Fan Phenomena: The Lord of the Rings (Book)

Few, if any, books come close to being as beloved – or as ubiquitous – as The Lord of the Rings trilogy. The book delves into the philosophy of the series and its fans, the distinctions between the films’ fans and the books’ fans, the process of adaptation, and the role of New Zealand in the translation of words to images. Lavishly illustrated, it is guaranteed to appeal to anyone who has ever closed the last page of The Return of the King and wished it to never end.

Series: Fan Phenomena

Edition

Few, if any, books come close to being as beloved – or as ubiquitous – as The Lord of the Rings trilogy. The book delves into the philosophy of the series and its fans, the distinctions between the films’ fans and the books’ fans, the process of adaptation, and the role of New Zealand in the translation of words to images. Lavishly illustrated, it is guaranteed to appeal to anyone who has ever closed the last page of The Return of the King and wished it to never end.

Introduction Lorna Piatti-Farnell

Making Fantasy Matter: The Lord of the Rings and the Legitimization of Fantasy Cinema Alexander Sergeant

The Lord of the Rings: One Digital Fandom to Initiate Them All Maggie Parke

Reforging the Rings: Fan Edits and the Cinematic Middle-earth Joshua Wille

Walking Between Two Lands, or How Double Canon Works in The Lord of the Rings Fan Films Miguel Àngel Pérez-Gómez

On Party Business: True-fan Celebrations in New Zealand’s Middle-earth Lorna Piatti-Farnell

There, Here and Back Again: The Search for Middle-earth in Birmingham Emily M. Gray

Looking for Lothiriel: The Presence of Women in Tolkien Fandom Cait Coker and Karen Viars

Lord of the Franchise: The Lord of the Rings, IP Rights and Policing Appropriation Paul Mountfort

Writing the Star: The Lord of the Rings and the Production of Star Narratives Anna Martin

Understanding Fans’ ‘Precious’: The Impact of the Lord of the Rings Films on the Hobbit Movies Abigail G. Scheg

'For a series with such a diverse following, spanning generations, continents and media, this book does a superb job in bringing the world behind the creation(s) of Middle Earth to life.' 

Steven Galvin, Film Ireland

'Fan Phenomena: The Lord of the Rings is very well put together and provides sources for further reading following all of the essays in the book. It is a great read for a fan of Tolkien.'

Victoria Irwin, Fan Girl Nation

Lorna Piatti-Farnell, director of the Popular Culture Research Centre at Auckland University of Technology, has brought together 10 academics to examine the fan phenomenon of The Lord of the Rings. They examine its impact in a variety of forms, but especially in print and film. The essays range over such topics as fan social media, the impact of Peter Jackson's films on New Zealand tourism, intellectual property controversies and gender portrayals.' 

Colin Steele, The Sydney Morning Herald
Related Titles