Aragorn: J. R. R. Tolkien's Undervalued Hero

2nd Edition:

5✩. "I first read The Lord of the Rings when I was 11 - fifty three years ago. It remains my favourite book of all time. I fell in love with the character of Aragorn; he was my first real crush! I've read so many books about Tolkien's works since then; books discussing the religious, spiritual, ecological and philosophical aspects of the story and the characters, but I am so delighted that at last there is a book wholly dedicated to King Elessar.This book was obviously written with love for the character, and, although I thought I knew everything about Aragorn, I've learned so much more, and have a greater understanding of his psyche, and his motivation. Angela Nicholas has clearly given a great deal of thought to every single incident involving our hero - not to mention analysing every word, thought and deed attributed to him. But it's NEVER boring! The book is extremely readable, and enjoyable. It's going to be on my shelf of favourite Tolkien books!PS This book is about J R R Tolkien's Aragorn, NOT Peter Jackson'. However excellent Viggo Mortensen's interpretation of the character, it isn't the Aragorn of the original story." By Sandra Hulme on Amazon.co.uk

 

5✩."I had heard of Angela P Nicholas' book when it first came out, through the excellent review of Tolkien's scholar Christina Scull. When I heard that a second edition was on the card through a new publisher (Luna Press), I decided to wait. Well, the wait was well worth it. Having pre-ordered the book through the publisher's website, I received it a few days earlier. I have been reading it ever since, quite unable to put it down. All the reviews I have read were right: it is a must-have.
It is a proper compendium to Aragorn. Nicholas allows you to see him in a light that often eludes readers, even those people who have read The Lord of the Rings several times, I think.
Nicholas helps you to see the events of Aragorn life, from beginning to end, in their context, through the meticulous and well-presented research she has done. And not just of Tolkien's more known works, but pretty much everything else.
The book size, number of pages and sheer quality content, more than justify the £25 price tag, and even the £15.99 of the e-book.
If you are serious about your Tolkien non-fiction knowledge, you really cannot miss this book." Trixter76 on Amazon.co.uk

 

"I received the book. It’s a beautiful object! I love the large format and the typography, with judicious use of bolding. Reading the first few sections put me in a trance of delight." Marc Lemay, on his pre-ordered copy.

 

"Have begun reading this. Nothing but a delight so far! Can't wait to finish." @MichaelHaldas on Twitter

 

4✩ "One of the great things about Tolkien is the broad range of people who enjoy his books. It seems that everybody can get something out of them. There is a lot that we can agree on even from that broad range of readers.Angela Nicholas has produced a very good book. It was very valuable to me to have such a detailed timeline of the movements of the Fellowship in The Lord of the Rings. I am astounded at the level of detail that she has gone to." By Art Petrzelka on Amazon.com

 

1st Edition:

5✩. "I happen to like Aragorn in the books, so the author's claim that she would explore this character as written by Tolkien and not as shown in the movies moved me to buy the book, in the first place. But the people, who prefer the movie version, wouldn't be disappointed either because a lot of analytic layout is true for both the variants. My first happy surprise was the size of the book. I checked the number of pages before ordering [I read rather fast and prefer thicker books :)], but my impression was that it were 11 by 18 cm. Nay! In fact, it is 19 by 30 cm, and I was delighted. :) Of course, the size wouldn't have compensated for the poor text, but it hadn't to do any compensating because the book is very good. I did expect a bit different approach to the topic, but the one I got presented with is not any less interesting.The work is very thorough: it covers the character's specific features, biography and relationship with other characters and people on the whole; there are tables and references, illustrating the research, and this study actually brings to light some details, which can slip out, when one just reads the LotR. Besides, some other sources are mentioned, and they enrich the picture quite spectacularly.I can't say I agree with every single word, statement and conclusion in this book, but it doesn't interfere with the pleasure of reading it in the slightest. I would definitely enjoy discussing some things with the author...I would recommend this to anyone interested in Middle-earth - and, of course, in Aragorn in particular." By Lynn Dynn on Amazon.co.uk

 

5✩. "This is a detailed undertaking and a must-read for all fans of Tolkien's Middle-earth and his Ranger-Warrior-King. Great care is taken to show the vital place Aragorn holds, not only in the great quest to destroy the One Ring, but also in Tolkien's legendarium. Often overlooked or underestimated by those who focus on other heroes such as Frodo, Sam, Gandalf, et al., this book makes a compelling case for the necessary and heroic role played by Aragorn. Don't be intimidated by the length of this work; the author writes with an engaging and interesting style. Highly recommended!!" By Jamie A. Cruz on Amazon.com

 

5✩. "A compelling character analysis of Aragorn. Full of details, references and thoughtful commentary. A must read for those who love Middle Earth. I wish she would consider tackling some of the other characters from LOTR or the Hobbit, as she has done a masterful job with Aragorn. I always loved his character but I have a greater appreciation after reading this book. I reread LOTR with new insight right after reading this book." By Beatlesfan on Amazon.com

 

5✩. "This book is a large 8 x 10 book. It is about 1 inch thick on good quality paper. The data contained in it is detailed and interestingly presented. This book is a must for serious "Ringers" and Tolkien students. A good read." By Bootsgrandma on Amazon.com

 

5✩. "It's just absolutely beautiful! Thank you so much." By Betty Ranville on Amazon.com

 

5✩. "Love it. Interesting reading." By Mourning Dove on Amazon.com

Angela Nicholas graduated in Latin at London University in 1971 and subsequently gained post-graduate qualifications in Librarianship (1974) and Information Technology (1989). She is now retired after a career first in higher education as a librarian and then in local government as an IT specialist.

 

In 1973 a friend persuaded her to read The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings thereby triggering a lasting interest in the works of J. R. R. Tolkien. Being dissatisfied with the portrayal of Aragorn in  Peter Jackson's LotR films she embarked on a detailed study of the character as depicted by Tolkien. She is a member of the Tolkien Society and the Southampton UK Tolkien Reading Group, and has contributed several articles to the Society's publication Amon Hen.

 

Angela has lived in Portsmouth (UK) for many years with husband, Chris Mac Arthur, and cats. She and Chris enjoy the countryside and are keen walkers. They are also members of the 1745 Association whose aims are to study the Jacobite Movement and preserve the memories of those involved in it.

 

For Luna Press Publishing: "Aragorn: JRR Tolkien's Undervalued Hero"