Episode 29: Who were the Númenóreans? Sailors, teachers, benefactors? Or colonizers, conquerors, takers? Or worse yet, enslavers, defiers, devil-worshippers, and murderers? The answer... is yes, and so much more. Sam soloes this epic history of the Second Age: the tale of the meteoric rise and cataclysmic fall of the greatest civilization ever seen in Middle Earth. 

Quenya Questions in Quarantine: Join a first-time reader and a Middle Earth veteran on an isolation-inspired adventure through J.R.R. Tolkien’s ‘The Silmarillion.’

Episode 28: This is the end. Where all the strength of elves and men has failed, one born of both kindreds must find a way. Eärendil sets sail. Elwing gains wings. A new star rises. And the Arda Corporation goes to war. Raleigh and Sam discover the final fate of the Silmarils and watch in awe as Middle Earth is literally changed forever.  

Quenya Questions in Quarantine: Join a first-time reader and a Middle Earth veteran on an isolation-inspired adventure through J.R.R. Tolkien’s ‘The Silmarillion.’

Episode 27: Nothing, not even the most beautiful city in the world, can last forever. Tuor undertakes a quest. Maeglin's dark seed blooms. Eärendil gives one last hope to Elves and Men. Sam and Raleigh dig into this earliest story in Tolkien's grand narrative, get born again with Glorfindel, and struggle to come to terms with Morgoth's final triumph.

Quenya Questions in Quarantine: Join a first-time reader and a Middle Earth veteran on an isolation-inspired adventure through J.R.R. Tolkien’s ‘The Silmarillion.’

Episode 26: Every grudge has a history; and for the Elves and Dwarves, these wounds may never fully heal. Thingol can't resist. Melian peaces out. Húrin finds redemption. Morgoth watches on with glee. Raleigh and Sam uncover the origins of Elf/Dwarf animosity and watch as dreadful oaths and sacred objects tear apart the greatest Elven kingdom in Middle Earth. 

Quenya Questions in Quarantine: Join a first-time reader and a Middle Earth veteran on an isolation-inspired adventure through J.R.R. Tolkien’s ‘The Silmarillion.’

Episode 25: What can we make of Túrin, Tolkien's most problematic hero? At times he is all we want him to be: warrior, leader, dragon-slayer, beloved of Elves, Dwarves, and Men. And yet he is a deserter, an outlaw, the killer of his friend, a foolhardy captain, and an incestuous lover. Only one thing is certain for this larger-than-life character: things are not going to end well. Sam and Raleigh dive head first into the longest tale of the Elder Days, taking turns celebrating, hating, and debating Túrin Turambar: the Master of Doom, but by doom mastered.  

Quenya Questions in Quarantine: Join a first-time reader and a Middle Earth veteran on an isolation-inspired adventure through J.R.R. Tolkien’s ‘The Silmarillion.’

Episode 24: Any fans of epic Tolkien battles out there? Well get ready; this one is as epic as they get. Elves fight Balrogs. Dwarves fight Dragons. Men fight basically everybody. Maedhros assembles a dream team. Turgon marches to his brother's aid. Húrin puts Gimli to shame. Raleigh and Sam savor every showdown, backstab, and courageous last stand. Behold the Battle of Unnumbered Tears. 

Quenya Questions in Quarantine: Join a first-time reader and a Middle Earth veteran on an isolation-inspired adventure through J.R.R. Tolkien’s ‘The Silmarillion.’

Episode 23: Welcome to the chief tale of the Silmarillion, and the most personal for J.R.R. Tolkien himself. Beren takes up the quest. Lúthien unveils her power. Huan is a good good boy. Sam and Raleigh pursue these three as they strive against Sauron and Morgoth, falling from happiness into despair, and fighting through tragedy back to joy. 

Quenya Questions in Quarantine: Join a first-time reader and a Middle Earth veteran on an isolation-inspired adventure through J.R.R. Tolkien’s ‘The Silmarillion.’

Episode 22: Let's get back on the same page before diving into the the climactic concluding chapters of the Silmarillion. Sam recaps the journey since our first Summary-llion, from the daring return of the Noldor to the dreadful ruin of Beleriand. Raleigh and Sam answer listener questions, going deep on the root of all evil, the bond between fathers and sons, and the makings of a true hero. 

Quenya Questions in Quarantine: Join a first-time reader and a Middle Earth veteran on an isolation-inspired adventure through J.R.R. Tolkien’s ‘The Silmarillion.’

Episode 21: This is it, the ultimate showdown, as High King Fingolfin duels Morgoth in single combat. The siege is broken. Finrod gets bailed out. Barahir gets some new bling. Húrin and Huor find a loophole in Gondolin's quarantine policy. Raleigh and Sam break down Morgoth's unstoppable onslaught, get battered by Grond, and try to keep hope as the free peoples of Middle Earth face their own 2020. 

Quenya Questions in Quarantine: Join a first-time reader and a Middle Earth veteran on an isolation-inspired adventure through J.R.R. Tolkien’s ‘The Silmarillion.’