adventurous lighthearted medium-paced
adventurous lighthearted fast-paced

2 stars for the first story; 3 for the second. the first was weird, confusing and boring, whilst the second was genuinely decent and fun, even if the success of the mc should be owed to luck.

still, i wasn't expecting lotr levels and was thus intrigued to read some of other non-lotr work.

It seems like these were meant for younger kids instead of die-hard Tolkien freaks (like me). These stories are a lot less serious than The Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit. Plus, they're really short. I read both of them in one day. Still, it's kinda neat to see Tolkien write in a different style. Quick read, not as amazing as his other books, but still good.

So this is a pretty fun little volume. Not related to Middle-Earth at all, but the fairies of the first tale have a kinship to Tolkien's elves and the dragon of the second is dragony like Smaug.

Anyway, I'm keeping this one brief; they were entertaining charming tales. There was a bit of a moralistic tinge to them like traditional folktales but also that whimsical charm we all love. I can see the more general influence he inherited from the tradition of fantasy (folktales) and his influence on future authors like Le Guin or Gaiman. Illustrations were golden.

The second was definitely my favorite. The dragon is literally named Gold-guarder the Rich which is pretty great. It features exactly the sort of dragon riddling I love. I'd recommend this to the Tolkien fans out there who also enjoy some more folktale-inspired light fantasy and want a lighter read. It's super short so it's not a huge time commitment either. I wouldn't just throw it out though, it's worth a look. Plus, this edition has these wonderful drawings. I love the cover! Chrysophylax and Giles are right in the middle of riddling! Giles seems to say, "I ENT HAVIN NONE O THAT SHENANIGANS FIREWURMLING." And Cyrsophylax seems to reply, "Oh simpering human let I, mighty fire drake that I am, consider your words (WHILE I WAIT FOR A LAPSE IN YOUR JUDGMENT AND SLAY YOU WHERE YOU STAND MWAHAHA)." "For dragons always have such evil thoughts in their hearts."

Warning: This book was written by a fairy or a fairy-sympathizer and an anti-dragon boor!

Cheers.

A fun and quick read. It took me a few pages in the first story (of two) to realize that these weren’t at all related to LOTR, despite each having its own fantastical elements. The first story involves fairies that are vaguely like Tolkien’s elves. The second involves a dragon that could just as easily be named Smaug. Still, it was fun to read these stories without having to track them to a larger preexisting story.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the illustrations, which are excellent. They are done in a style that resembles medieval tapestries. Sometimes they closely fit the story but occasionally they are stylized enough that they don’t align. It doesn’t matter. They’re all great.

What a delightful discovery for this fan of JRR Tolkien. One catches a glimpse of the magical worlds that manifest themselves fully in Lord of the Rings.
medium-paced

Smith of Wootton Major was a very pleasant and charming fairy tale, that had a lot of the same feelings as the Hobbit.
Farmer Giles of Ham was a far less charming or pleasant story, the sheer number of mentions of beating dogs took 2 stars off this review. Otherwise it was a good plot and enjoyable. Someone ought to make a version without all the animal abuse.

mr_wford's review

4.0

This version also includes Farmer Giles of Ham.

It is a couple of charming and fun little tales. Intended, I imagine, for those of a young age. But it is a pleasant read and in this edition, certainly worth it for the illustrations inside.