The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power - First Impressions

I have to admit, Middle-earth is a place close to my heart. By pure coincidence and quite unexpectedly, The Silmarillion was the first book I ever read of my own volition. It didn't put me off, even though it wasn't exactly the best choice for a beginner. Then came The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. I still remember the endless waiting for the second and third volumes to be released. I've read all the books many times since then. I firmly believe that thanks to Tolkien, I am who I am today. A nerd with hairy feet and pointed ears…

When Jackson's version hit the cinemas, I fell in love with that too. Hardly a month goes by without me watching one of the films. Just for the atmosphere. I even accepted the film Hobbit trilogy, even though it only loosely adapted the book. But I love every trip into this world.

I didn't promise myself anything, nor did I expect anything from the Amazon series The Rings of Power. Just because you pour a lot of money into something (The Rings of Power is currently the most expensive series of all time) doesn't guarantee a good result. The fact that the creators don't have the rights to The Silmarillion could have meant anything, too. They could have practically inserted anything into the uncharted history of Middle-earth between The Silmarillion and The Lord of the Rings. And that is something the soul of a fan who loves Middle-earth to death is very sensitive about!

However, the first two episodes of the series suggest that it all turned out much better than expected in the end. Although there will certainly be those who might disagree.

Is it even Middle-earth?

Yes and no. It's a different place. At first glance younger, foreign, but ultimately just as familiar and magical. Damn epic from the start. The Dark Lord Morgoth is defeated, and his lieutenant Sauron has vanished without a trace. The Second Age has begun, and everything seems fine. Only one “young” elf, Galadriel, remains dissatisfied and doesn't believe that there is no further threat. She doesn't give up because she is driven by a desire for revenge. It must be added that she annoys others quite a bit, including her friend Elrond.

Meanwhile, in the Harfoot (or proto-hobbit?) settlement, a curious young girl finds a guy who falls from the sky and wields (or rather, fails to wield…) a mysterious magical power. And no, it's probably not Superman…

It's the start of a new friendship

Judging a series after two episodes is logically nonsense. However, it has a pretty promising start. The old-new familiar characters are likable, you get used to the new ones quickly, and everything looks so beautiful that the money is practically dripping from every scene. The script has some weaker moments, but nothing that would raise your blood pressure yet. Everything fits reasonably well into Tolkien's work, and even if the Tolkien-loving soul screams occasionally, it's not loud enough to ruin the overall experience.

In conclusion, I can't help but make one note. White person, black elf, yellow hobbit, pink orc… That's just how the world is today. If we all realized that skin color means nothing, we would have a better world immediately. Not just Middle-earth.

author Karel Krajča