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Visualizing Middle-earth book tour in New Mexico - Lord of the Rings news - J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings

May 16, 2001 at 04:54:24

Albuquerque, NM -- May 16, 2001 -- Michael Martinez, Xenite.Org founder and author of Visualizing Middle-earth, will be speaking to audiences at several New Mexico book stores in June.

Visualizing Middle-earth is a collection of essays about J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth. Martinez addresses popular fan questions about where Aragorn's people lived, whether Balrogs have wings, what life might have been like in various parts of Middle-earth, and more. The book also includes an extensive essay titled "Understanding Magic in J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth".

Chris Seeman, editor of Other Hands, writes: "Visualizing Middle-earth, even as a warm-up, sets a new standard for the reconstruction of the 'internal' history of Tolkien's legendarium (as distinct from its literary or linguistic criticism). It is, in fact, the first book of its kind."

Michael Martinez has studied Middle-earth for more than twenty years. He’s steeped in the works of J.R.R. Tolkien and you’ll find his comments on the boxes of Toy Vault's Lord of the Nazgul action figure.

Those who surf the Internet in search of information are very familiar with Michael’s work. His website, entitled "Parma Endorion: Essays on Middle-earth", provoked this comment from Douglas A. Anderson, Editor of The Annotated Hobbit: "… your work is thorough, engaging, and illuminating. I wish I had more time to explore it…"

Turgon at TheOneRing.Net says of Michael's work in Visualizing Middle-earth: "He has a chatty, opinionated and engaging style that makes you feel like you’ve pulled up a chair to his table at a pub, and got to listen in on his conversation."

Michael is currently the Director of the fan-programming track dedicated to J.R.R. Tolkien and Middle-earth at Dragoncon, which is North America’s largest fan-run science fiction and fantasy convention. The event drew more than 20,000 full members last year and was reportedly attended by more than 35,000 people altogether. The event is held annually in Atlanta, GA.

While Middle-earth is the topic of his book and his passion, Michael is also a charter member of the Xenite and Herkulean Webmasters Association, founded in late 1997, and he is the founder of Xena Online Resources, the Web’s largest dedicated directory of Hercules and Xena links. Along with other fans, he contributed to "Lucy Lawless and Renee O’Connor: Warrior Stars of Xena" before moving on to Tolkien and Middle-earth. He’s been the subject of several interviews with the release of Visualizing Middle-Earth and is currently working on a history book that will detail the events, people, and geography in Tolkien’s Middle-earth.

Oh yes, lest we forget - Michael plans to become an Elf when he grows up.

June 2, 2001
Saturday 2-4 PM
Hastings
4315 Wyoming NE
Albuquerque, NM 87109

June 7, 2001
Thursday, 730PM
Borders
2100 Louisiana Blvd. NE
Albuquerque NM 87110

June 9, 2001
Saturday, 2-4 PM
Hastings
2414 Cerrillos RD
Santa Fe, NM 87501

June 14th, 2001
Thursday 730 pm
Barnes & Noble
3701 Ellison NW
Albuquerque, NM 87114