Silm Awards: Phase 2

First of all I just want to say THANK YOU to everyone who participated in the nomination phase of the Second Annual Silmarillion Awards last week. We had an amazing turnout, and I am still a little giddy. (And I learned about some fantastic-sounding fantasy books that I need to read, so that's always a bonus to this event!)Over here in the Villain's Corner, we had FIFTY-SIX villainous foes nominated, and while not all of them received seconds, that is a genuinely vast array of fiendish characters. I hope you all enjoyed the nomination round, because now comes the hard part... because one of these villains must rise to the top, and the responsibility for choosing the winner is squarely in your hands, dear Reader.The voting form is the same on every blog, but you may want to make sure you visit the blogs and read about the top five candidates in each category before you start voting.... not only so that you can get a better idea of who is in the running, but also because today we are kicking off the SCAVENGER HUNT for the GRAND PRIZE! Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to put together the poem in the correct order and type it into the voting form so that you can be entered to win this deliciously nerdy pack of Tolkienish items.1 Grand Prize to Rule Them All.... a 24" x 36" map of Middle Earth with a lovely wooden frame, a replica of the One Ring, and a paperback copy of "Aratar, Peredhil, and Halflings, Oh My! The Ultimate Tolkien Quiz" book by Benita J. Prins. My blog is actually the last stop on this scavenger hunt, so I recommend you head over to ADVENTURE AWAITS, where the first line of the poem is hidden. Collect all the lines of the poem and arrange them in order in the voting form to be entered to win!

The final line to the poem is this:

The handiwork of Feanor, the Silmarils.

Now, a little bit about the five villains who clawed their way onto the voting form:Queen Levana from the Lunar Chronicles - This evil queen is the sort of villain who may not point a weapon at you, herself, but she'll manipulate someone else--even a loved one--into doing it for her. Hiding her dark and broken heart behind a glamour of beauty and holding her people in thrall, she rules the moon and has her sights set on earth. Not many dare to cross her, but those who do will be made to pay.Death-in-Life from the Tales of Goldstone Wood - Though he has many titles, to most he is known simply as "The Dragon." If this villain doesn't make your blood run cold, I'm not sure any will. A massive, cunning creature of ultimate evil, The Dragon attacks the hearts of our heroes. A master manipulator and weaver of half-truths and lies, this villain is not satisfied with killing his victims, no, he lives to breathe poison into their very souls!The Keeper from Entwined - After being contained in a secret passage under a castle for more years than he can remember, The Keeper is one villain you don't want to get near. Under a handsome guise and charming wit hides a heart as black as night. Willing to use any means to get what he wants, The Keeper isn't afraid of hurting anyone - or anything - to exact his revenge.Shift from Chronicles of Narnia - Could there be another creature more despicable? Described by his author as "the cleverest, ugliest, most wrinkled Ape you could imagine" Shift is a con-artist of epic proportions. Unsatisfied with his own lack of belief, he sets out to make a mockery of what others believe. Motivated by greed, there is little this villain won't stoop to in order to further his own ends.Captain Hook from Peter Pan - Although this villain has been sadly declawed by the likes of a certain children's-cartoon-creating studio, the original Captain Hook is far from comic relief. An evil and bloodthirsty man, these traits are what make Captain James Hook a magnificent pirate. Handsome, debonaire, and with a flourish of drama, this blackguard will stab you in the back and never think twice about it. He mistreats those around him and will never let go of a grudge.And there you have it, dear Reader. I do not envy you the difficulty of the decision before you. I can only caution you with this: choose wisely... you wouldn't want any of these Nefarious Villains to come after you for not voting for them!

You have until 11:59pm on Friday, July 14th to choose your favorites and complete the Scavenger Hunt!