I have just finished reading this book by JRR Tolkien and I think its some of my favorite works since Hobbit/Lord of the Rings. This compilation contains 4 novellas and 1 book of poems:
Farmer Giles of Ham
Leaf by Niggle
Smith of Wootton Major
Roverandom
The Adventures of Tom Bombadil(poems)
The four stories do not take place in the well known Middle Earth and only Roverandom comes even close to mentioning it. They all contain a bit of “magic” in terms of wizards, fairies, elves, dragons, etc.
By far my favorite story in this book was Roverandom which is a about a little dog who bit a wizard and was turned into a toy as punishment and the hijinks that ensue. The dog, originally named Rover, meets a moon-dog and a mer-dog both also named Rover so to distinguish him they take to calling him Roverandom. The story is rich in its descriptions and really pulls you in to not only the scenery but the thoughts and attitudes of this little dog who must learn his lesson and make amends to be turned back into a real dog. The story is touching and uplifting. Even if you don’t get this compilation I suggest you find this story on your own and read it.
My least favorite was The Adventures of Tom Bombadil which was disappointing since his appearance in The Lord of The Rings is one of my favorite parts. The poems are said to be written by various people – Tom himself, Sam Gamgee, Bilbo, etc. The poems didn’t do much to further my knowledge or interest in Middle Earth. I am not sure if this is because I have already read much about Middle Earth, I don’t like poems, or they weren’t very good – I will leave that up to you to decide.
The other 3 tales: Farmer Giles of Ham, Leaf by Niggle, and Smith of Wootton Major were great in their interest and story. They all contain elements of an underdog who rises to the occasion when called upon and becomes a hero – even though they aren’t searching for that type of fame nor do they particularly want it. I felt Leaf by Niggle struck close to home since he puts his own feelings and interests on hold to help his neighbors, friends, and family who don’t seem to really appreciate it. I think we all have a little bit of “Niggle” in us and we have to be careful to balance our needs with the needs of others. This goes both ways – we can’t be overly helpful but we also shouldn’t be selfish. Life is a balance and in the end everyone works together – whether we know it or not.
If you are interested in purchasing this book I recommend Amazon: Tales from the Perilous Realm or if you’d just like to check out Roverandom
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