It took 50,000 interlocking bricks, but sculptor Kevin J. Walter was able to recreate Sauron's fortress of Barad-dûr out of LEGOs, presumably to keep out some wee DUPLO Hobbits. You can see more photos at Kevin's Flickr page.

UK web designers The Technology Studio hacked an XBox Kinect to make this ominous Eye of Sauron — it tracks office workers with a withering gaze. Nothing says "quit playing Freecell" like a giant flaming eyeball that won't stop staring.

Muslim extremists are hugely into the work of J.R.R. Tolkien, says British satirist Chris Morris, who studied terrorism for three years before directing Four Lions. "They see themselves as the force for good and Sauron is basically George W. Bush."