The Tolkien Road

Silmarillion 2026 » Episode 3 » Valaquenta (EP274 REVISITED)

In episode 3 of our epic, chapter-by-chapter Silmarillion journey, we’ll explore Valaquenta, an account and description of the gods of Middle-earth, including the first inklings of Gandalf’s origin story. LINKS: * Show Notes: https://www.tolkienroad.com/e0274 [https://www.tolkienroad.com/e0274] * SilmGuide Page: https://www.tolkienroad.com/silmguide/sg03/ [https://www.tolkienroad.com/silmguide/sg03/] * Watch This Episode: https://youtu.be/wtRxezDytYo [https://youtu.be/wtRxezDytYo] * Watch Ad-Free: https://www.patreon.com/posts/123937546 [https://www.patreon.com/posts/123937546] * Listen Ad-Free: https://www.patreon.com/posts/61210893 [https://www.patreon.com/posts/61210893] * Shop True Myths Press: https://truemythspress.com/ [https://truemythspress.com/] * Join the Fellowship of the Road: https://patreon.com/tolkienroad [https://patreon.com/tolkienroad] * Read Tolkien's Requiem - Concerning Beren and Lúthien: https://tolkiensrequiem.com/ [https://tolkiensrequiem.com/] * Read Tolkien's Overture - Concerning the Music of the Ainur: https://tolkiensoverture.com/ [https://tolkiensoverture.com/] * Read Tolkien's Tragedy - Concerning Númenor, the Rings of Power, and the Second Age: https://tolkienroad.substack.com/p/tolkiens-tragedy-pt-1 [https://tolkienroad.substack.com/p/tolkiens-tragedy-pt-1] Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-tolkien-road--5222755/support [https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-tolkien-road--5222755/support?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss].

The Fall of Númenor Pt 16 » SA870 » The Wedding of Aldarion & Erendis » Gil-galad, Tar-Meneldur (EP341 REVISITED)

This chapter continues the story of Aldarion, destined to be Númenor’s 6th King. While it begins with the wedding, long-expected, of Aldarion and Erendis, it concludes with many events unexpected, including word from Gil-galad to the King of Númenor regarding “ a new shadow arising in the East”. This is a long chapter dense with nuance and character development, perhaps the richest glimpse we get into the various psyches of Númenoreans as individuals, and while I’d love to give it a much more in depth reading, I’m only going to hit the high points as regards this history of Númenor. However, if you’d like a more in-depth discussion of this story between me and Greta, please check out the notes, or just go back and find episodes 183, 185, 186, and 187. WATCH ON YOUTUBE » https://youtu.be/Ega_4eoLio4 [https://youtu.be/Ega_4eoLio4] DISCUSSION EPISODES ON THE MARINER'S WIFE / ALDARION & ERENDIS: * EP183: https://youtu.be/Ey76ckHwROE [https://youtu.be/Ey76ckHwROE] * EP185: https://youtu.be/l83a6Idacg4 [https://youtu.be/l83a6Idacg4] * EP186: https://youtu.be/NgcX2-QOmSI [https://youtu.be/NgcX2-QOmSI] * EP187: https://youtu.be/8HzR-raLIjc [https://youtu.be/8HzR-raLIjc]  HELPFUL LINKS * Episode Webpage: https://www.tolkienroad.com/e0341 [https://www.tolkienroad.com/e0341] * take 10% OFF Tolkien Road merch at True Myths Press » https://truemythspress.com/discount/TENOFF [https://truemythspress.com/discount/TENOFF] (enter code TENOFF at checkout) * listen to TOLKIEN’S WORKS for FREE » https://www.audibletrial.com/everon [https://www.audibletrial.com/everon] * buy Tolkien’s Requiem » https://tolkiensrequiem.com/ [https://tolkiensrequiem.com/] * buy Tolkien’s Overture » https://tolkiensoverture.com/ [https://tolkiensoverture.com/] * read Tolkien's Tragedy » https://tolkienroad.substack.com/ [https://tolkienroad.substack.com/] * Ad-Free Audio » https://www.patreon.com/posts/86146331 [https://www.patreon.com/posts/86146331] * Ad-Free Video » https://www.patreon.com/posts/146599956 [https://www.patreon.com/posts/146599956] Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-tolkien-road--5222755/support [https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-tolkien-road--5222755/support?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss].

The Life of JRR Tolkien - Part 2: 1917 - 1936 (Family Life, Scholarly Pursuits, and The Hobbit) (Ep220 Rerun)

Tolkien was born on January 3, 1892, so given we are in his birth month, we’ll be revisiting our four-part series on his life story over the next few Fridays. In this episode, we’ll revisit part two, as we examine Tolkien's adult life immediately following World War I, from 1917 to 1936, leading up to the publication of The Hobbit…  LINKS: * Show Notes: https://www.tolkienroad.com/e0220 [https://www.tolkienroad.com/e0220]https://www.tolkienroad.com/silmguide/sg01/ * Watch This Episode: https://youtu.be/6z71Peu0vr4 [https://youtu.be/6z71Peu0vr4]https://www.patreon.com/posts/123936576 * Listen Ad-Free: https://www.patreon.com/posts/44712428 [https://www.patreon.com/posts/44712428] * Shop True Myths Press: https://truemythspress.com/ [https://truemythspress.com/] * Join the Fellowship of the Road: https://patreon.com/tolkienroad [https://patreon.com/tolkienroad] * Read Tolkien's Requiem - Concerning Beren and Lúthien: https://tolkiensrequiem.com/ [https://tolkiensrequiem.com/] * Read Tolkien's Overture - Concerning the Music of the Ainur: https://tolkiensoverture.com/ [https://tolkiensoverture.com/] * Read Tolkien's Tragedy - Concerning Númenor, the Rings of Power, and the Second Age: https://tolkienroad.substack.com/p/tolkiens-tragedy-pt-1 [https://tolkienroad.substack.com/p/tolkiens-tragedy-pt-1] Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-tolkien-road--5222755/support [https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-tolkien-road--5222755/support?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss].

Silmarillion 2026 » Episode 2 » Ainulindalë (EP273 REVISITED)

In episode 2 of our epic, chapter-by-chapter Silmarillion journey, we’ll explore the creation story of Middle-earth, Ainulindalë, aka The Music of the Ainur. In this chapter, we’ll meet the powers behind the great events of Middle-earth’s history, including Ilúvatar, Manwë, and the ultimate villain, Melkor. LINKS: * Show Notes: https://www.tolkienroad.com/e0273 [https://www.tolkienroad.com/e0273] * SilmGuide Page: https://www.tolkienroad.com/silmguide/sg02/ [https://www.tolkienroad.com/silmguide/sg02/] * Watch This Episode: https://youtu.be/K6k3fwOdGdk [https://youtu.be/K6k3fwOdGdk] * Watch Ad-Free: https://www.patreon.com/posts/123937086 [https://www.patreon.com/posts/123937086] * Listen Ad-Free: https://www.patreon.com/posts/60901808 [https://www.patreon.com/posts/60901808] * Shop True Myths Press: https://truemythspress.com/ [https://truemythspress.com/] * Join the Fellowship of the Road: https://patreon.com/tolkienroad [https://patreon.com/tolkienroad] * Read Tolkien's Requiem - Concerning Beren and Lúthien: https://tolkiensrequiem.com/ [https://tolkiensrequiem.com/] * Read Tolkien's Overture - Concerning the Music of the Ainur: https://tolkiensoverture.com/ [https://tolkiensoverture.com/] * Read Tolkien's Tragedy - Concerning Númenor, the Rings of Power, and the Second Age: https://tolkienroad.substack.com/p/tolkiens-tragedy-pt-1 [https://tolkienroad.substack.com/p/tolkiens-tragedy-pt-1] Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-tolkien-road--5222755/support [https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-tolkien-road--5222755/support?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss].

The Fall of Númenor Pt 15 » Aldarion & Erendis » Uinen, Ossë, Tar-Meneldur (EP340 REVISITED)

Over the next 3 episodes in our Fall of Númenor series, we’ll return to the story of Aldarion, whom we met 2 episodes ago.   Aldarion is the son of Tar-Meneldur and the expectant heir to Númenor’s throne. But as we will learn, he is a man torn between a deep longing for the sea and his destiny as Númenor’s king.   We have in fact covered this story before, in great detail, in episodes 183, 185, 186, and 187. For a more detailed discussion of the story itself, I’ll refer you to to those episodes. Check the show notes for more info.  However, in this episode, I’d like to touch on some of the prevailing themes in this story that relate to the larger story of Númenor, and unpack some key passages from this chapter. WATCH ON YOUTUBE » https://youtu.be/9Fy-Wav5G08 [https://youtu.be/9Fy-Wav5G08] DISCUSSION EPISODES ON THE MARINER'S WIFE / ALDARION & ERENDIS: * EP183: https://youtu.be/Ey76ckHwROE [https://youtu.be/Ey76ckHwROE] * EP185: https://youtu.be/l83a6Idacg4 [https://youtu.be/l83a6Idacg4] * EP186: https://youtu.be/NgcX2-QOmSI [https://youtu.be/NgcX2-QOmSI] * EP187: https://youtu.be/8HzR-raLIjc [https://youtu.be/8HzR-raLIjc]  HELPFUL LINKS * Episode Webpage: https://www.tolkienroad.com/e0340 [https://www.tolkienroad.com/e0340] * take 10% OFF Tolkien Road merch at True Myths Press » https://truemythspress.com/discount/TENOFF [https://truemythspress.com/discount/TENOFF] (enter code TENOFF at checkout) * listen to TOLKIEN’S WORKS for FREE » https://www.audibletrial.com/everon [https://www.audibletrial.com/everon] * buy Tolkien’s Requiem » https://tolkiensrequiem.com/ [https://tolkiensrequiem.com/] * buy Tolkien’s Overture » https://tolkiensoverture.com/ [https://tolkiensoverture.com/] * read Tolkien's Tragedy » https://tolkienroad.substack.com/ [https://tolkienroad.substack.com/] * Ad-Free Audio » https://www.patreon.com/posts/85784138 [https://www.patreon.com/posts/85784138] * Ad-Free Video » https://www.patreon.com/posts/146598783 [https://www.patreon.com/posts/146598783] Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-tolkien-road--5222755/support [https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-tolkien-road--5222755/support?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss].