After such a tumultuous year, I am hoping to go into 2021 with cautious optimism. Yet, even as I continue working on this series, I will admit I spent a lot of time afraid to work in anticipation of another tragic event that would keep me from doing what I love. However, readers and fans have given me more courage to go on–especially in anticipation of this release–possibly due to the “bonus” material.
In this download of the Original Version of The Saga of Thranduil, there an exclusive look-see into The Epic of Eryn Galen (the prequel, if you will). The first two chapters begin a journey for the Elves that (for some) will last until the end of the War of the Ring (in The Lord of the Rings). Under starlight, the elves awaken on the shores of Lake Cuiviénen. With a stop in a place that would one day become known to the world as Mirkwood, the saga of Elves of the Woodland Realm begins. Book I is their origin story; their legacy.
To end 2020 with something such as this reminds me of how my own journey to this work began–with uncertainty in adversity; wandering in darkness until the first light of the Day Star finally revealed the world to me. Not unlike the characters, I must find the strength to carry on knowing that every night has a day. Hope is often born in times when it seems lost.
@tkwrtrilogy3 will return soon. I had a death in the family. My stepmother passed away (also I got sick; not COVID-19). Many things are returning (and some new things).
First things First: I’m officially returning to work on June 26. That means frequent excerpts to come for “The Kingdom of the Woodland Realm Trilogy”. After a brief hiatus, it is good to get back to work again.
Now it is Father’s Day once again. It is hard to believe my own father has been gone for almost two years now. I was lucky that he lived long enough to see the original version of The Saga of Thranduil. I remember on our last day together, I read some of it to him because they said though he was in a coma, he could still hear. After four hours with, I was about to leave when he seemed to wake up and turn to me and ask me as he always would, “Where are you going?” I said, “I’m going home.” He said ‘ok’ and that was his last words to the world. He would die two days later.
Now, book business. After we nearly destroyed WordPress the last time we had a download available, we have decided to have more than one place for people to go. Besides being available here, the PDF can be downloaded here as well:
Facebook: If you are a member of TKWRT Group, you can get it on the group page.
It is time for @tkwrtrilogy2@tkwrtrilogy@tkwrtrilogy3@tkwrtnewsfeed@tkwrtrilogyhistory and all of its affiliates to leave Tumblr. I have broken no rules yet I am being blocked for some godforsaken reason. These books have been here for over five years, and all of a sudden they are getting blocked? I’m not gonna deal with this BS anymore. This is what I do as a writer. It’s my life’s work and I won’t have it compromised by a blog with crappy algorithms. I’m just going to exclusively be on WordPress, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter from now on. Sorry @staff, but your rules are ridiculous. It has not violated any nudity graphic violence and or sex rules for over five years and they want to block things? I do not even use but one image at a time, and they are all from MIDDLE EARTH. This was the last straw. When my readers can’t read what they love, it is time to go. I am done with Tumblr. I am tired of this. I don’t use it them that much anyway anymore, so it is time to leave. I will be gone by the end of February.
I was not in my chambers long before Mîrwen entered. She had a look of dread upon her face. I knew better than to inquire. She had spent much of her time with the Queen this day. With the departure of Thingol, I knew too well the fear in Melian’s heart. What she said to the court with her eyes, she spoke to her most trusted ladies.
“What is on your mind, Orothôn,” she asked as she walked by without a glance. “I could hear your thoughts in the hall.”
“I have nothing on my mind other than my concern for you.”
“As you well should,” she said. “But I would worry more for the fate of the Eldalië.”
“Why is that,” I began. “Do not speak to me in riddles, Mîrwen. Between you and Galadriel, on can hardly dismiss the look of puzzlement upon my face.”
“There is talk of war,” she said angrily. “Or do menfolk not speak of it anymore?”
“We speak of it,” I answered. “But why would ladies concern themselves with war?”
“We are far from immune by the affects of war,” she said. “We are wives and mothers of warriors.”
“Yes, you are,” I said. “And as such, it would be helpful if you would tell your warrior husband what you are trying to say.”
“Mother wishes to sail west.”
I looked at Mîrwen. From her expression, I could tell she knew I was stunned.
“What are you saying, Mîrwen?”
“Dark times are coming to us,” she began. “There will be death among us. Mother wishes for us to go where we should have gone a long time ago.”
I did not know what to say. Before I could think of something, there came a knock at the door.
“Enter,” I said without a backwards glance.
“Ada,” I heard Oropher say. I turned to see my son standing beside Amdir.
“Yes, Oropher,” I asked.
“You are wanted,” he said. “By Elmo.”
I nodded.
“See to your mother,” I whispered.
“Yes, Ada,” he answered.
“Elmo is with Iarûr in the library,” Amdir added.
I nodded, and made my way down the hall. As I turned down the corridor leading to the library, I met Êlengolas and Finëar.
“Have you two been summoned,” I asked.
“If by summoned you mean intentionally eavesdropping, then yes,” Êlengolas said with a smile. Finëar sighed in annoyance.
“Yes, he was called upon,” he said. “Êlengolas is one of our best warriors, if not our most trying. Angband rumbles again for that creature brought with it more than eyes.”
As we entered the library, several elves busied themselves with putting scrolls into trunks. Iarûr and Elmo stood in the farthest corner speaking quietly as Súlwë sat nearby. When they saw us approaching, we were greeted warmly.
“Orothôn,” Iarûr said. “Good of you to come.”
“I was told Elmo wished to see me,” I answered.
“Yes,” Elmo said. “Have you spoken to Mîrwen?”
“I have only briefly.”
“So, she has told you of Orowen’s desire to sail west.”
“Yes,” I answered. “I am afraid I do not understand.”
“I believe you do, Orothôn,” Elmo said. “It was you, after all, that heard my promise to my wife many years ago on our way to Doriath.”
Everything became clear to me in that moment. My mind returned to the forest beneath the stars.
“You have called me here to tell me we are to leave Doriath?”
“No,” he said softly. “Not just yet, but it is on the minds of many.”
“I find it difficult to fathom King Thingol leaving this world,” I said. “And if my memory serves, you said you would leave if you failed to convince your brother.”
“You memory serves you well,” he answered.
“The King will not leave Doriath,” Êlengolas said. “So long as his daughter remains, he is tethered forever to this land.”
“His daughter has given her love to a mortal,” Finëar added. “Now Elven blood will one day flow together with Atani for many generations.”
“Yes,” Elmo said softly. “I made a promise to my beloved, but I owe my allegiance to my brother.”
“So you wish to stay,” I asked.
“No,” Elmo answered. “I want to leave with my family before more Elven blood is shed.”
“Well, do it quickly,” Iarûr said. “That time will be upon us soon. More than elven blood will flow through this land.”
“Are you planning to leave as well,” I asked Iarûr.
“No,” he said. “I must stay. My fate is tied to another. But I will make my way home when it is is my time to do so.”
“When are you leaving, Elmo,” I asked.
“As soon as my brother returns, I shall tell him my plans so that I may prepare for our journey. You will be coming with us, yes?”
I did not answer. I had not given it much thought. Even after facing the evil of Morgoth, I had come to call Doriath my home.–TKWRT Book I: The Epic of Eryn Galen by Jaynaé Marie Miller. 12-11-2021
Yep, we’re back. In this episode, there is talk of elves sailing West as their world grows darker. While Thingol and Beren go after the wolf Carcharoth, there is chatter of what may be coming.
I have been on a short hiatus (sort of). I am not at home. I had an ordeal that took me away from all my work on @tkwrtrilogy3and@thesecretofthehouseofbourbonbook for some time. I am just now returning to work, as it were. One day, I will tell you what happened when I am ready. For now, I am still putting the pieces of my life back in order and slowly returning to my beloved work. There will be more updates on @tkwrtnewsfeedand@newsfromthehouseofbourbon.
1) A new excerpt will be posted at midnight from @tkwrtrilogy3.
2) The article “Becoming Oropher” will be posted on WordPress in order to prepare everyone for the upcoming story told by Oropher in Part II of “Book I: The Epic of Eryn Galen”.
I won’t go into all the annoying fights I went through with 2 internet companies to get here. I was knocked offline for over a month because one company was too expensive and lousy and the other one was affordable but the equipment is extraordinarily cheap and flimsy. On the upside of the latter, I now have 5G. Aside from now working on two trilogies (the other being @thesecretofthehouseofbourbonbook), we are finally back on track with TKWRT after a death in the family and an ongoing family dispute.
So, until Midnight: Have a Wonderful Day.
Good to be back after several months of “you really don’t want to know”.
If not for the genius of my 20th century literary hero, there would never be a Kingdom of the Woodland Realm Trilogy. He is known as the grandfather of the modern fantasy genre. He maintained a child-like wonder and imagination his entire life and that what I strive to do because it is what gives us hope and allows us to believe anything is possible.
1) A new excerpt will be posted at midnight from @tkwrtrilogy3.
2) The article “Becoming Oropher” will be posted on WordPress in order to prepare everyone for the upcoming story told by Oropher in Part II of “Book I: The Epic of Eryn Galen”.
I won’t go into all the annoying fights I went through with 2 internet companies to get here. I was knocked offline for over a month because one company was too expensive and lousy and the other one was affordable but the equipment is extraordinarily cheap and flimsy. On the upside of the latter, I now have 5G. Aside from now working on two trilogies (the other being @thesecretofthehouseofbourbonbook), we are finally back on track with TKWRT after a death in the family and an ongoing family dispute.
First things First: I’m officially returning to work on June 26. That means frequent excerpts to come for “The Kingdom of the Woodland Realm Trilogy”. After a brief hiatus, it is good to get back to work again.
Now it is Father’s Day once again. It is hard to believe my own father has been gone for almost two years now. I was lucky that he lived long enough to see the original version of The Saga of Thranduil. I remember on our last day together, I read some of it to him because they said though he was in a coma, he could still hear. After four hours with, I was about to leave when he seemed to wake up and turn to me and ask me as he always would, “Where are you going?” I said, “I’m going home.” He said ‘ok’ and that was his last words to the world. He would die two days later.
Now, book business. After we nearly destroyed WordPress the last time we had a download available, we have decided to have more than one place for people to go. Besides being available here, the PDF can be downloaded here as well:
Facebook: If you are a member of TKWRT Group, you can get it on the group page.
365 days ago, The Saga of Thranduil debuted on WordPress for the first time. 16,600+ views later, here we are. For 24 hours, I decided to release the original version one last time before the release of the Extended Version in December.
The next time it will be available will inside the entire trilogy. Don’t worry, though–another surprise is forthcoming.
If you belong to the book’s Facebook Page, you’ll be able to download it there. You may also download it here: https://tkwrtrilogy.wordpress.com/2019/08/18/happy-first-anniversary/
For everyone else, go to https://drive.google.com/open?id=1wpSK81RnBiweFnGhdUN52hym7edsMv-z
Thank you for reading. If my father were here, he would be proud.
From 12am Friday to 12am Monday, you can download the original version of Book II: The Saga of Thranduil here. If you are a member of the TKWRT Facebook Group, it is here.
Don’t forget to follow the next volume of the trilogy going on right now @tkwrtrilogy3 (if you’re new to all of this).
The Day Is Finally HERE: The Final Re-Release of Book II: The Saga of Thranduil.
For now. After this 24-hour release, it will disappear to go into final editing. It is a book, after all. Writing the book for me was the easy part; going through over 1000+ pages to cross my ‘t’s’ and dot my ‘i’s’ is the hard part. Granted, doing the Elvish parts makes me pretty much insane. I did choose to do this so I’ll go on somehow.
This is for my father on what would have been his 88th birthday. He called The Saga of Thranduil his book. At that moment, I never felt so much pride in my life. It would be less than two weeks later he would die.
NO: THAT ISN’T JUST A PRETTY PHOTO OF BARD; IT’S A NEW BOOK.
It has been a while–my father died on October 6 of this year so I was gathering myself together and of course getting myself into more trouble. I’m going to be tackling a lot of Middle-Earth History as you can see.
It is part of what has become the TKWR Trilogy Franchise (or so I’m told that’s what I am; go figure) because if you’ve been reading the actual TKWR Trilogy (Particularly Book II: The Saga of Thranduil), then you know on tiny line of the Bardings (descendants of Bard) are related by marriage to TheElvenking (via his wife Êlúriel)…yeah, it’s as complicated as it is straightforward.
Yeah, with over 3000 views in 3 months for the Official TKWR Trilogy on WordPress (https://officialwptkwrt.wordpress.com) I believe the best way to honor my father now is to keep going. The Flagship Book (dedicated to my father) has spawned a revolution (and I’ve added another writer) that will be the legacy I leave behind as I am the legacy my father left behind.
(Yeah: For those just tuning in, this book is done–except for the last chapter “Thranduil Everlasting” which is in the epilogue of “Book III: The Last Tale of Legolas Lasgalen”)
Yes, I am looking forward to this and all other things I will bring to the world for my father and always in honor of J.R.R. Tolkien.
One of those days I wish I drank…I’ll drink some V-8. Anyway, I had estimated 20 views (and I kept Khalessi from burning down Laketown) but I got well over 100. I think this is my early birthday present. It has to be: I share my birthday with Beyoncé and so I’m quite sure I’ll be ignored the whole day as always.
Evenbefore my father’s Alzheimer’s he would come to my house and say, “Did you know it was Beyoncé’s birthday?” And I would say, “Yes, Dad. It’s mine, too.” And he’d say, “Really?”
Anyway, it was a good day. Off to the next adventure: Chicago (maybe) to meet my alter ego (Lee Pace). I’m still nursing a bruise from Monday and I don’t want to be away from my father too long these days. We’ll see.
The moment has arrived–and for some reason this year is more anticipated than before. Thranduil has been busy this summer (and it isn’t officially here until June 21). But enough about me–you’re here for the link that rules them all–until midnight on June 22).
The book is FREEandvirus-free as it is on Google Drive.
First of all, I’m not dropping everything to write this particular book (I don’t know why people fear that). The “new” book is not as “new” as I am implying. The story (like the trilogy) is a long and winding one.
When I began outlining the Elves of Mirkwood, naturally people wonder “where are all these elves coming from. For example, it is no secret Thranduil’s cousin Elranduil married a Noldorin (Ardúin) and Thranduil’s wife is a Nandor (Danwaith)–the last of the remaining ones. Nearly all of the main characters have a back story (and after stories), so I had written part of those around the time I began The Kingdom of the Woodland Realm Trilogy. They were going to go into the Appendix (which at the time included Legolas’ Journals). When I changed the format of the book–having the story told by the four generation of elves–two being rulers and one being an heir to the Woodland Realm–I was free to do with the back stories what I wished–especially the one about the origins of Êlúriel.
It doesn’t have a title yet; it is not put together as well as the other books in the trilogy–even Legolas’ story is already planned from beginning to end. This new book will be part of the Appendix, unless it’s longer than 200 pages. There is a reason for that:
515 pages of Book II: The Saga of Thranduil (original version) is already a ream; its extended version will be at least 600pages in its final form and Book I and Book III are currently estimated to be 500-600pages each–then there’s the extended version of Book III which will more than likely be around 500-600pages long. When I put the trilogies together, that’s a lot of paper to add something 200+ pages long. I’m already over 1100 with Book I/Book II (both versions) not including Book III.
Tolkien’sThe Lord of the RingsTrilogy* in one volume is 1178 pages (including the Appendix; 1031w/o).So you can see I have a doorstop in the making. And even though this new “volume” will mesh with the trilogy (not unlike the STARZshowThe White Queen–based on three books by Philippa Gregory that tell three different sides of the same history; only in this case there’s several sides talking when you add Iarûr (Prologue of Book I) to the stories of Orothôn,Oropher,ThranduilandLegolas), I still have to decide at some point how long will it need to be to fit into the appendix or if it should just stand-alone.
I am still trying to decide whether to cut Book I in half as itself will contain two stories told by two elves–both crossing over at a pivotal event from one POV to another (hard to do especially I will have to eventually make that transition for all three of the original books). I do that, TKWRT won’t stand for TKWR TrilogybutTKWR Tetralogy. That won’t be decided until all three books are complete, though.
You are watching a novel in progress–I like to call it a reality show since readers are literally reading TKWR Trilogy in evolution. There’s is always something new coming around the corner and editing something like this requires someone that has flown over the Cuckoo’s Nest a few times and is literate in Tolkien Languages–especially Adûnaic. That hasn’t been added yet–nor has all of the Quenya. (Quenya is the hardest of the two Elven Languages known; That is why no one is out there selling “Learn Quenya” (even though Sindarin is Quendi for “Grey-Elven Language”). All the languages change with each new age/generation (as all languages do) which makes it impossible to say which “literary” version you are reading–and it gets worse with Tengwar where there’s far more to it than what most people think.
Adûnaic is harder still, even though Akallabêth is “The Down Fallen” in Adûnaic in The Silmarillion. What you get to read now is my “short-hand” for some things in Sindarin that may be translated eventually into Quenya–especially in Eryn Galen. Oropher didn’t like Sindarin at all (hence why it was unknown whether Thranduil spoke it). There is a reason Oropher didn’t like it and unless you adore reading thousands of pages of Tolkien’s notes in the form of 12+ volumes of Middle Earth History and his other works, you won’t find that reason (mostly because Oropher is in only one book of all books dealing with ME Histories by Tolkien and he’s somewhere else altogether)–hence the reason my book will have a very large bibliography. Yeah, this is an in-depth book I’m writing. I’m a glutton for punishment.
So, that’s it for now; back to work. I have a bunch of elves stuck in Ossiriand for a moment waiting for a few baby elves to be old enough to continue the journey into the West (by “west” I mean some will get lazy somewhere around Beleriand and hang out in Doriath with King Thingol and his Queen Melian). Also, I’ve been advised to use my real name in order to get the accounts for this book and myself verified ✅. Thranduil has come a long, long way from where he started.–JMM (Jaynaé Marie Miller).
*The Lord of the Rings is actually not a trilogy. It was originally supposed to be six books–a hexalogy, so to speak. In fact, in the table of contents, you’ll notice that each of the “books” has “two books” within them.
It’s my father’s birthday and I asked him what he wanted. He thought about and he said, $100. I told him I didn’t have $100. So he said, $5 and a copy of the book I keep talking about. So, I went to work:
This is what two days, two ink cartridges, 515 pages, 30 chapters, 183,300 words over 730 days looks like: A ream of paper or really good doorstop. I found a box for it (because it’s a hefty stack of paper) and signed it turning this stack of copy paper into the first official hard copy of Book II: The Saga of Thranduil (original version) ever seen in its most complete form–so far. It’s not complete just yet (it’s still in editing).
HOWEVER–
What is in this version is different than the last (if you read the last one) is the fact that the appendix has additions and clues to what’s coming in Book I: The Epic of Eryn Galen:@tkwrtrilogy3,Book III: The Last Tale of Legolas Lasgalen:@trenarnolegolaslasgalen, as well as the Extended Version of Book II: The Saga of Thranduil: @extendedtkwrtrilogyend and the Extended Version of Book III:@tkwrtrilogylasttale.
What’s in it for you? Well, you get 24 hours to download this lovely second draft of Book II: The Saga of Thranduil in honor of my father’s birthday.
From12am February 28 to 12am March 1, you get to download this book one more time before you’ll only be able to read it online (for awhile–a long while; TBA).
Happy Birthday to My Father: Dr. Herman T. Miller, PhD. I ❤️You.
IT’S “OFFICIAL”: TKWR TRILOGY is OFFICIAL–EVERYWHERE.
Thranduil has made it halfway to the mountain top–sort of. He’s brought his people out of the dark and now gets to be “official”. Chances are, I’ll have to do everything over again to get the blue check, but I’ll be working on that beginning tomorrow, February 1, 2018–while posting in Book I: The Epic of Eryn Galen.
Look for “OFFICIAL” because that would be me. IF you see it and aren’t sure, just look for TOLKIEN Elvish–the only Elvish I know and use. Also look for really complex storylines that seem incredibly insane; that could be me and/or Tolkien because that is the one thing we have in common–a knack for creating so much stuff, appendices have to be used to follow it all. The most obvious thing to look for are CREDITS*⬇️: I’ll always give credit where its due.
*If you edited anything without the permission of the original author, by law no one owns them but the original artist–I would know; I do have one of the best intellectual property lawyers in the country.⚖️
Ask Me Anything (within reason) about Book II: The Saga of Thranduil. Maybe something about The Kingdom of the Woodland Realm Trilogy–like how the heck did this thing happen and why–who knows.
Once this is done, everything goes to Book I: The Epic of Eryn Galen (while I finish editing the two drafts of both versionsofBook II: The Saga of Thranduil). When that one is done, there will be a release of Book I/Book II–same for Book III: The Last Tale of Legolas Lasgalen. Each book will be released individually before they are released together.
Until then (and maybe before, should something change), Namárië.
“Above the coursing breeze blowing across the waters came the rising of voices. I noticed Mîrwen had taken hold of my hand. It was the first time I had noticed how beautiful she was—the light of ten thousand stars shone in her eyes. I could not turn my gaze away—finding her beauty without equal among all others to me. She smiled at me.
“You are beautiful,” I said finally; my voice startling me when I first heard it. It was deep and resonating and I feared it wold frighten Mîrwen but she was not afraid.
“So are you,” she said softly—her voice to me was a melody I would forever be drawn.
We looked around as we stood among others as we—wandering in the paradise beneath the stars that cast their light as reflection and shadow upon the stillness of the lake by which we were born.
We were approached by one with long golden hair and grey eyes with a maiden at his side with dark golden hair longer still.
“I am Iarûr,” he said. “This is Nimríel.”
“There are many here before us,” I said. “Where do we settle?”
“Beyond here,” he began. “There lies a greater pace whispered among us yet none have dared wander.”
“There are many of us,” I said. They seem quite contented to remain here beside the waters.”
“Why not,” a voice asked. “I have found little reason to venture elsewhere. What do they call you? I am Êlengolas.”
“Iarûr,” he said to him.
“Where has Valdôr gone,” I asked.
“Not far,” he said. “His wonder has taken him among the hosts. There are many but by name we are not all the same.”
Nimríel seemed distant at those words and Mîrwen comforted her away from us as she instinctively knew something we did not.
“If there is a home beyond this place, let time tell us the way we should go,” I said. “For we were awakened her by the creator of the stars.”
We delighted in this and returned with our beloved wives to the shores where our kin had gathered. I lay beside Mîrwen gazing into starlight for a time without end. There was a peace I only knew that I would long for in the coming of days when the echoes of night would bring an evil that would extinguish the light of hope.”–TKWR Trilogy Book I: The Epic of Eryn Galen by J.Marie Miller 6-23-2017
“Time begins as it will end—in a moment. There have been many moments that have come and gone since we awoke. There are many forests in this world, and many mountains rise above them beneath an endless night. We would never forget our birth, for it was then as one we came into light. But time would wear away that which was never meant to be put asunder and all that we once knew would fall into a darkness as great as shadows cast by mountains against the setting of the sun.”–Iarûr form the Chronicles of Orothôn (Book I: The History of Eryn Galen) by J.M.Miller 8-10-16
Hello, and welcome to the last (and the first) of The Kingdom of the Woodland Realm Trilogy. This is the beginning of the history of Eryn Galen/Mirkwood/Eryn Lasgalen–before Thranduil or his father, Oropher were born. Going all the way back to Thranduil’s grandfather, Orothôn and his wife Aralúin and their sundering at Lake Cuiviénen, this story will take you to the birth of Thranduil and lead into what is now known as Book II: The Saga of Thranduil (found here: http://tkwrtrilogy.tumblr.com) and its follow-up, Book III: To Eryn Lasgalen (found here: http://tkwrtrilogy2.tumblr.com) which just began. I will not try to disturb the delicate balance of current readers, but I may periodically start posting this story while completing Book III as this book currently looks to be as long as Book II (don’t quote me on that, but I do have to do two lives in this one–Orothôn and his son Oropher).
