A Walking Through Middle-earth Book Review

Canadian illustrator John Howe is, along with Alan Lee, one of the artists who shaped the unique visual style of J. R. R. Tolkien's work. Beyond books, maps, and other publications, both worked on the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit film trilogies. Now, we finally have the Czech edition of the magnificent publication A Walking Through Middle-earth, which is packed with John Howe's sketches.

Artbooks are a specific discipline that probably won't grab the average consumer at first glance. They are often expensive books aimed at the most hardcore fans. That is certainly the case here, although thanks to its reasonable format and scope—and consequently its pleasant price tag—the book is relatively accessible.

The star of the show is Howe and his amazingly detailed pencil work. The book is conceived as notes and sketches from a journey through Middle-earth. As is tradition, we start in the hobbit Shire, travel through forests and mountains, pass through dark orc tunnels, visit famous cities, and meet familiar characters and monsters. Furthermore, Howe wanders into places only briefly mentioned in the books or films. We have all dreamed of what the lands of the far north or the lands beyond the sea look like.

Black-and-white pencil illustrations dominate the book, but we also get to enjoy ultra-detailed color paintings. They are beautiful too, but for me, the black-and-white ones still win. You can study every stroke, every single detail, and you get to see the entire creative process of this exceptionally talented gentleman. Where could I be today if I hadn't spent my youth using my pencil mostly to draw certain geometric shapes on school desks…

The illustrations are accompanied by quotes from the books and films, or the author's factual commentary, which will remind you of many a forgotten detail from the history of Middle-earth. I firmly believe the text can surprise many a fan who claims to know everything there is to know about Middle-earth. Additionally, in the introduction and epilogue, Howe reminisces about Tolkien and his work with Peter Jackson.

A Walking Through Middle-earth - Sketches from Bag End to Mordor is clearly a book that should not be missing from the library of any fan of Middle-earth, Tolkien, and his work. It is not just a book of illustrations; the accompanying text also provides high added value. Let yourself be enchanted, just as I was. Put on the film soundtrack while you read and enjoy a pleasant afternoon in Middle-earth. You will feel right at home there…

This is what John Howe's pencils looked like after working on The Hobbit film trilogy:

author Karel Krajča