Editors' Introduction

This is the ninth issue of Tolkien Studies, the first refereed journal solely devoted to the scholarly study of the works of J.R.R. Tolkien. As editors, our goal is to publish excellent scholarship on Tolkien as well as to gather useful research information, reviews, notes, documents, and bibliographical material.

All articles have been subject to anonymous, external review in addition to receiving a positive judgment by the Editors. In the cases of articles by individuals associated with the journal in any way, each article had to receive at least two positive evaluations from two different outside reviewers. Reviewer comments were anonymously conveyed to the authors of the articles. The Editors agreed to be bound by the recommendations of the outside referees. Although they are solicited and edited by the editors, book reviews represent the judgments of the individual reviewers, not Tolkien Studies.

With this issue Tolkien Studies bids farewell to Douglas A. Anderson, one of the founding editors of the journal. Since 2001 Doug has been co-editor of Tolkien Studies, taking special responsibility for Book Reviews and Book Notes, but keeping his keen eye on every aspect of the journal, making innumerable corrections and additions from his vast knowledge of Tolkien and his works, and employing his sound scholarly judgment on matters great and small. He will be missed, and we wish him well with all his future endeavors, including his own publishing imprint, Nodens Books.

Starting with our next issue (Tolkien Studies X), David Bratman will be Book Review editor and co-editor of Tolkien Studies, and Merlin DeTardo will be taking over the annual Year's Work in Tolkien Studies.