of Tolkien's works and life.

There has been a small but clamorous backlash against Tolkien that has persisted since, and perhaps since before, Michael Moorcock published `Wit and Humour in Fantasy' back in 1979. The idea that Tolkien is a vastly over-rated, backward reactionary is, as most counter intuitive (and indeed, counter factual) opinions are, a very fashionable opinion to hold. You will find All The Right People - China Mieville, Richard K. Morgan, George R.R. Martin - subscribe to and regularly proclaim it. This book is a excellent and efficacious antidote to such nonsensical grumblings of those authors who find themselves disgruntled and confused while mucking about in Tolkien's shadow. In addition it is an engaging and entertaining exploration what made Tolkien's writing Great, and an effective guide for aspiring authors who wish to follow in Tolkien's footsteps.In short, I was delighted I took a chance with this book. Highly recommended.

This body of essays covers a wide variety of elements that go into Lord of the Rings and related works. There are essays on Tolkien's love of language, and linguistic feats involved in his works and characters. There is aloso a great deal of serious and deep thought on the nature of good and evil in these works. My personal favorite was the in-depth thought into the morality of Elves, Orcs and even Dragons.Carefully thought out, deeply researched, and entertaining to read, this is an excellent addition for the Tolkien lover.

This series of essays is fascinating and well-researched. Tom Simon's examination of Tolkien's method of creation is very helpful, especially to aspiring writers of fantasy who wish to create or expand their own secondary worlds. His exploration of the way that Tolkien resolved seeming contradictions in his mythos is, in my opinion, worth the price of the book alone - and the rest of the essays all display a similar lucidity of thought and deep knowledge of Tolkien's work. I look forward to seeing more of Tom Simon's work in print. He is an exceptional author with a clear prose style and excellent insight into what makes good fantasy.

I'm doing my term paper for grad school on Tolkien. This seems like a great resource!

Clear, well-thought out essays on fantasy fiction and how Tolkien's works have influenced the genre (both in the case of imitators and those who deliberately want to write the anti-Tolkien worlds in viewpoint or events).

Brilliant, and superbly written as well.

Tom Simon's book Writing Down the Dragon is a collection of essays on J.R.R. Tolkien's writings and his style. He specifically looks at Tolkien's techniques for crafting stories and the various tools he uses, from ancient myths and made-up languages to resolving contradictions in texts. Simon does not claim to be definitive; he, as a fantasy writer, looks to Tolkien as an inspiration and model for writing fantasy epics. He has a lot of interesting insights and a lively writing style. Fans of Tolkien are sure to enjoy this book.Sample Quote on how Orcs, being the evil characters they are, use morals: Orcs have morals; they just happen to be coupled with a hypocrisy so perfect that it is essentially unconscious. Morals are a stick to beat their enemies with, never a ruler to measure their own behaviour. [Kindle Locations 1452-1453]

This is a collection of essays upon JRR Tolkien, expanded from their original publication on the author's blog (where I first discovered them).While all the essays are worthwhile, probably the most interesting is "What Is Elf?", which discusses the various types of elves used in fantasy fiction, and homes in upon Tolkien's version by way of a thought experiment in which the elves are an alternate version of Man which did not undergo the Fall. Here, as elsewhere, the author convincingly cites Tolkien's Catholic background as providing the deep moral underpinnings of his work.Another thought-provoking piece discusses the Orcs and the nature of evil. There is also a magisterial takedown of Moorcock's notorious criticism of Tolkien, which the author thoroughly and amusingly refutes. These are the highlights, but the other essays all make useful points in elegant prose.Because the essays were originally written separately, there is some occasional repetition and overlap, but this is a minor drawback. I recommend this book to anyone interested in Tolkien.

Excellent as always