Unlike The Lord of the Rings, which focuses on characters of different races, The Hobbit centers on a group of dwarves, a wizard, and the titular hobbit. The plot focuses on Thorin Oakenshield and his company’s journey to reclaim his kingdom conquered by an evil dragon, Smaug. Who are the 13 dwarves and Thorin’s company? …

When it comes to fantasy, nobody wrote Wizards like Tolkien. For millions, the very word ‘Wizard’ conjures up Gandalf the Grey, bent over his staff as he arrives at Bag End. Or Saruman the White, casting sinister spells atop Orthanc Tower in Isengard. Gandalf and Saruman feature prominently in The Lord of the Rings books, but …

It’s hard to imagine anyone else but Viggo Mortensen as Aragorn. While relatively unknown when cast in The Lord of the Rings, Viggo went on to perfectly embody the ranger from the North. He captures both the gritty warrior mentality of ‘Strider’ and the romantic nobility of Aragorn, heir of Gondor. The actor is as …