Sibley, Brian Books

The Maps of Tolkien's Middle-Earth

Brian Sibley, J.R.R. Tolkien

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 13 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Good but not great 4 out of 5 stars.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.

Four maps are included: Wilderland, Middle-Earth, Beleriand and Numenor. Also included is a book (80 pages) with a brief background and then listings of most locations on the map with one or two sentences about each.

The maps are 28 by 28 with about 6 inches of paintings around the edges thus leaving the map itself relatively small. For example the Middle Earth map itself is only 19" x 16". Unfortunately they are also folded, thus reducing the potential value of displaying them on your wall as art.

This is definitely a very nice product, but it could have been better if the map portion was actually larger and more detail such as that available in "Atlas of Middle Earth" was used.

Editorial Review:

Best-selling Tolkien expert Brian Sibley (The Lord of the Rings: The Making of the Movie Trilogy and The Lord of the Rings Official Movie Guide) presents a slipcased collection of four full-color, large-format maps of Tolkien's imaginary realm illustrated by John Howe, a conceptual designer for the blockbuster films directed by Peter Jackson. The set includes a hardcover book describing in detail the importance and evolution of geography within Tolkien's epic fiction and four color maps presented with minimal folds, including two (Beleriand and Númenor) never before published in this country.

The Lord of the Rings: The Making of the Movie Trilogy

Brian Sibley

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 25 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

The official inside story on the making of the award-winning movie trilogy

The Lord of the Rings: The Making of the Movie Trilogy is a lavishly illustrated, behind-the-scenes, definitive account of the creation of an epic film experience. Hailed by critics worldwide, part one of the movie trilogy was a box-office smash, one of the most successful films of the decade. Peter Jackson's "fierce, imaginative movie takes high-flying risks and inspires with its power and scale," wrote Newsweek. "In every way this is moviemaking on a grand scale," wrote the San Francisco Chronicle, while Time proclaimed the "grandeur, moral heft and emotional depth" of the film, which received thirteen Academy Award(R) nominations.
Including more than 300 photographs from all three films, most unique to this book, and exclusive interviews with all the cast and crew, Brian Sibley's fascinating book takes every fan inside the process of adapting J.R.R. Tolkien's masterwork for the screen. For the first time in history, three major movies were made at the same time, a triumphant and monumental undertaking that took the world by storm. Here can be found details about the hundreds of dedicated artists, craftspeople and cast and crew members who labored for years -- adding authenticity at every stage -- to bring one of the greatest stories ever told to an eager film audience. Sibley takes us inside the process of filmmaking to show us how the magic is made -- from the director, writers and actors to wardrobe, makeup, miniatures, music and digital special effects, it's all here.

"It was tiring, physically and mentally, but never dull. Three movies, one big story, and so much variety: one day shooting scenes of intimate heart-wrenching drama, the next, vast battle scenes involving hundreds of extras. Every day brought an opportunity to create something new on this enormous canvas that is The Lord of the Rings." -- Peter Jackson

The Lord of the Rings Official Movie Guide

Brian Sibley, J.R.R. Tolkien

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 41 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

It's one of the most anticipated movies ever, and now you can see for yourself how the magic of Tolkien's fantasy masterpiece was created on screen in The Lord of the Rings: Official Movie Guide. Brian Sibley's straightforward approach takes the reader from the initial conception of the movie as it was developed and passed around studios (it initially started life as a two-hour condensed version of the three novels) to the months of complicated special-effects work necessary to do justice to Tolkien's extraordinary imagination. The book features interviews with all the key cast and production members and is liberally decorated with full-color photographs and behind-the-scenes images from the film itself. Sibley manages to document perfectly the filmmakers' painstaking attention to detail, much of which will be missed by many moviegoers, but he also captures a sense of camaraderie from all involved who wanted to make the best movie possible.

If it's facts and background trivia you are after, then this is the best place to be--the perfect starting point for those new to Tolkien or eager to find out more about how epic movies are put together. Dedicated Lord of the Rings fans who have been following the epic moviemaking process via the Internet won't find anything here they didn't already know, but this is still a very good companion no matter what level of knowledge or understanding you have of the greatest work of fantastic fiction ever written. --Jonathan Weir, Amazon.co.uk

The Lord of the Rings

J. R. R. Tolkien, Brian Sibley

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 286 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

A three-volume boxed set edition of J.R.R. Tolkien's epic The Lord of the Rings, featuring film art on the cover. The set include The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King "An extraordinary work--pure excitement..." --The New York Times Book Review One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them In ancient times the Rings of Power were crafted by the Elven-smiths, and Sauron, The Dark Lord, forged the One Ring, filling it with his own power so that he could rule all others. But the One Ring was taken from him, and though he sought it throughout Middle-earth still it remained lost to him. After many ages it fell, by chance, into the hands of the hobbit, Bilbo Baggins. From his fastness in the Dark Tower of Mordor, Sauron's power spread far and wide. He gathered all the Great Rings to him, but ever he searched far and wide for the One Ring that would complete his dominion. On his eleventy-first birthday, Bilbo disappeared bequeathing to his young cousin, Frodo, the Ruling Ring, and a perilous quest: to journey across Middle-earth, deep into the shadow of the Dark Lord and destroy the Ring by casting it into the Cracks of Doom. The Lord of the Rings tells of the great quest undertaken by Frodo and the Fellowship of the Ring: Gandalf the wizard, Merry, Pippin and Sam, Gimli the Dwarf, Legolas the Elf, Boromir of Gondor, and a tall, mysterious stranger called Strider.

The Fellowship of the Ring Insiders' Guide (The Lord of the Rings Movie Tie-In)

Brian Sibley, J.R.R. Tolkien

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 6 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

An enjoyable, informative book for young people 4 out of 5 stars.
20 of 20 people found this review helpful.

This book is apparently intended to be the equivalent for young readers of the "Lord of the Rings Official Movie Guide," which is also written by Brian Sibley (who was also the co-writer of the script for the BBC's excellent radio adaptation of "The Lord of the Rings," starring Ian Holm as Frodo). In many ways this children's version, although shorter and less detailed, is more interesting than the adult version. The "Insiders' Guide" contains some information not included in the "Movie Guide," such as the "Loom!" story mentioned by another reviewer below. Indeed, in general the emphasis of the "Insiders' Guide" seems to be a bit less on the production design of the movie, and more on the process of filming it and the experience of being on the set, than that of the "Movie Guide."

One interesting feature of Sibley's text as compared to that of the "Movie Guide" is that the chapters of the "Insiders' Guide" tend to begin with especially intriguing sentences intended to grab the reader's attention. Perhaps Sibley thinks this is more necessary when writing for children than for adults; I consider it a good technique when writing for any audience. ("Apollo 13," formerly called "Lost Moon," by James Lovell and Jeffrey Kluger, is an excellent example of the use of this technique in a non-fiction book for adults.)

Tolkien fans, and those moviegoers who have fallen in love with Peter Jackson's film, may well want to collect all four movie tie-in books: this "Insiders' Guide" and the "Photo Guide" (both intended for children) along with the "Movie Guide" and the "Visual Companion" (both intended for adults). Young readers seeking paperback books about the movie will find both the "Insiders' Guide" and the "Photo Guide" fairly good choices; the "Insiders' Guide" provides information about the movie's production and the background behind it, while the "Photo Guide" is the better bet for images from the film.

Editorial Review:

The official tie-in companion for younger readers, packed with fascinating facts, on-set interviews and unique photos from the filming of The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Brian Silbey goes behind the cameras and reveals just how much work, time, creativity and endless imagination are involved in bringing the movie phenomenon The Fellowship of the Ring to a theater near you...

The Map of Tolkien's Beleriand

Brian Sibley

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Great map of the 1st age 4 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Don't pick this up unless you're a real fan of Tolkien (and not just the Lord of the Rings) and you've read 'the Silmarilion' front to back.

These maps are set in the first age of Middle Earth, and except for some of the Mountain Ranges (Ered Gorgoroth, among others)... none of the places and names that we've heard of in the Hobbit and LOTR make it here.

That said, it's a rare find for any fan and is a great buy. I spent a lot of time poring over it and using the accompanying booklet to identify places on the map, and remembering what event happened there in the Silmarilion.

Best meant for collectors and fans of Tolkien's work outside of LOTR.

Tales from the Perilous Realm: "Farmer Giles of Ham", "Smith of Wootton Major", "The Adventures of Tom Bombadil", "Leaf by Niggle" (BBC Radio Collection)

J.R.R. Tolkien, Brian Sibley

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 50 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Tolkien, but not Lord of the Rings 3 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

Not sure if I'm supposed to review the performance of these dramatizations or the actual tales themselves. For the latter, this is Tolkien, but definitely not Lord of the Rings. These are earlier stories, and smack of Tweed England - they are funny, and homey, and sort of proper in that old fish n chips sort of way. For the former, the dramatizations are standard BBC, which isn't bad at all.

These are really fun for passing a car ride, especially if you have kids along.

Die-hards only. 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Production values are high as with all BBC full cast recordings, though I would only recommend this to diehard fans that want to delve deeper into the Tolkien mythos.

Great intro for Tolkien for the novice, nice re-visit for the fan 4 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Great production values, nice quaint stories and some quintessential Tolkien poetry. I loved having stories read to me as a kid which is most likely the primary reason I enjoy audiobooks as much as I do, and this audiobook is no exception. If you are unfamiliar with Tolkien, then these stories will serve as a basis or introduction for continuing your odyssey with Middle Earth. If you're already a long-time Tolkien fan, you've probably already read these at some point, but you will most likely still appreciate having them read to you, just like beloved bedtime stories. I will definitely be listening to these again.

Editorial Review:

A radio dramatization of four Tolkien stories - "Farmer Giles of Ham", "Smith of Wootton Major", "The Adventures of Tom Bombadil", and "Leaf by Niggle". The cast is headed by Michael Hordern, Brian Blessed and Nigel Planer.

Empires of the Imagination: A Critical Survey of Fantasy Cinema from Georges Melies to the Lord of the Rings

Author. Brian Sibley (Foreword) Alec Worley

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Editorial Review:

The warlocks and ghosts of fantasy film haunt our popular culture, but the genre has too long been ignored by critics. This comprehensive critical survey of fantasy cinema demonstrates that the fantasy genre amounts to more than escapism. Through a meticulously researched analysis of over a century of fantasy pictures—from the seminal work of Georges Méliès to Peter Jackson’s recent tours of Middle–earth—the work identifies narrative strategies and their recurring components and studies patterns of challenge and return, setting and character. First addressing the difficult task of defining the genre, the work examines fantasy as a cultural force in both film and literature and explores its relation to science fiction, horror, and fairy tales. Fantasy’s development is traced from the first days of film, with emphasis on how the evolving genre reflected such events as economic depression and war. Also considered is fantasy’s expression of politics, as either the subject of satire or fuel for the fires of propaganda. Discussion ventures into the subgenres, from stories of invented lands inhabited by fantastic creatures to magical adventures set in the familiar world, and addresses clashes between fantasy and faith, such as the religious opposition to the Harry Potter phenomenon. From the money-making classics to little-known arthouse films, this richly illustrated work covers every aspect of fantasy film.

The Map of Tolkien's Middle-earth: Map of Tolkien's Middle-earth

Brian Sibley

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Simple and perfect 5 out of 5 stars.
31 of 34 people found this review helpful.

This tiny little book is the perfect companion to "The Lord of the Rings" Trilogy. It is beautifully made and designed to either be something you can fit in your pocket, or put up on your wall. (It folds up nicely)

I would reccommend this to anybody who has read the series or is just starting out.

A Beautiful Map 4 out of 5 stars.
13 of 14 people found this review helpful.

This is a review of the map itself, not of the pamphlet that comes with it.

The map is clear, correct, and large enough to make out place-names that are almost illegible if you look at the maps in the paperback editions of Tolkien's works. The pictures are also excellent, but there is one flaw which has caused me not to give the map five stars: the paintings of Minas Tirith and various Good Guys are on the East side (right side) of the map while the pictures of Barad Dur, the Nazgul, and assorted other Bad Guys are on the West side (left side) of the map. Now, the problem with this is that the West contains the lands of the Good Guys and the East contains the lands of the Bad guys. It seems to me that these pictures should have been flipped so as to more accurately represent the political realities of Middle-earth.

There and Back Again: The Map of the Hobbit

Brian Sibley

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 2 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

A Map To Build A Dream On 5 out of 5 stars.
9 of 11 people found this review helpful.

I love The Hobbit and this map would make an excellent companion to the book for any teacher's classroom! Trust me. My students loved it.

J.R.R. Tolkien has certainly done it again! 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 14 people found this review helpful.

He is one of today's best writers. No one can tell a story as elaborated as he can. He is J.R.R. Tolkien!

Editorial Review:

A map of the fantasy world envisioned by J. R. R. Tolkien and brought to life in The Hobbit traces Bilbo's epic journey through the Forest of Mirkwood and the Enchanted River to the Elvenking's Hall and the Lonely Mountain of Smaug. Reprint.