The One hundred and seventy-first Roving Ranger

-:- Strange as news from Bree -:-

Life and Works

Jan 19, 1965. Tolkien writes Letter 268 (Opens in a new window). on Shadowfax’s fate.
Jan 20, 1983. Finn and Hengest (Opens in a new window) is published.
Jan 21, 1889. Edith Bratt (Opens in a new window) is born in Gloucestershire.
Jan 22, 1928. Tolkien reads a paper, The Chill Barbarians of the North (Opens in a new window), at a meeting of the Newman Society (Opens in a new window), in Oxford.
Jan 24, 1972. Tolkien writes Letter 332 (Opens in a new window), on his move to Merton and bereavement.
Jan 25, 1948. Tolkien writes Letter 113 (Opens in a new window), a long apology to C.S. Lewis.

But I warn you, if you bore me, I shall take my revenge. (It is an Inkling's duty to be bored willingly. It is his privilege to be a borer on occasion). I sometimes conceive and write other things than verses or romance!

• Third Age (Opens in a new window), 301 (Opens in a new window)9: Gandalf (Opens in a new window) casts down the Balrog (Opens in a new window), and passes away. His body lies on the peak. The Endless Stair (Opens in a new window) is destroyed. [Jan 25]

Have a look at a 1917 photograph of Sarehole Mill (Opens in a new window). [Birmingham Public Library]

The Battle of Maldon: together with The Homecoming of Beorhtnoth (Opens in a new window) is getting a paperback edition [Jan 29]

Kalevala: The Story of Kullervo (Opens in a new window) has just been released in Finland. [trailer (Opens in a new window); “the broad strokes of the story of Túrin in the legendarium originates in Tolkien's attempted retelling of Kullervo's tale” (Opens in a new window)]

Events & Shows

The Tolkien Tapestries exhibition returns Aubusson weaves Tolkien will be at the Musée Jean Lurçat à Angers (Opens in a new window) [April 10 - November 30]

The Tolkien Conference in Zurich will return for its second edition; this year’s theme is: “Leadership … in Tolkien’s Middle-earth” [March 14; hybrid, free registration (Opens in a new window)]

The Hobbit at the Stratford Festival has a very short, yet impressive teaser (Opens in a new window). [Youtube]

The Rosenbach Museum will be hosting Virtual Hobbit Biblioventures (Opens in a new window), starting Jan 26th.

March 25th celebrations are being promoted already - the Lexington County Public Library (South Carolina, USA) is offering a Tolkien Day Ball (Opens in a new window).

TolkienCon (Opens in a new window) is happening in Prague [Jan 23-25]

Last chance to get tickets (Opens in a new window) for the the Austrian Tolkien Society’s Cottage of Lost Play [Jan 30-Feb 1]

The Hobbit will be staged at the Playhouse in the Park (Opens in a new window), Murray, Kentucky, USA, in June. [Jun 19-28]

Nominations open for Tolkien Society Awards 2026 (Opens in a new window) [until Feb 1]

For all events check out the Tolkien Guide (Opens in a new window).

My podcast: A Talk with the Tolkienist [Spotify (Opens in a new window) | YT (Opens in a new window) | RSS feed (Opens in a new window)]

Scholarship & Fandom

My blog, thetolkienist.com, has another guest post, this time from Lukas Ritzel: “An interview with Joy Shannon & Ruth Tolkien: ‘In The Forest Singing Sorrowless’”. (Opens in a new window)

Jeff LaSala has While the Orc-crowd Hooted (Opens in a new window).

Stephen C. Winter has “A Pawn Did Gandalf Say? Perhaps; But On the Wrong Chessboard.” Pippin Feels Out of Place Amidst Preparations for War in Gondor (Opens in a new window).

doutbfulsea has Thin and Stretched (Opens in a new window).

The rolling issue of the Journal of Tolkien Research (Volume 23, Issue 1) has added its latest article: "Uruk ... We Prefer 'Uruk'": The Representation of the Orc in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (Opens in a new window).

Kaitlyn Facista has a charming list titled What does it mean to be a "Hobbit at Heart" (Opens in a new window)? [Tea with Tolkien]

Thoughts on Tolkien has Grendel and Grond (Opens in a new window).

Merchandise & Franchise

Netflix Goes On The Record, Promising A Full 45-Day Theatrical Run For Warner Bros. Films (Opens in a new window) [Cartoon Brew; original interview with the NYT, paywall (Opens in a new window)]

Netflix Converts Warner Bros. Deal To All-Cash To Shut the Door On Paramount (Opens in a new window) [Cartoon Brew]

Casting Call Goes Out For Young Sméagol (Opens in a new window) in ‘Lord of the Rings: The Hunt For Gollum’ [Knighted Media¹; also Aragorn is being recast on “Hunt for Gollum” movie, TheOneRing.net (Opens in a new window)]

‘Lord Of The Rings’ Trilogy 25th Anniversary Event Rings Up $11M In Worldwide Box Office (Opens in a new window) [Deadline]²

Inter alia

If you ever feel like finding the Tolkien memorial bench in Oxford… here you go (Opens in a new window).

Kathleen Kennedy steps down as the boss of Lucasfilm [Wertzone] (Opens in a new window)

Holly Hunter Reaches for the Stars (Opens in a new window)³ [New York Times]

Keep in mind - Artemis II is soon launching for the moon (Opens in a new window) [NASA]

Thinking about starting a newsletter, podcast, Patreon, Substack etc.?

Then do consider using Steady (Opens in a new window) - it is an exceptionally easy to use option for all needs. Built originally for an independent journalists’ collective, Krautreporter (Opens in a new window), it is run by creative minds for creative minds. Think Patreon, just better. It is based in Germany, free of enshittification (Opens in a new window) and nazis.

Do use my invite link (Opens in a new window) and start with three months fee-free.
[Transparency note: I get a small referral bonus with no extra costs to you.]

According to German law I have to inform you all links to enterprises, artists, products etc. are [unpaid advertisements.] Some purchase links may earn me a small commission from Blackwell's (Opens in a new window), Bookshop.org (Opens in a new window), or Genialokal (Opens in a new window), the (independent) bookshops of my personal trust (one with a Tolkien connection!)

If you are interested in my other Tolkien-related work please have a look:
The Tolkienist Blog (Opens in a new window) : Facebook (Opens in a new window) : Bluesky (Opens in a new window) : Instagram (Opens in a new window) : Threads (Opens in a new window) : Mastodon (Opens in a new window) - and have a look at all Roving Rangers published so far. (Opens in a new window)

As this is 2025 I would like to note that this newsletter is 100% human-made, curated by me, Marcel R. Bülles. This also holds true for everything I write with my blog and here at Steady. Also, the minimum time of curating this newsletter ranges from 8-12 hours every week. Please consider supporting me so I can continue offering the Roving Ranger - thank you.

1. h/t to Will Smith at the Green Lanterns Podcast (Opens in a new window). ↩

2. A bucket of your bucket list? Official merchandise via Emagine Theatre (Opens in a new window). ↩

3. h/t for the free link to File770 (Opens in a new window). ↩