Possibly influenced by the recent discovery of real-life Hobbits, Peter Jackson has revealed some details of his upcomingHobbit movie, including the return of Ian McKellen as Gandalf; I think McKellen was quite good in that role in the Lord of the Rings movies. Perhaps there will be a part for co-conspirator Randy Barnett, who has […]
Archive | Science Fiction/Fantasy
Scientific Evidence for the Lord of the Rings
It turns out that Hobbits actually existed [HT: Tyler Cowen]: Researchers from Stony Brook University Medical Center in New York have confirmed that Homo floresiensis is a genuine ancient human species and not a descendant of healthy humans dwarfed by disease. Using statistical analysis on skeletal remains of a well-preserved female specimen, researchers determined the […]
Federations in Science Fiction
I am alternately amused and saddened that one of the most widely read articles about federalism is my tongue in cheek 2007 National Review piece on federalism in Star Trek’s United Federation of Planets, based on an earlier VC post. Many more people seem to be interested in the fine points of federalism in fictional […]
The Six Greatest Fantasy Novels of All Time
Rising star fantasy writer Lev Grossman gives us his picks for the six greatest fantasy novels of all time [HT: Tyler Cowen]: — The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis — The Once and Future King by T.H. White — Fritz Leiber’s Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser stories — The Lord of […]