"What are the costs of military victory? Is mercy sometimes too expensive? Can torture ever be justified? Are there any moral absolutes in a world of competing faiths and cultures? Matt Dickerson's A Hobbit Journey traces these and many other issues through their surprisingly detailed presentation in Tolkien's fiction. If anyone should still doubt Tolkien's applicability and relevance to the twenty-first century, this is the book to put in their hands.
-Thomas Shippey,
author of J. R. R. Tolkien: Author of the Century
A Hobbit Journey instantly engages readers with its combination of scholarly knowledge and love for J. R. R. Tolkien's work. Matthew Dickerson resists imposing his own rigid, limiting thesis and instead interprets the text by simply pointing out to fellow readers what is there. In doing so he illuminates the power of Tolkien's stories to challenge, delight, and transform us.
-Colin Duriez,
author of Tolkien and C. S. Lewis: The Gift of Friendship and J. R. R. Tolkien: The Making of a Legend
Most fantasy novels are like amusement parks--full of familiar sights, sounds, smells, and thrills. But J. R. R. Tolkien's stories, which have inspired legions of imitators, offer much more than amusement. They are countries full of treasure that will go undiscovered and unappreciated unless we learn how to be attentive treasure hunters. Matthew Dickerson writes as one who has spent his summers in the Shire, hiked every trail in Mirkwood Forest, taken counsel from Gandalf, and argued with Gollum and Smaug. It's as though he sharpened the tools of his intellect in deep conversation with Tolkien himself. He will prove to be a thought-provoking guide through Middle-earth whether you're a frequent visitor there or a newcomer ready for the adventure of a lifetime.
-Jeffrey Overstreet,
author of Auralia's Colors and Through a Screen Darkly
"A Hobbit Journey is a grand accomplishment: a thoughtful exploration of the virtues and values that sustain the heartbeat of Tolkien's Middle-earth. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I expect that you will too.
-Diana Pavlac Glyer,
author of The Company They Keep: C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien as Writers in Community