To be honest, Lord of the Rings was a bit of an embarrassment to both Michael and Baal.

Certainly, they'd both known Tolkien during that unpleasant World War. Artists were important to the war. Artists - photographers, visual artists, authors - established the dominant images of the war to people outside the actual battles. They were what would last after the veterans were dead, after the fields had subsumed their muddy dead and grown grass out of their flesh.

It was artists who helped form a Word's connotations, and Tolkien was an artist.

Still, they hadn't expected the book to be quite so... so...

Michael enjoyed it, at least. He was moderately embarrassed with it, yet still pleased. A good story, about valour and battle and honour and the difference individuals could make to turn the tide of combat.

Baal did not. Baal, having read the book, flung it against the wall and shouted at its pages. "Why does HE get to become King of Gondor?" he raged. "Why not Boromir? Boromir is as worthy! Worthier! Aragorn abandoned his responsibilities, did not even WANT to be king, when the people needed a leader! Aragorn grew up away from the city, its politics, its potential! But Boromir, Boromir was the eldest son of the steward, had grown up as heir to that, had been prepared for the job! Even then he could never be king, simply ruler! But he deserved it - had only in his mind thoughts of helping his people! The means didn't matter, only the ends - is that not a good king, rather than a man who would ignore his people's plight to live in the far wilds, where he could do only individual acts of heroism? One wanted to save and lead an entire people, the other wanted only to be shown up as a hero in warfare, then move on before he gained responsibilities!"

He breathed, raged. "And what does the single hero, the shirker of duty get? A kingdom, a bride, a long and content life! What does the man who would save his people get? An ignoble useless death where he fails even to protect the few he wishes to! It is not fair, it is not RIGHT!"

Really, it was a bit embarrassing.