The Tolkien Professor

Adaptation has been a topic that has intrigued many Mythgardians, including Signum University President Corey Olsen (also known as The Tolkien Professor). From music and art to film to The Lord of the Rings Online (LOTRO) video game, the inspiration that the works of J.R.R. Tolkien have offered continues to be of interest to Corey and his podcast listeners. In a recent Tolkien Chat, Corey took on...

<p>In the final episode in this season, we will attempt to lay out a map for the whole show, season by season.</p>

<p>We will continue tackling big issues, including chronology, language style and use of narration.</p>

<p>We will discuss some of the critical issues that will lay the foundation of the adaptation, including character depiction, music and magic.</p>

<p>We will explain what we are doing and what we are not doing in this project. We will explain the general framework of our episodes and give a high level overview of what we will cover in Season 0. We will conclude the episode (as we will conclude all our episodes) with a question for listeners to discuss in the forum prior to a final decision at the start of the next episode.</p>

In the Lord of the Rings Online, Mythgard gathers at Ales and Tales to celebrate Gondorian New Year and the 7th Anniversary of the Lonely Mountain Band kinship. Corey's talk is on Frodo and Sauron at the Cracks of Doom: What Were They Thinking?

In the final episode of a long journey there and back again, Tolkien Professor Corey Olsen and co-hosts Dave Kale and Trish Lambert wind up the riddle run-through for Year 3. It's all over but the score tabulation, and we say farewell to Riddles in the Dark. But the road goes ever on, and our intrepid threesome are gearing up to launch a new podcast series--focused on adapting The Silmarillion to...

The Tolkien Professor Corey Olsen and co-hosts Trish Lambert and Dave Kale discuss three of the six "leftover" riddles that needed more discussion. Final decision by listener vote.

The Tolkien Professor Corey Olsen and co-hosts Trish Lambert and Dave Kale conduct a lightning round of the Year Three riddles and conundra to arrive at final answers. Those that stumped the group will be discussed in more detail in the next episode.

The Tolkien Professor Corey Olsen and co-hosts Trish Lambert and Dave Kale share their thoughts about The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies.

The Tolkien Professor Corey Olsen offers his own reactions, observations and insights about the third installment of Peter Jackson's adaptation of The Hobbit in this well-attended and highly interactive debrief.

In the second ending to the Riddles in the Dark series, The Tolkien Professor Corey Olsen and co-hosts Dave Kale and Trish Lambert wrap up their speculations about the third Hobbit movie

The Tolkien Professor Corey Olsen and co-hosts Dave Kale and Trish Lambert go over more of the information that has been released prior to the launch of the third Hobbit movie

The Tolkien Professor Corey Olsen and co-hosts Dave Kale and Trish Lambert considered the extra footage included in The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug Extended Edition. This was broadcast as the final segment in the Mythgard annual fund raising webathon in early November

The Tolkien Professor Corey Olsen and co-hosts Dave Kale and Trish Lambert are happy to finally be able to dig into material being released for the third Hobbit film

Tolkien Professor Corey Olsen and co-hosts Trish Lambert and Dave Kale are relieved to finally have material to consider for the third Hobbit movie.

Just in time to save us from an episode of wandering speculations in the void created by Warner Brothers and Peter Jackson, the LEGO sets for The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies have been released. A video version of this episode is available at http://youtu.be/x3jN3L4P4XI

Co-hosts and live listeners found it hard to like the promotional banner for The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies. Fortunately, there are some good tangential conversations.

The analysis phase kicks off by pondering the trailer for the extended edition of The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug, among other things

The whole Riddles in the Dark gang races through all 15 riddles and conundra while Corey casts his votes for all to see. Submit your answers by midnight Eastern Time, Sunday September 21st, at http://www.mythgard.org/?p=7143

We wrap up the riddle game with the key question: Will there be a Bag End auction?

Corey and Laura share listener observations and present the final five conundra of the riddle game

Corey talks to Mythgard students who joined him at Mythcon 45 in August of 2014, as well as an impressive list of drop-by guests

Professor Olsen comments on the release of J.R.R. Tolkien's translation of Beowulf

What happens when the dust settles after the battle? Corey and Trish ask the tough questions.