An unapologetic tie-in with the release of the first highly anticipated Lord of the Rings film, this anthology presents appreciative essays in honor of the master of Middle-earth from such major fantasy and SF authors as Harry Turtledove, Raymond Feist, Terry Pratchett, George R.R. Martin and the late Poul Anderson. All thank Tolkien, some sardonically, for making the fantasy genre so popular. Ursula K. Le Guin discusses obvious and concealed poetry in the trilogy, while Douglas A. Anderson treats Tolkien's critics, admitting that the posthumously published writings, edited by the author's son, Christopher, are "not always easy to read," a view seconded by several other contributors. Less successful as a scholarly exercise is Orson Scott Card's "How Tolkien Means," which focuses on allegory, a mode Tolkien rejected. Most contributors celebrate the beauty of the writing in the major books, although Michael Swanwick finds them "sad with wisdom" in his essay, "A Changling Returns." Swanwick takes the lead in pointing out the importance of the humble hobbit Sam Gamgee as a character. In a dialogue between illustrators and brothers Tim and Greg Hildebrandt, Tim admits that "Tolkien was never a big supporter of illustration to accompany works of fantasy." Alas, Howe's vague and unimaginative pencil sketches only serve to support Tolkien's case. Editor Haber offers an adoring but welcome antidote to the more pompous exegeses of the "author of the century." (Nov. 23) and "Lord of the Rings Redux" (PW, Sept. 10).

Contents
•Preface: The Beat Goes On (Karen Haber)
•Introduction (George R. R. Martin)
•Our Grandfather: Meditations on J.R.R. Tolkien (Raymond Feist)
•Awakening the Elves (Poul Anderson)
•A Changeling Returns (Michael Swanwick)
•If You Give a Girl a Hobbit (Esther M. Friesner)
•The Ring and I (Harry Turtledove)
•Cult Classic (Terry Pratchett)
•A Bar and a Quest (Robin Hobb)
•Rythmic Pattern in The Lord of the Rings (Ursula K. Le Guin)
•The Longest Sunday (Diane Duane)
•Tolkien After All These Years (Douglas A. Anderson)
•How Tolkien Means (Orson Scott Card)
•The Tale Goes Ever On (Charles de Lint)
•The Mythmaker (Lisa Goldstein)
•"The radical Distinction..." A Conversation with Tim and Greg Hildebrandt (Glenn Hurdling)
•On Tolkien and Fairy-Stories (Terri Windling)
•Author Biographies

editor Karen Haber