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Old 12-29-2004, 04:40 PM   #19
Bęthberry
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mister Underhill
Is there a risk that licensing Middle-earth to other authors might result in a lot of substandard work? Undoubtedly. On the other hand, it might also result in exciting new material, rich new avenues of exploration, undreamt of adventures. The long idle heart of Middle-earth might beat again; new blood, pulsing with life and imagination, might flow to its farthest extremities.

Christopher's strategy -- though it no doubt springs from honorable, even noble intentions -- is, elf-like, to embalm Middle-earth; his father knew that embalming his world was not possible or even, in the end, desirable.
LIkely, Mr. Underhill, the mere act of licensing someone to write a Middle earth tale would not necessarily ensure new life.

If Middle earth is to inspire other authors, as I suspect Tolkien was hoping his mythology would--it won't come from legal agreements but from creative endeavour. And that endeavour won't be necessarily a rigid paint by numbers approach.
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