What role can human art and creativity play in a world dominated by technological advances? How does literature respond to, harness, survive, or transform such breakthroughs? This study of literary craftsmanship centers J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings: From the story's development in the mid-20th century in response to rapid industrialization and global, mechanized warfare, to its position today as a multimedia and multi-billion-dollar cultural phenomenon. In exploring the past and present interface between literary art and technology, students will discover if the book can adapt to an AI future.