THE SCIENCE OF MIDDLE-EARTH A New Understanding of Tolkien and His World

Narrator Ralph Lister's amiable enthusiasm enlivens this mixed bag of essays by French scholars who apply various scientific lenses to the imaginary minutiae of Tolkien's works. Lister's match of tone to text is skilled, and his buoyant expressiveness sometimes more than it deserves. Given the level of technical detail, he tends to let his energy move listeners too quickly, without giving them time to digest. Nonetheless, fans devoted enough to want this level of speculation on Middle Earth will welcome Lister's engaging performance. W.M. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 2021]