J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis to Fight Dragons in New Novel

[Guest]

<div style="float: right;"><iframe scrolling="no" frameborder="0" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=thestotabnarm-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=1416912274&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&lc1=0000ff&bc1=000000&bg1=ffffff&f=ifr" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" style="width: 120px; height: 240px;"></iframe></div>Here's a new twist on J.R.R. Tolkien and his impact on 20th century literature: Cast him as a character in a fictional fantasy book.<p>Next week a new novel titled <em>Here, There Be Dragons</em> will be released next week, and it has most, shall we say, <em>unique</em> plot. Here's the jacket synopsis:</p><blockquote><p>An unusual murder brings together three strangers, John, Jack, and Charles, on a rainy night in London during the first World War. An eccentric little man called Bert tells them that they are now the caretakers of the Imaginarium Geographica -- an atlas of all the lands that have ever existed in myth and legend, fable and fairy tale. These lands, Bert claims, can be traveled to in his ship the Indigo Dragon, one of only seven vessels that is able to cross the Frontier between worlds into the Archipelago of Dreams.</p><p>Pursued by strange and terrifying creatures, the companions flee London aboard the Dragonship. Traveling to the very realm of the imagination itself, they must learn to overcome their fears and trust in one another if they are to defeat the dark forces that threaten the destiny of two worlds. And in the process, they will share a great adventure filled with clues that lead readers to the surprise revelation of the legendary storytellers these men will one day become.</p></blockquote><p> The three characters John, Jack, and Charles, are the John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, C.S. Lewis (who went by the name Jack), and Charles Williams--essentially the three cornerstones of the literary group they formed together, The Inklings.</p><p>This plot is quite a bold move by James A. Owen, the author. It takes a confident--and a slightly audacious--author to fantastically re-invent how Tolkien, Lewis, and Williams were inspired to create their worlds.</p><p>And, perhaps not too surprisingly, the movie rights have already been snagged by the Warner Brothers studio.</p><p>Hey, the book could be fun, or it might be a complete farcical failure. I'll grab it as soon as I can and let you know... </p><p> </p>

[WithyWyrm]

<p>Wow--move bold indeed. I'm going to keep an eye out for this one.</p><p>~WW</p>

[Caligo]

<p>Sounds interesting. I'd read it. Three of my favorite authors...I wonder how it will turn out.</p><p>Cal</p>

[Caligo]

<p>Sounds interesting. I'd read it. Three of my favorite authors...I wonder how it will turn out.</p><p>Cal</p>

[luthienelflover]

<p>Ehhhhhhhhh???</p><p>Um... that pretty much sums up my reaction. Could be great, could be horrible, but either way... ehhh??</p><p>It seems a little in bad taste, considering Tolkien at least still has children alive. Think how odd to have a book published where your father is a main character! And since I doubt the author ever met Tolkien, it seems unlikely he'll be able to capture his character well.</p><p>But I'm stodgy. Maybe it's great. Let us know, Jon!</p>

[Dubatuluk]

I'm actually a little excited about this. I'll try not to get my expectations too high, but I think it could be really good.

[Mungo]

I'll keep an eye out for it as well. If its not too expensive, I might buy the book out of curiousity's sake.

[Elendil36]

less interested in this drivel. Sounds like a terrible idea. Will only serve to distract from the ACTUAL literary greatness made manifest through the ACTUAL events of the ACTUAL lives of these men. How about a Tolkien biopic? I'll go see that.

[Coppervale]

Time will tell how I actually did wih the book. It was my intention to keep the main characters' identities secret for as long as possible. The movie news pretty much decided THAT!

However, when I began, I think I approached the subjects with sincerity and respect... The inclusion of the Inklings withing the mythology of the Imaginarium Geographica was not undertaken lightly, nor as a gimmick, nor for shock value.

It was because I saw them as the natural extension of all those inspirational creatives who came before - Verne, and Wells, and Bacon, and on and on - whom I intended to include in my stories. Beginning with the Inklings was fitting to me, because their influence (and in one case, lifetime) overlapped my own. They were real in a way Jules Verne could not be. They could affect me, and my readers, more profoundly for having walked where we walk - for having been men we knew a lot about.

Still, despite the impression given by many soundbites and the hype surrounding the film - I don't portray their journey to these lands as the SOURCE of their stories, nor the Geographica as a convienient crutch for their genius. Rather, I make it clear that the reason they were entrusted with its care, and given opportunities to go to amazing lands is BECAUSE they possessed the unique combination of common sense and the genius to create what others could not.

The commercial aspects of their inclusion in HERE, THERE BE DRAGONS is obvious - but that was secondary. My primary reason was a deep, profound, and abiding respect and affection for the works and worlds that they - and only they - could create.


James A. Owen
The Coppervale Studio
http://www.heretherebedragons.net
http://www.coppervaleinternational.com
http://coppervale.livejournal.com/

[Hobbit_Guy]

If they're going to call JRRT by a first name, they can at LEAST take a FEW minutes to research their choice and realize that no one would have called him John! He was Ronald, or Tollers!

[Nicasam]

HG in the books defense, in one way, It is an intention for us not to recognize the characters, but at the same time know who they were. Coppervale discussed it somewhere else, I will try and find it for you, I for one am excited about the book...It is on order from Amazon right now for me and I am shaking in anticipation.

[Ivriniel]

I read it.

It was ok, but I gotta say, I liked the idea better than the actual execution.

I could see the "twists" coming well in advance (and no, I don't mean John, Jack and Charles's identities, other things) which tends to bore me in a book.

Ivriniel

[DARKastheRAIN]

I just finished reading it. It wasn't too bad. I couldn't figure out at first why it didn't say who the characters were supposed to be in the forward or on the back of the book, or anywhere in the actual story as it seemed, and I found it quite annoying. Untill I got to the part where they were reading the signatures in the back of the Geographica, then I figured out that all was about to be 'revealed' and the readers were in for a 'surprise'. Being as I only found out about it on this site, and Tolkien being in it was my sole reason for reading it, I obviously already knew, and it was a good thing too, cause if I had chanced to pick it up without knowing what it was, I doubt I would have gotten past the first few chapters.

But in retrospect, I'm glad they don't say who they are because now I can get my little sister to read it and her reaction when she find's out Jack and John were C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien all allong will be priceless

But of course, the John instead of Ronald thing was borderline unforgivable

[durinthedeathless22]

Bold, but... creative. Inventing a fictional explination for the original Inklings' literary works of art... It could be great, or, it could flop. I'll keep an eye out for it. This is the first I'd heard of it.

[Úlairiii]

How have I never heard of this!? I did my dissertation on CS Lewis so spent a lot of time reading about the Inklings, and thinking of those three together in Oxford. Now I can do it again, but with dragons!

[prmiller]

[quote="Úlairiii"]How have I never heard of this!? I did my dissertation on CS Lewis so spent a lot of time reading about the Inklings, and thinking of those three together in Oxford. Now I can do it again, but with dragons![/quote]

I cannot think of anything more entertaining!
...and how wonderful to learn about your dissertation on C.S. Lewis.
I hope you get a chance to enjoy this imaginative romp.