Ring of Darkness

Nick Perumov fell ill with Tolkien in the 1980s, when the books of this author were difficult to access in the USSR . Through acquaintances and in libraries, Perumov got the missing volumes in the original “The Lord of the Rings,” “The Hobbit,” and “The Silmarillion,” and translated for himself. The books made a huge impression on him, but he did not agree with Tolkien’s moral and edifying position. This led him to write a book about what Middle-earth would have looked like 300 years later, in his presentation. In the late 1980s, a draft version of the book was ready and went to the “samizdat” among friends and acquaintances of the author from the Tolkien’s party.

On the advice of his acquaintance, who liked the book, in 1993 Perumov took the manuscript to the publishing house "Caucasian Library", where it was published under the title "Descent of Darkness, or Middle-earth 300 years later." A small print run was quickly sold out, and the book was interested in North Ossetia, a major science fiction publishing house. Before its release in North-West, the book was heavily edited, called the Ring of Darkness, and was divided into two volumes: Elven Blade and Black Spear.

In 1995, Perumov wrote a sequel to the dilogy - the novel Adamant Henna, thereby turning it into a trilogy. Because of the strong haste and under the pressure of the editors, Perumov severely shortened the third book and was not satisfied with it. She had no such success as the first parts. That is why in 2018, the author rewrote the book Adamant Henna. Now it is called “Sky Valinor. Adamant Henna. In the future we plan to continue this series with the book “Sky of Valinor. Book two ”, as well as write another book of the series (the working title is“ Waterfall ”).

• “Elven blade” - the book begins in the Hobbitania , three hundred years after the end of the War of the Ring.
• "Black Spear" - the second book of the cycle.
• “Adamant Henna” - the book was not part of the original “Descent of Darkness” dilogy, but was written a few years later, as a continuation. The action takes place ten years after the events of the previous parts.
• “The sky of Valinor. Adamant Henna " - rewritten by the writer book Adamant Henna.
• "The Sky of Valinor" - planned by the author, but not written, the second volume of Adamant Henna. ^[one]
• "Waterfall" - planned by the author, but not written, the continuation of the cycle. ^[2]

The audience took the book in different ways, the ratings differed to the most opposite, from admiration to complete rejection. The authors of positive reviews approvingly appreciated the literary part ^[3] and the book’s contribution to the development of science fiction in Russia ^[4] , while the main criticism was aimed at using the world of Middle-earth ^[5] , there were differences with Tolkien’s books both in some details of the setting (introduction of new peoples, territories and forces) and in the moral and ethical concept. ^[6] At the same time, it is often noted ^[7] some similarity of the “Ring of Darkness” set with the unfinished Tolkien story “New Shadow” , planned as a continuation of “ The Lord of the Rings ”.

Western countries in the trilogy, while remaining nominally positive, are presented as arrogant and self-confident, not wanting to take care of their own security and to notice warnings. At the same time, the antagonists - Olmer and his allies - are shown not by the forces of Evil, but by ordinary people, the troops of the conquerors. Supporters of the Leader, unlike the hordes of Sauron , are not alien to the positive features. ^[eight] Orcs are also described as more humane and more sympathetic than the original. Perumov admitted that in this way he led a kind of correspondence discussion with the position of Tolkien, who described the struggle between Good and Evil as absolute principles. At the same time, however, he urged not to consider the point of view of the characters of his personal point of view ^[9] .

• Orderly

• "Ring of Darkness 10 years later" - article author
• Rezanova N.V. Myths of the Fourth Era (Neopr.) . Tol Eressea .
• Duel supporters and opponents of the book
• Veniamin Ficus - “The World of Perumov and Tolkien through the Eyes of the Reader”
• Anonymous Maimonides - “Answer to the reader who looks at the world of Tolkien with open eyes”