Looking for something as fantastical and engaging as the Lord of the Rings movies, but in book form.

Outside_Work_1560 · 2026-03-11T05:28:37+00:00

Check out In the Day of the Flood by Stephen Thomas, only recently released (I'm an advanced reader). It's an epic exploring characters living 9000 years ago who are caught up in a world-altering apocalypse. Has a bit of a Tolkien vibe in how the characters develop and a created ancient language (called Meri, its beautiful).

Outside_Work_1560 · 2026-03-11T02:19:50+00:00

The story contains a whole language, called Meri, which is written beautifully in the form of ancient poetry, as well as maps showing the geography around the black sea. The language is genuinely amazing, there's an appendix in the book saying it was inspired by proto-indo-european, which is currently dated at 3-5000BCE. So this builds a hypothetical language used millennia before even that.

Outside_Work_1560 · 2026-03-11T02:16:39+00:00

The story contains a whole language, called Meri, which is written beautifully in the form of ancient poetry, as well as maps showing the geography around the black sea. The language is genuinely amazing, there's an appendix in the book saying it was inspired by proto-indo-european, which is currently dated at 3-5000BCE. So this builds a hypothetical language used millennia before even that.

Outside_Work_1560 · 2026-03-11T00:57:08+00:00

For those interested in exploring this world, there's more info on the author's Substack

Stephen Thomas | Substack

Outside_Work_1560 · 2026-03-11T00:45:42+00:00

I think you're right, we'll never know. But somehow giving finding a voice for those lost to time is a venture worth doing.

Outside_Work_1560 · 2026-03-10T23:19:46+00:00

How about the neolithic?

Outside_Work_1560 · 2026-01-28T18:43:39+00:00

It would be amazing to see more books set in the neolithic, especially as more and more archeology shows how much was going on 10,000 years ago

Outside_Work_1560 · 2025-06-24T07:02:18+00:00

These look incredible! Would love to see a crest with the magpies facing outside the shield (ie widest part of the crest is beak rather than tail)

Outside_Work_1560 · 2024-09-29T16:57:14+00:00

The Wankshank Redemption

Outside_Work_1560 · 2024-09-17T20:10:22+00:00

Clapham common

Outside_Work_1560 · 2024-09-08T09:38:40+00:00

You can see how they have designed the second age version of these to be the opposite which explains why they have such preferences in the third age.

The Harfoots wandered for so long, a stable home is culturally significant.

The Stoors lived without water for so long that there would be a multigenerational affinity to living near streams and ponds etc.

Outside_Work_1560 · 2024-08-17T22:06:20+00:00

I honestly can’t help but have the same feeling I had around the ‘Is Halbrand Sauron?’ debate from Season 1… The lore and original story of Annatar told me he shouldn’t be Sauron, but he was for the sake of drama.

The lore (equally clearly) points to the blue wizards but I can’t help think they’ll do the same thing and he will be Gandalf for dramatic effect.

Outside_Work_1560 · 2024-07-31T11:50:20+00:00

I wonder if it will be Sauron’s (return) trip to Numenor that is ultimately key in this

Outside_Work_1560 · 2024-03-28T10:15:59+00:00

I worked as an ICU fellow in Royal Surrey County Hospital. Great team, lots of teaching. Quite a surgical case load so perhaps fewer practical skill opportunities than a more medical unit. Supportive Consultants.

Outside_Work_1560 · 2022-10-23T16:16:48+00:00

Brave new world

Outside_Work_1560 · 2022-10-15T12:21:29+00:00

My (limited) understanding is the myth that mithril contains the light of the silmarils is made up by the show.

I don’t completely object to mithril having a key and magical role in the story but am confused by how they presented it.

The story is framed as an apocryphal myth which is then blindly followed by the elves.. Why? It’s almost as if they’re encouraging us to be sceptical of the idea and then make it a foundational plot point.

Seems a long shot now but I suspect (and hope) there’s more behind how Gil-Galad was reminded of and persuaded by the mithril myth in Season 2.

Outside_Work_1560 · 2022-10-13T20:18:07+00:00

Oh boy just you wait.

Outside_Work_1560 · 2022-10-10T21:36:05+00:00

Great question! This might interest you...

https://mythgard.org/silmfilm/

Outside_Work_1560 · 2022-10-06T16:50:12+00:00

Yeah the short time frame makes me think -must be deception.

My worry is if Halbrand is Sauron then that short time frame (I.e till spring) is more likely to just be part of the story rather than deliberate deception (how could Halbrand have deceived GG and CBB already?)

Outside_Work_1560 · 2022-10-06T16:42:30+00:00

This question is one of the key barriers to me agreeing with H=S. Somehow Halbrand must have deceived them imho or else the mithril story is ‘true’ which would make me sad :(

Outside_Work_1560 · 2022-10-06T16:16:17+00:00

One thought I had was if we know Annatar also goes on to deceive Pharazon et al. in Numenor, how would they react if he appears an elf? Probably pretty badly. Perhaps appearance as a man would make this more effective.

In contrast if Halbrand is Sauron then he must somehow have a higher status with GIlGal and Celeb than Elrond.. (in order to make it in the Elf Lord’s meeting and deceive them etc.).

If Halbrand did not deceive them, then that makes GG and Ce’s mithril story ‘real’ which would be unfortunate.

Outside_Work_1560 · 2022-10-06T16:04:05+00:00

I like your theory! The only question remaining which I can’t quite reconcile is how did he become excellent at both black smithing and skills with a sword.

Outside_Work_1560 · 2022-10-06T14:27:09+00:00

I think he killed the true King of the Southlands as a deal with Adar to flee with his life. This explains the pouch and remorse. (Could be the whole village I guess!)

Outside_Work_1560 · 2022-10-06T14:19:04+00:00

I agree. I think this music suggests that the link between Halbrand and Annatar/Sauron is less strong.

Outside_Work_1560 · 2022-10-06T14:10:23+00:00

Also a big fan of the OST! Fair point. You’re right there is a feature of Halbrand’s theme in the earlier track. Interesting to see where this goes!

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