Master of Middle-Earth: The Fiction of J.R.R. Tolkien [Paperback]

This book works as both literary criticism and as an enthusiastic guide to the worlds Tolkien created. The writer has been infected by Tolkiens' love of imagination, story and fantasy, and wants to communicate this to us. He sees Tolkiens' works as having a spiritual importance, their fantasy worlds framing and enlightening ours, giving a language to things that we may occasionally glimpse.
The writer begins by discussing how Middle Earth works as an imaginary world. Drawing on Tolkiens' own lectures and essays, he expands on Tolkiens'view that there must be an internal consistency in the secondary world of fantasy that mirrors that of our primary reality. In this way, the fantasy world becomes three-dimensional, living and breathing, and the fantastic creatures and happenings become enchanting, not just ridiculous. That Tolkien took such efforts to a remarkable degree with Middle Earths' history, politics and language the writer goes on to explore.
He then goes on to explore 'The Hobbit,' how this works less as a prologue (because it is written on a completely different level, for children) but more as a unique, stand alone work. He explores the differences and similarities between the worlds of the two books, and underlines some of the storys' quite adult themes and situations.
The writer then turns to the philosophy and moral world of The Lord of the Rings, and what kind of theology lies in the background. Though Tolkien avoids sharp parallels and explicit language echoes to the Christian faith, our attention is drawn to important similarities, such as the importance of free-will. That life is a gift that needs to be given back is set against the drive towards possessiveness and ownership the ring engenders, and the evil it stands for. Expanding on this in the next chapter, 'Sauron and the Nature of Evil,' the writer draws our attention to the will to dominate and the greed to possess that characterises Sauron and his creatures. The writer underlines how such obsessiveness leads to Saurons' inability to 'think laterally,' as he assumes that all think as he does. That this leads to his downfall is vividly illustrated in The Lord of the Rings. The co-ercion of the will is set aside the freedom of the will.
In the next chapter the writer explores the 'Free-Peoples' of Middle Earth, that is the different intelligent species, how they differ, what binds them, and how they interact. The writer then moves on to trace the progress and development of Aragorn, a character he sees as largely neglected and misunderstood in the critical world. He is not, Kocher says the 'noble horse' as described by the critic William Ready, but a character who thinks, feels, struggles and develops in his progress from Ranger to King.
The final chapter, 'Seven leaves' looks at a selection of Tolkiens' other fantasy works. The most important thing they illustrate, Kocher states, is that they reflect and develop Tolkiens' view of the imaginative world as a huge tree, tales and stories being the different leaves drawing sustenance from the same source of fantasy, imagination and ideas, an accumulation of mankinds' story telling. There is also the tremendously important point that 'succesful fantasy' gives glimpses of a larger reality or truth which informs our own world.
This book will enthuse those new to Tolkiens' work, as well as established readers. Paul Kochers' love for Tolkien is infectious.

The previous reviewer captured the essence of this book so well that I can't add much. I can say this book was very enlightening and most enjoyable. I am no learned Tolkien student, but have become so interested in his work with Middle-earth that I have begun to study this fascinating and magical place. As such, I found this book a great starting point for gaining a better understanding of the peoples of Middle-earth in particular.

Insight into the history and nature of each race of peoples (and how they interact and impact on one another) adds a new dimension to LOR: I found to the point I bonded better with some of the key characters.

I wouldn't recommend this for advanced students of Tolkien's work - partly as it will probably be old news to them and partly as it is quite basic.

For those starting out on the journey into Middle-earth, this should prove a very useful guide indeed.