TJ West

Reading “The Lord of the Rings”: “The Choices of Master Samwise”

We have finally come to the concluding chapter of The Two Towers, and one of my very favourite…
Persuasive Performance: Theater and Conversion

Originally posted on Metathesis: “We, sir, we are the diverse America who are alarmed and anxious…
Tolkien’s Heirs: Tad Williams

When I heard the news that Tad Williams, one of my very favourite fantasy authors, was…
Reading History: “The Taming of the Queen” and Donald Trump

In the wake of November 8th, it’s really difficult–nay, impossible–to not read and watch everything produced…
Un/natural Citizens: Naturalization and Conversion

Originally posted on Metathesis: “No Person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the…
Film Review: “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” and the Pain of Endings

Spoiler: Full plot details for the film follow. As anyone who has read this blog is…
Reading “The Lord of the Rings”: “Journey to the Cross-Roads,” “The Stairs of Cirith Ungol,” and “Shelob’s Lair”

In today’s entry, we follow Frodo and his companions as they make their way beyond Ithilien…
Empathy and the Danger(s) Disengagement

Originally posted on Metathesis: ? ? ? For the past couple of years, I’ve been keeping…
Reading “The Lord of the Rings”: “The Window on the West” and “The Forbidden Pool”

Having met the noble Gondorian captain Faramir and his men, we now get to see them…
Through a Glass Darkly: The Diminution of Heroism in Peter Jackson’s “The Lord of the Rings” Trilogy

After recently rewatching Peter Jackson’s rightfully famous and well-regarded The Lord of the Rings film trilogy, it occurred…