Urthona Buddhist arts magazine

14/08/2025

What is your favourite not so well known fantasy novel?

Please post recommendations below... Anything apart from the very best known classic fantasy novels (Tolkien, Martin, Le Guin etc) will be interesting to hear about.

My recommendation is 'The Broken Sword' by Poul Anderson.

This is a savage, powerful tale of a warrior who goes to the dark side. It is full of the atmosphere of dark Northern folk tales and Sagas, which Anderson had clearly studied deeply.

A changing warrior who has been adopted by the elven race wishes to revenge a great wrong and in order to do this he has a powerful magical sword repaired for him. But the sword is cursed, it is fated that as well as destroying his enemies it will destroy those he loves and finally himself.

Full of magic and dark power, this short novel has a tragic mythic grandeur, unique among modern fantasy novels.

30/07/2025

Urthona issue 37 - the Dharma of Fantasy

The cover of the current issue in all its glory, featuring a dramatic shot of an Icelandic volcano which could easily be a scene from Middle Earth.
Inside Buddhist writers explore how fantasy literature has provided inspiration during dark times and helped them transform their lives...

30/07/2025

URTHONA BUDDHIST ARTS MAGAZINE ISSUE 37 Now on Sale

'The Dharma of Fantasy' buy online:

https://urthona-magazine.square.site/product/37-urthona-37/19?cp=true&sa=true&sbp=false&q=false

(Click below for slide show preview)

Each Urthona Magazine (printed on high quality art paper in full colour A4 format with many fine images) presents in-depth exploration of an aspect of art and culture from a contemporary Buddhist perspective.

Issue 37, 'the Dharma of Fantasy' explores the sublime visions of danger, wonder and transformation of some of the best loved fantasy writers. Includes articles and beautiful visual features on:

* Tolkien's flawed heroes
* The Inklings of Oxford
* Interview with Ursula Le Guin
* Visuddhimati – visionary Buddhist art
* Moksananda – sublime abstract painting
* Poetry, reviews and much more

Back issues have included these fascinating themes:

* Landscapes and the sublime – issue 36
* Beauty of the Goddess image – issue 32
* The dharma of Science Fiction – issue 34
* Storytelling & Arthurian legend – issue 31

By current and back issues here:

https://urthona-magazine.square.site/s/shop

03/06/2025

Charles Williams - the forgotten Inkling

The celebrated literary group from mid-century Oxford - the Inklings - are best known for their two most famous authors - J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S Lewis.

However, they had several other members who were equally talented. Most notably perhaps the poet and literary scholar Charles Williams.

Charles Williams was a wonderful mercurial expounder of the esoteric Christian imagination. He made major contributions in three areas:

Novels with deep metaphysical and supernatural themes such as 'The Place of the Lion', in which the platonic archetypes of things come to life in the real world. Or 'War in Heaven' in which the Holy Grail surfaces in an obscure English rural parish church.

Highly imaginative prose writing on literature and theology, most notably perhaps 'The Figure of Beatrice' in which he explores the spiritual significance of Dante's divine muse & guide.

But his most significant achievements surely were his long modernist poems based on Arthurian symbolism, 'Taliessin through Logres' and 'The Region of the Summer Stars.'

Perhaps not so immediately accessible, these poems nevertheless are every bit as rich with imaginative & mythic significance as the works of Tolkien or Lewis. Here is a short extract from 'Taliessin through Logres' in which his hero poet the Welsh bard Taliessin arrives in the mythical Britain of Logres:

In a harbor of Logres

lightly I came to land

under a roaring wind.

Strained were the golden sails

the masts of the galley creaked

as it rode for the Golden Horn

and I for the hills of Wales.

In a train of golden cars

the emperor went above,

for over me in my riding,

shot seven golden stars,

as if while the great oaks stood,

straining, creaking, around,

a golden sickle

flashed in the Druid wood.

Covered on my back

untouched, my harp had hung;

its notes sprang to sound

as I took the blindfold track.

You can read more about the Inklings in the latest issue

27/01/2025

The Lord of the Rings - alternative ending

The existing ending of Tolkien's masterpiece is neither sad nor happy. Elegiac is perhaps the best description. Frodo, Gandalf and Galadriel depart over the Western seas towards Valinor, the blessed realm of the gods. Sam Gamgee, however, returns to the Shire to begin along and happy life – 'well, I'm back he says, and that is the end. Simple and satisfying.

Ending a fantasy masterwork is extremely difficult, as many authors, including George R R Martin with his Game of Thrones series still unfinished, have found to their cost. Tolkien had it all clear in his mind. Life ends in the eternal, but temporal life, in Middle Earth, goes on. Sam and his family represent fruitful continuity.

The unpublished epilogue fills this scenario out and is a little more optimistic than the published ending about the fading of magic from Middle Earth. Sam talks to his beloved daughter Elanor and explains what has happened to some of the main characters in The book. But most touchingly he also tells her that King Aragorn is coming to visit, to Lake Evendim just north of the Shire. Sam, Elanor and his whole family are invited to join the king by an ornate invitation in Elvish script – which Tolkien of course drew up in great detail. Queen Arwen and a company of elves will also be there and there will be singing by the lake. Sam explains to Elanor that some high elves have remained to look after Rivendell and the forest of Lothlorien. Indeed it is hinted that they may be around for some hundreds of years to come. As Sam says, 'the light is fading Eleanorel but it won't go out yet...'

The next issue of Urthona will contain much more about Tolkien's vision his down to earth heroes and the anti-quest of the Ring.

You can find the text of the unpublished epilogue in the book 'Sauron Defeated' and the more accessible 'The End of the Third Age'.

You can find facsimiles off the manuscripts in the book Tolkien, the Art of the Manuscript. '

Currently, searching for 'Lord of the rings unpublished epilogue' with bring up a PDF of the text.

Image - a publicity still from the Prime series...

06/01/2025

The Dharma of Fantasy

Our issue on fantasy literature, issue 37, is almost ready to be printed!

There will be amazing articles on :
* Addiction and renunciation in The Lord of the Rings by Dayajava
* The Oxford Inklings and the quest for mythic renewal
* Finding love, patience & forgiveness through fantasy, by Maitriyogini
* Wonderful mythic artwork from Visshudimati and Moksananda

With fantastic artwork , including this rendition of 'the eye of Sauron' by Stirzocular –www.deviantart.com/stirzocular/gallery

Subscribe at www.urthona.com

29/09/2024

https://www.facebook.com/842989250/posts/10164200672579251/?mibextid=rS40aB7S9Ucbxw6v

Lunatum, 2024

Created at Lindsway bay

Otherworldly feel, won't stop with the crescents, really enjoy making them.

07/09/2024

Hubris doubtless, but I wonder if one could do a better translation of Beowulf than Heaney's... Or at least one that sticks more closely to the original alliterative form. Here's my attempt at the first few lines, Heaney's version in the photo...

Lo! The Spear-Danes glory in glad days of old,
Kings of the folk, whose fame spread wide –
How the princes of the people performed brave deeds.
There was Scyld Scefing, scurge the tribes,
Wrecking their mead-halls, rampaging far and wide.
A foundling at first he would flourish later
As he waxed beneath the sky, and his worth was proved.
In the end each clan across the whale-road
Had to grant him gifts. That was one good king!

29/07/2024

Another cover idea for the exciting Urthona fantasy literature issue, due out in September, this time with the Dark Lord himself!!

22/07/2024

Urthona cover: a first draft for cover of new issue. I think I might try to get a more dramatic mythic shot of Iceland...

Tolkien was deeply inspired by Icelandic saga, so an Icelandic landscape seems highly appropriate for our fantasy literature issue.

Ratnagarbha x

22/07/2024

REVIEWS REVIEWS? I have run out of time to do a review section for Urthona, due out in September, but if anyone wants to send in a recommendation of a book or movie in that would be inspiring and helpful for Buddhists and others in these strange times, please do drop me a line, just a few sentences or a paragraph of 150 words would be fine.

All best Ratnagarbha x

By the way did anyone get to the Buddhism and Romanticism conference in Berlin recently?

Here's a book I found inspiring, thanks to Danavira!

09/02/2024

Just published my article on Coleridge and the Landscape of Vision

Cheddar Gorge, Somerset, England, UK Coleridge and the landscape of vision A psycho-geographical essay by Ratnagarbha  The Quantocks in Somerset saw one of the greatest years of creativity in …