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27 August 2015

Review: TOLKEIN'S ORDINARY VIRTUES by Mark David Eddy

Hopefully I haven't made a secret of how much I like The Lord of the Rings. I think that it's not only one of the best fantasy books ever written, but one of the best books period. That's what makes this one so interesting and yet so frustrating.

The book follows Tolkein's story, at various points stopping the narrative to discuss a virtue illustrated by that point in the story. These are chosen and presented well, as Eddy obviously knows his material and picks his examples well.

The bad news is that while Tolkein had a very distinct style, Eddy does not. Tolkein had a gift for high-flown, old-fashioned language, and Eddy's more pedestrian work suffers for it. There's no shame in falling short of a great writer, but it doesn't help to be juxtaposed with one either.

The issue of style aside, this is a good book, looking at literature from a different angle. I recommend it.

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