In the second half of our time in Bree, we dive into the larger Bree-land, its four towns, and why the area is such an important place in northern Middle-earth. We also investigate how long the ancient Men of Bree have inhabited the area, and we explore some of the ways the show could influence the "Rings of Power" story.Help cover costs and keep the content coming! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/thehalflingSupport the show

In this series, we take a look at the village of Bree. We start by doing a side-by-side comparison of Tolkien's original version of the Bree-land and the less-than-faithful adaptation in Peter Jackson's movies. From the diversity of its inhabitants to the overall tone, Bree is a much happier, multi-ethnic place in the books than what we get in the on-screen adaptation.Help cover costs and keep the content coming! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/thehalflingSupport the show

In our last episode with the Blue Wizards, we finally put all of the very scattered, dissonant pieces together. We explore this pair of characters' roles in Middle-earth, both as villains and as heroes. We also consider the major adjustment Tolkien made at the end of his life that could make their appearance in the "Rings of Power" show a real possibility.Help cover costs and keep the content coming! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/thehalflingSupport the show

In the second part of our Blue Wizard series we dig into where the Blue Wizards came from, what their names are, and the important role they may have played as some of the Guardians early in Middle-earth history.Help cover costs and keep the content coming! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/thehalflingSupport the show

The Blue Wizards are a mystery of Middle-earth. There isn't much out there about who they are or what they do. But there are just enough glimpses out there to pull together a fascinating story – a story that we start to dig into in this episode.Help cover costs and keep the content coming! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/thehalflingSupport the show

The winter is over. Spring is in the air. The show is taking a short break, and then we'll be diving into the lead-up to the "Rings of Power" premiere just on the other side of Summer. If you have topic requests, please send them to [email protected]. Thanks, friends!Help cover costs and keep the content coming! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/thehalflingSupport the show

In our last episode with the Ents, we bring everything together and tell the entire Entish story from their creation right through to what happens after the end of "The Lord of the Rings." From the history of the Entwives during the Second Age to unknown Entish battles fought during the War of the Ring, the story is full of tragic loss, epic engagements, incredible longsuffering, and a steady glimmer of Tolkienian hope that always seems to shine through, even in the darkest of circumstances.H...

In the third part of our Ent series, we break down the different groups within Entish culture. We start with a recap on the Ents before moving on to who the Entwives, Entings, and Huorns are. From there, the conversation wanders all the way to the borders of the Shire, where it turns out that parts of the Entish subculture appear to be alive and well ...and angry.Help cover costs and keep the content coming! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/thehalflingSupport the show

The Halfling hosts The Tolkien Professor, Corey Olsen! In this exclusive interview, Jaron and Corey tackle the challenge of adaptations and how to enjoy Tolkien both in printed form and on-screen.Topics coveredThe Tolkien professor's projects, especially Signum UniversityWho is the man in the fire in the "Rings of Power" trailer?Is Middle-earth round or flat?Advice for how to adapt Tolkien's writingsDefining the Jacksonian knee-jerk effectWhat is Corey’s favorite Middle-earth factoid?Breaking...

In this episode, we dig into what it looks like to live as an Ent. What do they look like? What do they eat? Where do they live? It turns out that, by the time of "The Lord of the Rings," the Ents are living a much smaller version of their slow lives than they did in the past.Help cover costs and keep the content coming! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/thehalflingSupport the show