 A review of the "Fog on the Barrow Downs" By Anthony S Burdge  "Hey come derry dol! Can you hear me singing?" Frodo and Sam stood as if enchanted. "Now
let the song begin! Let us sing together Upon
coming home from a laborious day at work, a place where the enchantment
of the world about us is sincerely lost, I was eager to open the
preview set of the soon to be released "Fog on the Barrow Downs."
I knew that within held the models of the undead Barrow Wights,
the captured hobbits, and, most of all, Tom Bombadil and the River-daughter,
Goldberry.
These same feelings, a sense of enchantment and story are also what I felt in regard to the Barrow-wight models. The designers, Michael and Alan Perry, have Tolkien's words in their hearts, the horrors of the undead kings are as Tolkien described. I would not be surprised if in the process of creation they had the book open to the chapter describing these ghastly creatures. The dim, dark nature of the barrows and their inhabitants are not lost from book to design. One aspect of enjoyment for me in the "Shadow and Flame" set is not only getting to be inside the creative process by painting the models, but in addition, there's reading the rules for the models themselves. Each model has no more abilities or features than what Tolkien put forth in his original creation. Tom Bombadil cannot go beyond the boundaries of the Old Forest; Goldberry's song has a refreshing effect on the other models in play, et cetera. This is not the case with other tangible role playing creations (past or present) by companies other than Games Workshop. The rules for this particular set (as well as other releases) reflect the love the Games Workshop team has for Tolkien's work. This passion that they have makes the playability inside Tolkien's world all the more enjoyable. Upon opening the set "Fog on the Barrow Downs," it is my hope that players/hobbyists are just as awed and enchanted as I was. |
For
an avid reader of Tolkien I am enchanted upon entering his world
and meeting the characters each and every time I pick up the books,
especially by the serene and jolly scenes with Tom. Opening the
"Fog on the Barrow Downs" set was just as joyous, I was enchanted
all over again. My entire imagination was overwhelmed holding the
Tom Bombadil and Goldberry models, and I was reminded of Tolkien's
letters, when he mentioned that the stories of Tom Bombadil arose
from a doll his son had. I heard Tom laughing and singing and the
refreshing song of Goldberry washed over me. I was in their cottage,
beside the hobbits, beyond the threshold of enchantment. The Goldberry
model was caught in a moment of grace, her hair aloft as caught
in a breeze, a candle in her hand as if to guide Tom home. I do
not know what Tolkien's son felt as he held his doll of Tom Bombadil
and heard his father reading him the stories he wrote for it, but
when I held the model I recalled each and every line Tolkien wrote
for us all.
