Editorial

[page 2] EDITORIAL BY GREG SHAW I always wanted to edit a Tolkien fanzine, and even before I had my mimeograph I had planned how it was to be. It's @Its@ standard of quality would be at least equal to that of I PALANTIR, it would feature in each issue a major research article, a major analytical article, some fiction and poetry by people with Very Big Names, art by fandom's finest, and impeccable reproduction. However, I ended up getting together with Dave Hall who takes Tolkien a little less religiously than I do (who has in fact gone so far at time @times@ as to criticize and satirize Tolkien) and the result is _Entmoot_, which should turn out to be a pleasent mixture of serious scholarship and fun. This first issue isn't much -- it's @its@ main purpose is simply as a vehicle to announce our plans, establish a format that contributors can fill, and to get something accomplished so momentum can carry us on. _Entmoot_ as it's @its@ name implies, is a gathering place for discussion among Tolkien Fans. So obviously the most important part will be the lettercol. Letters aren't hard to write (for a starter you need merely explain what aspect is particular of Middle Earth you are most interested in) so I hope we can have a large lettercol nextish. We will run major articles as they are written and submitted -- in the near future, for example, you may see an article by myself which sets standards for reading and writing Elven and explains in detail just how to do it, and another article which draws some interesting parallels between the Lord of the Rings and Wagner's Ring cycle of operas. For those of you who are interested in research or creative work based on the material in the Tolkien books, we want to be informed of your ideas for projects -- I conceive a sort of bulletin board of ideas for valuable projects people have suggested, and a system whereby a person can volunteer for one and everybody else will know it's been taken. That will avoid useless duplication of labor which can so easily occur. (For example, I had already completed and published the first half of my Dictionary of Elven Words before I came across a copy of I - PALANTIR II and found out that Jack Harness had begun work on the very same project some years ago. Luckily he never finished, or my dozens of man-hours of work would have been wasted.) So send in your ideas for projects and nextish will carry said bulletin board. I also rather hope that now that my dictionary is extant, we will see some creative work being done in the actual elven language. I myself have translated several poems fron English into Elven, but being no poet I have tried no original work. But the language contains myriads of colorful words and poetic ideas that can be used. And of course the famous poem ELBERETH GILTHONIAL @GILTHONIEL@ has yet to be translated into English. In conclusion, however, the most important project might now be in finding out the identities of every Tolkien fan so we can all be kept up to date on what's happening. I expect every Tolkien fan who wishes to be known as such to contact me in some manner. And remember, I will be publishing the second issue, so _everything_ is to be sent to me. Greg Shaw