Let me second Pio's request for a review from Child of Jane Chance's
Tolkien the Medievalist.
Here is
an online review by David Bratman of J R R Tolkien and his Literary Resonances. This is a book I would be particularly interested in reading so I will try to find it here, Child.
Also, I can do a review of Pearce's
Tolkien: A Celebration since I have a copy.
Helen, I think this thread is a wonderful idea, but I'm a bit confused about why you say you want it for novices.
Novices, to my mind, would be reading the primary sources--Tolkien's major texts (TH, LOTR, TS, then BOLT, UT, HOME, the essays also)--while the resources here are secondary. (This is the traditional distinction in literary studies.)
I would think these secondary resources would be of interest to people who regularly read the Books forum and after reading Tolkien's own work.
Maybe I'm missing something here, but I would think that reviews would be directed to a Books audience rather than a N & N audience--not that there is any question of age or intelligence, just one of familiarity with the sources. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
Bethberry