Snow Abby
@arobertswrites.com
SFF writer and essayist you’ve never heard of. SocDem/progressive. Tolkien nerd. Armchair medievalist. She/her. Header by beloved.moe.
Website: arobertswrites.com
Newsletter: buttondown.email/arobertswrites
Website: arobertswrites.com
Newsletter: buttondown.email/arobertswrites
Pinned
Snow Abby
@arobertswrites.com
· Apr 21
What Lies and Threats — Speculative Insight
Abby Roberts examines the use of national myth-making in JRR Tolkien's Lord of the Rings.
www.speculativeinsight.com
For $0.00 you can read what Bret Devereaux (of ACOUP fame) called an "absolute banger of a Tolkien essay" and what my mom (of giving birth to me fame) called "very timely and relevant": "What Lies and Threats: Nationalist Myth-Making in The Lord of the Rings" on @speculativeinsight.bsky.social!
Like, I was astonished when Westmoot 2025 fed attendees, give that none of the similarly-sized SFF cons I’d attended had provided food to attendees.
In my limited and potentially non-representative experience, Tolkien specific cons are friendlier and better organized than many general SFF cons, and mid sized cons are better than either large or small cons
December 26, 2025 at 10:19 PM
Like, I was astonished when Westmoot 2025 fed attendees, give that none of the similarly-sized SFF cons I’d attended had provided food to attendees.
Also adjacent to Discourse, what I wouldn’t give to advance to being a nobody in the book scene, not just a nobody in the short fiction scene.
Adjacent to Discourse, the SFF scene can be cliquey, but this applies whoever you are.
December 26, 2025 at 10:15 PM
Also adjacent to Discourse, what I wouldn’t give to advance to being a nobody in the book scene, not just a nobody in the short fiction scene.
Adjacent to Discourse, the SFF scene can be cliquey, but this applies whoever you are.
December 26, 2025 at 10:12 PM
Adjacent to Discourse, the SFF scene can be cliquey, but this applies whoever you are.
Reposted by Snow Abby
The cat at Stonehenge…
December 26, 2025 at 9:35 PM
The cat at Stonehenge…
Reposted by Snow Abby
#fabulamurina (mouse story) 480
sole occidente, Silvius et Fusca corvicula in arboris insident (As the sun sets, Silvius and Dusky the young crow perch in a tree). nolite bacas crataegi gustare, amiculi - amarae sapiunt (Don't try the hawthorn berries, little friends - they taste bitter)!
sole occidente, Silvius et Fusca corvicula in arboris insident (As the sun sets, Silvius and Dusky the young crow perch in a tree). nolite bacas crataegi gustare, amiculi - amarae sapiunt (Don't try the hawthorn berries, little friends - they taste bitter)!
December 26, 2025 at 9:35 PM
#fabulamurina (mouse story) 480
sole occidente, Silvius et Fusca corvicula in arboris insident (As the sun sets, Silvius and Dusky the young crow perch in a tree). nolite bacas crataegi gustare, amiculi - amarae sapiunt (Don't try the hawthorn berries, little friends - they taste bitter)!
sole occidente, Silvius et Fusca corvicula in arboris insident (As the sun sets, Silvius and Dusky the young crow perch in a tree). nolite bacas crataegi gustare, amiculi - amarae sapiunt (Don't try the hawthorn berries, little friends - they taste bitter)!
Reposted by Snow Abby
On 26 December 1926: Father Christmas writes to the #Tolkien children on how the North Polar Bear let off the "Rory Bory Aylis" fireworks, and drew the below image to demonstrate it. Image: © Tolkien Estate, from Letters from Father Christmas. #MerryChristmas #BookSky
December 26, 2025 at 9:38 PM
On 26 December 1926: Father Christmas writes to the #Tolkien children on how the North Polar Bear let off the "Rory Bory Aylis" fireworks, and drew the below image to demonstrate it. Image: © Tolkien Estate, from Letters from Father Christmas. #MerryChristmas #BookSky
That’s not a typo, she really called him Baramir.
*At the very end of the the film*
Mom: is Faramir related to Baramir?
Mom: is Faramir related to Baramir?
December 26, 2025 at 8:21 PM
That’s not a typo, she really called him Baramir.
I think Aragorn needs an ibuprofen.
December 26, 2025 at 7:57 PM
I think Aragorn needs an ibuprofen.
Late 90s/early 2000s was the peak of cinema because filmmakers understood that for the internal world of the film to be believable it has to look a bit like shit.
December 26, 2025 at 7:27 PM
Late 90s/early 2000s was the peak of cinema because filmmakers understood that for the internal world of the film to be believable it has to look a bit like shit.
Frodo and Sam are like, just posting selfies with the guy in charge of Area 51
Said it before and I'm saying it again: it's hilarious that Frodo and Sam get spirited away to a top secret government black site, end up making friends with the commander, and just walk out again.
December 26, 2025 at 7:09 PM
Frodo and Sam are like, just posting selfies with the guy in charge of Area 51
Reposted by Snow Abby
Said it before and I'm saying it again: it's hilarious that Frodo and Sam get spirited away to a top secret government black site, end up making friends with the commander, and just walk out again.
December 26, 2025 at 7:06 PM
Said it before and I'm saying it again: it's hilarious that Frodo and Sam get spirited away to a top secret government black site, end up making friends with the commander, and just walk out again.
Why would you have happily ever after when you could have heartbreaking grief and longing
Chicks love a tragic doomed romance (it's me I'm chicks)
December 26, 2025 at 7:03 PM
Why would you have happily ever after when you could have heartbreaking grief and longing
But Gollum did not know about potatoes, meaning they had reached Middle-earth in the 500 years since he took refuge beneath the mountains. In this essay I will
When the camera pans over the refugees gathered in Helm's Deep, they have bushel baskets full of potatoes with them, so it's not just the hobbits who know about taters.
December 26, 2025 at 6:55 PM
But Gollum did not know about potatoes, meaning they had reached Middle-earth in the 500 years since he took refuge beneath the mountains. In this essay I will
The older I get, the more I understand how he feels.
Aragorn also looks like he can't believe he's 87.
December 26, 2025 at 6:52 PM
The older I get, the more I understand how he feels.
[in tears, begging, pleading] let your medievalish characters WEAR COLORS!!!!!
Sending costumers to jail every time they put medieval-ish aristocrat characters in leather and fur. How will people know they have money if they aren't decked out in bling?
Or look at Theoden. His gold thread-embroidered tunic is something like what a high-status medieval man would actually wear.
December 26, 2025 at 6:47 PM
[in tears, begging, pleading] let your medievalish characters WEAR COLORS!!!!!
Sending costumers to jail every time they put medieval-ish aristocrat characters in leather and fur. How will people know they have money if they aren't decked out in bling?
Or look at Theoden. His gold thread-embroidered tunic is something like what a high-status medieval man would actually wear.
December 26, 2025 at 6:30 PM
Sending costumers to jail every time they put medieval-ish aristocrat characters in leather and fur. How will people know they have money if they aren't decked out in bling?
Reposted by Snow Abby
Statler: Many that live deserve death. And some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them? Then do not be too eager to deal out death in judgement.
Waldorf: No, but I'm judging your choice in opera attire.
Both: OH HO HO HO HO HO
Waldorf: No, but I'm judging your choice in opera attire.
Both: OH HO HO HO HO HO
Most of Gandalf's lines also work if spoken in the voice of Statler or Waldorf.
December 26, 2025 at 6:19 PM
Statler: Many that live deserve death. And some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them? Then do not be too eager to deal out death in judgement.
Waldorf: No, but I'm judging your choice in opera attire.
Both: OH HO HO HO HO HO
Waldorf: No, but I'm judging your choice in opera attire.
Both: OH HO HO HO HO HO
Every time I watch LotR it hits me that the Rohirric and Gondorian costumes are light years better than any medieval-inspired costumes of the last decade.
December 26, 2025 at 6:18 PM
Every time I watch LotR it hits me that the Rohirric and Gondorian costumes are light years better than any medieval-inspired costumes of the last decade.
Meh, I'm not getting any writing done :\
December 26, 2025 at 6:14 PM
Meh, I'm not getting any writing done :\
4'5" hobbit getting a full-ride scholarship to play basketball for U. of Buckland.
Hobbit lads complaining about how girls won't date them if they're less than 4 ft tall.
December 26, 2025 at 6:07 PM
4'5" hobbit getting a full-ride scholarship to play basketball for U. of Buckland.
Hobbit lads complaining about how girls won't date them if they're less than 4 ft tall.
December 26, 2025 at 6:01 PM
Hobbit lads complaining about how girls won't date them if they're less than 4 ft tall.
Gandalf: Sauron fears what you will become
Aragorn (hasn't gotten adequate sleep for months): Yeah. OK.
Aragorn (hasn't gotten adequate sleep for months): Yeah. OK.
When Gandalf is making ominous predictions about the course of the wall and Aragorn just stands there nodding and looking resigned it encapuslates their whole relationship.
December 26, 2025 at 5:57 PM
Gandalf: Sauron fears what you will become
Aragorn (hasn't gotten adequate sleep for months): Yeah. OK.
Aragorn (hasn't gotten adequate sleep for months): Yeah. OK.
Reposted by Snow Abby
Look, +2 AC is +2 AC
It's kinda funny that film!Aragorn hears Boromir's last words, tells him to be at peace, and holds him as he dies, just to immediately take his snazzy Tree of Gondor braces.
December 26, 2025 at 5:50 PM
Look, +2 AC is +2 AC
It is actually unfair that a nerd like JRRT could come up with such metal ass scenes and lines.
December 26, 2025 at 5:41 PM
It is actually unfair that a nerd like JRRT could come up with such metal ass scenes and lines.
Ah yes, that most reliable of sources: "I heard of a man"
This shit is made up, actually
December 26, 2025 at 5:07 PM
Ah yes, that most reliable of sources: "I heard of a man"