Book Review: J.R.R. Tolkien - Christian Encounters Series

When I was 10, I discovered a wondrous book in my aunt's room - J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Fellowship of the Ring". I was instantly drawn to the characters, Sam in particular, as well as the amazing "sub-creation" of Middle Earth. To say that these books impacted my life might sound dramatic, but I made decisions to travel to England as a teen and to research Medieval History based upon this encounter...

I was recently sent a digital copy of J.R.R. Tolkien - Christian Encounters Series to review, and I enjoyed it thoroughly. While perhaps not a deep and searching biography, it is a well-written and well-researched overview of Tolkien's life and career - which would perhaps make one seek out both his fictional works and a more in-depth biography.Horne neatly captures the world Tolkien came of age in: the changes in the English landscape as factories took over the countryside, Tolkien's grief and changes of circumstances after his mother's death, the difficulties of school, two world wars...  He also captures the importance of Tolkien's faith to Tolkien, and some of the reasons why (as shared by Tolkien himself in his letters).. 

And as a Tolkien fan, I appreciated this work. As a mom who home-schooled a rabid LoTR film fan (my son), I would have loved this book as a curriculum resource!


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson through BookSneeze in exchange for an honest review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trace Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."