The good folks at Mondo (who have history with regard to creating beautiful Tolkien related posters) are releasing a trilogy of posters featuring stunning art by painter and illustrator Riccardo Federici. Here at TORn we're thrilled to have the exclusive reveal of one of them! Behold - The Fellowship of the Ring poster:
'It was in this moment, when all hope had faded, that Isildur, son of the king, took up his father's sword.'
This dynamic image shows Sauron - as we know him from Peter Jackson's films - bearing down on Isildur, who grasps the hilt of Narsil.
The poster is part of a set - one each for Fellowship, The Two Towers (featuring Treebeard), and The Return of the King (featuring the Witch-king). They'll all be available for a limited time, individually or as a set - and there is also a limited edition Variant set, showing Federici's tight pencils of all three posters.
Set of three postersVariant set of tight pencil sketches
All of the posters will be available for pre-order next week, from December 10th (11am CT) through December 19th (11am CT) only - pre-order yours here! Posters will retail for $95 each, $270 for the set, with the variant pencil sketch set going for $300. Treat yourself - 'tis the season...
Illustration from Letters From Father Christmas 2023 ed - Christmas 1934
It’s that most wonderful time of the year again! If you’re looking for the perfect holiday gift for your favourite Tolkien fan, you’ve come to the right place. The staff of TheOneRing.net have put together a list of our favourite items of the year, with price points for every budget.
From our Fellowship to yours, TheOneRing.net would like to wish you all a peaceful and happy holiday season.
Please note, unless otherwise indicated, all prices are in US Dollars.
Demosthenes recommends the Letters from Father Christmas.
Letters from Father Christmas is always a good choice, I think. The illustrations are cute and there's a dry sense of humour to the letters and I really like how a story gradually evolves over the years.
2020 Centenary Edition
Published to celebrate the first ever ‘letter from Father Christmas’ in 1920, this beautiful oversized edition of Tolkien’s famous illustrated letters from ‘Father Christmas’, includes a wealth of charming letters, pictures and decorated envelopes, and promises to be a festive feast for Tolkien fans of all ages.
The centenary edition of Letters from Father Christmas is available from Harper Collins Australia for AUD$39.99.
Kelvarhin recommends the 2026 Tolkien Calendar: The Great Tales of Middle-earth.
This is the must have, yearly gift for every Tolkien fan, and lovers of Alan Lee's beautiful artwork.
The official Tolkien calendar, this year containing 13 breathtaking paintings inspired by J.R.R. Tolkien’s three 'Great Tales' of Middle-earth: THE CHILDREN OF HÚRIN, BEREN AND LÚTHIEN and THE FALL OF GONDOLIN. Featuring beautiful artwork by Alan Lee, including a selection of stunning new paintings and drawings appearing here for the first time.
Kristin Thompson recommends a copy of Tolkien's Medievalism in Ruins: Relics and Ruins in Middle-earth for your academically inclined Tolkien fan.
I just received my copy of TOLKIEN’S MEDIEVALISM IN RUINS: RELICS AND RUINS IN MIDDLE-EARTH, eds. Nick Katsiadas and Carl Sell. I haven’t had a chance to read it but it looks excellent. A good gift for the academic-minded Tolkien fan, but the giver has to have deep pockets and considerable affection for the recipient.
The structural and symbolic purposes of ruins in literary texts have a long history, yet few scholars explore their importance within J. R. R. Tolkien’s legendarium. From the ruins of Erebor and the relics of Gondolin appearing in The Hobbit to the various images of Amon Sûl, Moria, and Osgiliath in The Lord of the Rings, Tolkien constructs a distinct mood—one that captures characters’ awareness of the glories of the past and a desire to emulate them. The scholars who do engage Tolkien’s relics and ruins tend to limit the scope to Tolkien’s debt to the Middle Ages. While such scholarship begins important conversations, the full story of Tolkien’s relics and ruins is left untold. Tolkien’s Medievalism in Ruins takes corrective action and expands this historical and critical literary scope. This collection seeks to promote a more comprehensive approach to Tolkien’s legendarium.
It’s $150.50 hardback on Amazon and $86.40 for the Kindle version.
Wee Tanya recommends The Bovadium Fragments.
A version of JRRT's The Bovadium Fragments was released in America on November 18 that includes a forward and context from Christopher Tolkien. TORn's article about the book is over here. The short story is a satire about Oxford and how congested it was getting from vehicle traffic, as seen from the future, a piece that directly speaks to Tolkien's nostalgia for an agrarian past and his dislike of the polluting elements of modernity. Here is the blurb: "The first-ever publication of a previously unknown short satirical fantasy by J.R.R. Tolkien, edited by his son, Christopher Tolkien, and accompanied by illustrations from the author together with an essay, 'The Origin of Bovadium,' by Richard Ovenden OBE. In this new edition, Christopher Tolkien provides notes and commentary that will enable the reader to enjoy at last this tale of an imagined Oxford viewed through the lens of future (and not wholly reliable) academic study."
Elessar recommends the Aragorn miniature from Weta Workshop.
What disembarked the great ships of Umbar™ were not the expected reinforcements; descending upon the docks was a man, an elf, and a dwarf. The dead soon followed, bound by oaths unfulfilled, their presence like shadow and fear upon the wind. Urged on by the thought of comrades hard-pressed under the siege of death, Aragorn unsheathed his blade and gave the cry of war. Thus, once more, he led the charge into the jaws of darkness.
Or if you want to get in early for next Christmas, or your favourite Tolkien fan's birthday next year, this miniature of Sharku on Warg is available for pre-order for $179.00 and will ship in early 2026.
An Orc of withered years and many wounds, upon his seamed visage lay records of long strife and harsh labour. Sharkû was a master of the great Wild Wolves, those fell Wargs, whose cunning and savagery few could tame. Long had he dwelt among them, bearing upon his flesh their piercing bites and tearing claws. Yet he endured and, honed by skill and scar, savagely led his pack of unrelenting hunters.
As ever, Oscha have so many gorgeous items - I'd be thrilled to find any of their treasures under my tree! I asked their creators what their own choices would be; they suggested:
For her – Trees of Gondor Ithildin Scarf Elegant and ethical, this organic cotton scarf features the iconic Trees of Gondor—perfect for Tolkien fans who love style with a story.
For him – Treebeard Pine Mug Start the day in Middle-earth style. This bone china mug showcases Treebeard and his classic quote: “The world is changing: I feel it in the water, I feel it in the earth, and I smell it in the air.”
For little ones – Shire Westfarthing Baby Blanket Wrap them in warmth and whimsy with this super-soft organic cotton blanket, inspired by the peaceful Shire. Lightweight yet cosy, it’s perfect for naps, pram adventures, and treasured keepsake moments.
Oscha also have items perfect for stocking stuffers or secret Santa, with tote bags and tea towels around the $20 mark.
greendragon's next choice is Geek Orthodox's stained glass masterpieces
Artist Ian at Geek Orthodox creates the most gorgeous pieces. The great news is, if one of his pieces of glass art work is beyond your budget, he has window cling replicas (of a very high standard) of the stained glass; and he has lovely pins. So there is something to suit every pocket book!
greendragon adds: "And finally, I can't very well NOT remind folks that there is Green Dragon whiskey out there, from our good friends at Syzygy Forge. To toast the holiday season - cheers, Gaffer!"
Hello, friends! It's about to be December again, and you know what that means: the fact I am posting this actually before December 1 means karzilla reminded me about the existence of linear time again. Wait, no -- well, yes, but also -- okay, look, let me back up and start again: it's almost December, and that means it's time for our annual December holiday points bonus.
The standard explanation: For the entire month of December, all orders made in the Shop of points and paid time, either for you or as a gift for a friend, will have 10% of your completed cart total sent to you in points when you finish the transaction. For instance, if you buy an order of 12 months of paid time for $35 (350 points), you'll get 35 points when the order is complete, to use on a future purchase.
Thank you, in short, for being the best possible users any social media site could possibly ever hope for. I'm probably in danger of crossing the Sappiness Line if I haven't already, but you all make everything worth it.
On behalf of Mark, Jen, Robby, and our team of awesome volunteers, and to each and every one of you, whether you've been with us on this wild ride since the beginning or just signed up last week, I'm wishing you all a very happy set of end-of-year holidays, whichever ones you celebrate, and hoping for all of you that your 2026 is full of kindness, determination, empathy, and a hell of a lot more luck than we've all had lately. Let's go.
Have you ever caught yourself muttering "confound it!" when unexpected guests appear at the door and you suddenly have to host them? Or perhaps a pesky relation is coming over for a meal and you know you need to impress them. Either way, join Kili in this new episode of Happy Hobbit to learn how to make a fancy hobbit dish sure to impress! Recipe below.
https://youtu.be/eV9PTxZyWLo
Fancy Hobbit Crème Brûlée
Ingredients
500 ml (2 cups) cream heavy cream / whipping cream
1 vanilla bean or use 1 tsp vanilla extract (I used extract)
100 g (½ cup) caster sugar
6 egg yolks
6 tbsp caster sugar for sugar topping
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 150°C/300°F.
If using, split the vanilla bean in half and add to a small saucepan with the cream.
Set the pan over medium heat.
Once the cream starts to steam and bubble around the edges, remove from the heat.
Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together in a large mixing bowl until light in color.
Add a ladle of the hot cream and whisk into the egg yolk mixture, or slowly trickle it in as I do in the video.
Stream in the hot cream whilst whisking continuously until everything is combined.
Pour the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a jug (this makes it easier to pour the custard into the ramekins).
Set your ramekins in a deep baking dish and then fill each with the custard. I use 150-200ml (5-6oz) ramekins.
Carefully pour boiling hot water into the baking dish until the water comes halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
To bake the custard, place the roasting dish in a preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes until the edges are set but the center still has a slight jiggle.
Remove from the oven and then allow to cool on a wire rack to room temperature. Transfer to the fridge and allow to set for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Once you're ready to serve, sprinkle a tablespoon of caster sugar on top of each pot of custard and then, using a kitchen blowtorch, or dragon, caramelize the sugar.
This can also be done under the oven's broiler/grill but there's always the risk of the custard softening too much or the sugar burning
Allow the sugar to harden for a minute or two and then serve immediately.
Source: Simply Delicious Food
Happy Hobbit has brought Middle-earth to its viewers' daily lives since joining TheOneRing.net in 2012! Learn hobbity recipes, crafts, and more by watching new episodes and/or perusing the 12+ years worth of videos on their YouTube channel. 🌻 Be sure you are subscribed to Happy Hobbit on YouTube and check back here at TheOneRing.net so that you don't miss out!
Get even more slow-living hobbit content by following Happy Hobbit on Instagram,Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok! If watching the show has left you with an appetite for more, know that Kili (Kellie) has a podcast where Tolkien is often mentioned called Forests, Folklore & Fantasy.
November 23, 2941 (S.R. 1341) 1. The Battle of Five Armies(referencing Karen Wynn Fonstad, The Atlas of Middle-earth)"Runners came in to report that a host of dwarves had appeared round the eastern spur of the Mountain and was now hastening to Dale. Dain had come."
(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 263-270 The Hobbit)
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