- Ever wondered what The Lord of the Rings saga would be like told from the point of view of Sauron and the forces of Mordor? No? Me either. Naw, Russian writer Kirill Eskov has. He took the concept “history is written by the victors” and ran with it in the vast universe Tolkien created. The Last Ringbearer takes place during but mostly after the final battle of The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Here’s what a recent reviewer wrote of the novel and some of the characters:
“…the wizard Gandalf is a war-monger intent on crushing the scientific and technological initiative of Mordor and its southern allies because science “destroys the harmony of the world and dries up the souls of men!” He’s in cahoots with the elves, who aim to become “masters of the world,” and turn Middle-earth into a “bad copy” of their magical homeland across the sea. Barad-dur, also known as the Dark Tower and Sauron’s citadel, is, by contrast, described as “that amazing city of alchemists and poets, mechanics and astronomers, philosophers and physicians…
“Gandalf refers to Mordor as the “Evil Empire” and is accused of crafting a “Final Solution to the Mordorian problem” by rival wizard Saruman, he obviously serves as an avatar for Russia’s 20th-century foes… Mordor cultivates learning and embraces change, [this] recalls the clash between Europe in the early Middle Ages and the more sophisticated and learned Muslim empires to the east and south. Sauron passes a “universal literacy law,” while the shield maiden Eowyn has been raised illiterate, “like most of Rohan’s elite” — good guys Tolkien based on his beloved Anglo-Saxons.”
Yeesh. Heavy stuff. And now, apparently, the first legitimate English translation of the novel is available online (for free).
- Wired.uk info-graphic detailing the ebb and flow of organized crime on a global scale. The transcontinental crime industry currently is, in terms of amount of money alone, larger than the entire economy of Spain.
- Excellent op-ed about how Apple is taking an extremely cut-throat stance when it comes of its take for digital subscriptions on their iPads. In many cases, content creators — your Newsweeks and Sports Illustrateds and Daily Suns — get around 70% of the profit. Bold, considering they’re only a middle-man. This will not fly when the tablet industry becomes a more thorough and varied business in years to come.
-Sonny
