In this episode, Natalie sits down with Father Vince to explore the world of J.R.R. Tolkien, diving into the new series, "The Rings of Power." They discuss the impact of Tolkien's mythology on spirituality and literature, comparing it to other works like C.S. Lewis's "Chronicles of Narnia" and the popular "Game of Thrones" series. Father Vince shares his deep connection to Tolkien's writings, offering insights into the Catholic themes and mythological elements that permeate Tolkien's universe.

The conversation also delves into the secularization of holidays and the importance of understanding the origins of these celebrations. Whether you're a Tolkien aficionado or new to his works, this episode offers a rich tapestry of discussion on the power of storytelling and its impact on culture and faith.

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Fr. Vance Recommended books:
-A Wizard of Earthsea Novel by Ursula K. Le Guin
-The Crystal Cave Novel by Mary Stewart
-Tolkien's Faith: A Spiritual Biography Book by Holly Ordway
-The Gospel According to Tolkien: Visions of the Kingdom in Middle Earth Book by Ralph Wood

Chapters:
(00:00) Welcome to Desert Wanderers, produced by Salt and Light Radio
(01:52) fr. Vance first encountered Tolkien as an eighth grader (07:56) Okay, so my husband spent some time in Austria learning German
(11:22) Out of all secular holidays, Valentine's Day is the only one accurate
(14:23) So, okay, so I want to get back to something we talked about earlier
(17:55) How is Tolkien substantively different from Game of Thrones
(20:14) Well, my favorite character, which I don't think is very debated is Samwise Gamgee
(21:21) Some people are against the Rings of Power, others enjoy it
(22:36) Amazon incorporated canonical characters like Galadriel into peripheral stories
(25:24) Ton: I like Galadriel in season two of Rings of Power
(28:45) The Tolkien universe is big enough to accommodate stories of other people
(30:35) Peter Jackson included something that is not Tolkien but is in line with mythology
(31:11) Galton: Peter Jackson's Hobbit movies lacked depth of sacrificial love
(35:52) One thing I liked about the second season was the character of Addar
(39:51) I see Sauron in Rings of Power as somebody who's struggling with
(42:18) In terms of canon, how does Sauron get access to Ring
(43:23) The show takes a while to figure out who Sauron is
(44:51) Christian: Tolkien talks about three tribes of Hobbits in The Lord of the Rings
(46:55) One of the things that is important for Tolkien mythologically is time
(50:41) The Great Divorce is one of the best allegoric works ever
(53:50) You initially thought the writing in Rings of Power was fine
(55:26) One thing I disliked about the movies is the portrayal of dwarf culture
(01:00:31) Is the eagle also canonical where the kingship would come
(01:00:49) Numenor is an island in the middle of the sea (01:03:30) Okay, so another question that goes back into the books though is like the
(01:06:32) Okay, so my last question that we'll kind of end on this
(01:10:09) Last question: Could we assume Valonr is a purgatory for mortal beings
(01:11:19) If you were to suggest any books based off of the Rings of Power
(01:15:35) This episode of Desert Wanderers was produced by Salt and Light Radio