Susan's Blog: The War for Middle-earth by Joseph Loconte – Wonderful, Fascinating, Inspiring, and Insightful

Friday, November 14, 2025

The War for Middle-earth by Joseph Loconte – Wonderful, Fascinating, Inspiring, and Insightful

As someone who loves reading about WWII history, I was excited to read Joseph Loconte’s new book The War for Middle-earth: J.R.R Tolkien and C.S. Lewis Confront the Gathering Storm, 1933-1945. This book shows impact of The Great War, on two men who fought in WWI, J.R.R. Tolkien, and C.S. Lewis. Great writers whose works have touched generations. How the devastation they witnessed and experienced transformed how they viewed the world.

Their friendship with one another, and other like-minded men, helped anchor their Christian faith. These men appreciated English literature and saw the value of myths and legends and how they impact cultures. Together they were able to explore ideas, understand moral values rooted in truth, the knowledge of good and evil, and the importance of bravery in the face of impossible odds.

While they were in Oxford England during WWII, their writings and lectures helped to battle the cultural moral decay that led to racism, anti-Semitism, eugenics, totalitarianism, and communism.

I loved reading The War for Middle-earth and learning about what impacted and influenced Tolkien and Lewis and how it resulted in their timeless writings that impacted their generation and beyond. Eighty years later, people are still being touch and inspired by their novels.

After reading The War for Middle-earth by Joseph Loconte, I am looking forward to going back and rereading Tolkien and Lewis’ books, including The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, The Chronicles of Narnia. Reading the books will be even richer having learned what influenced these men and drove them write and create worlds from their imagination.

The War for Middle-earth by Joseph Loconte is a wonderful, fascinating, insightful, and inspiring book about J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis. Well researched and well written.

I would like to thank Thomas Nelson Publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a complimentary copy of The War for Middle-earth by Joseph Loconte. I was under no obligation to give a favorable review.

No comments:

My Colors Will Be Clear

I am a part of the fellowship of the unashamed. I have Holy Spirit power. The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I'm a disciple of His. I won't look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still.

My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, my future is secure. I'm finished and done with low living, sight seeing, smooth knees, color-less dreams, tamed visions, mundane talking, "chinchy" giving and dwarfed goals.

I no longer need position, promotions, or popularity. I don't have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised, regarded or rewarded. I now live by presence, learn by faith, walk by patience, lift by prayer, and labor by power.

My face is set, my gait is fast, my destination is heaven, my road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions few. My Guide reliable, my mission clear. I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, deluded or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of adversity, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity.

I won't give up, shut up, let up, until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up, and preached up for the cause of the One that gave me life, drew the line in blood for me in the hour of my destiny.

I am one of Christ's remnant people. I belong to Him and none other. All I do to bring this life to another is done because of that blood covenant poured out for me.

I must go till He comes, give till I drop, preach till all know, and work till He stops me. I must share will all that one more might hear and be drawn from the flaming darkness that longs to consume. Reach for another, touch but one more!

Until that moment...He will have no problem in recognizing me- my colors will be clear!!!

Not only are the words inspiring but so is the man behind them. The above letter was written by a Pastor in Africa who was undergoing severe persecution. On the eve of his execution he sat down and wrote the above note.