Subject: Thanks! And wat.
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Posted on: 2014-02-20 01:51:00 UTC
A Baron? Egads.
And the randomized storying is an interesting idea! I used to do the Three-Random-Words thing, in which I'd pop into the IRC, demand three random words, and construct something vaguely story-like around them. This is interesting, though, and seems like it'd be easier as an end to writer's block. I'll have to give it a shot, thanks!
I really like the Silmarillion project, so far. He manages to do things in a very distinct and individual style - at no point is he cribbing absolutely anything - but still does the characters, and his predecessor illustrators, justice and then some. I'm also gleefully enthusiastic about his take on the racial makeup of Middle-earth, as one of the things I will never forgive Peter Jackson for is convincing the modern world that everyone in Tolkien's stories was white except the bad guys. No! No cookie for you, Jackson. But... that said, I'd like to see more different sketches of different characters, too. But time will tell!
With your responses on the Valar, I'd say it comes down to two competing ways of depicting them. He sorta splits down the middle - they're all humanoid, mostly, but have attributes of their other natures. I'd say if he was going to go with things like deer-antlered-Yavanna (and agreed, she should be more trees-and-flowers, IMO) and horned-Melkor, he should steer farther away from the human model than he does. But that's probably Evan Dahm's influence coming out.
(Oh man, I do really love the high collars on the Teleri, though. They were always my favorite elves.)
Also: Yes to the crows being fictional escapees. I was going to do a whole NaNoWriMo on them, but it turns out I had more to say about how awesome crow culture was than I did, say, an actual story to tell. Whoops.