The Lord of the Rings

WeirdRaptor · **on:** September 11, 2006, 11:02:06 PM

Man, I can never get enough of those books. The detail and craftsmanship that Tolkien put into that book was just stunning. The characters are amazing, and actually quite deep when you stop and look at them. The story is simple, but complex, at the same time, and it excellently executed.
I just can't tell you everything I just absolutely adore about these books.

But what about you? What do you think of these books?

Malte279 · **Reply #1 on:** September 12, 2006, 08:01:06 AM

I too love the lord of the rings. While I see where the frequent reproach of the books being "long winded" comes from I can't say it bothered me at all. Very often "long winded" parts (the council of Elrond is very often named as one of these) answer many questions which would otherwise keep nagging the more interested reader.
On the other hand I see why some parts of the book (e.g. Tom Bombadil) were not mentioned in the movies as they contributed not too much to the basic story while providing the stuff for many more stories all by themselves. Speaking of other stories, the appendixes of LOTR include many events not mentioned in the book itself, yet still of great interest to anyone interested in Tolkien's world. While the focus of "The Return of the King" is of course on Mordor (Frodo and Sam), and Minas Tirith (Aragorn, Gandalf etc.) other events took place at the same time. Armies of Sauron attacked Lothlorien, Fangorn (most Ents were killed there), and Erebor (the lonely Mountain known from "The Hobbit". Several characters from "The Hobbit were killed during that fact).
I must admit I haven't yet read the Simarillion and I must further admit that I'm under the influence of many people (Tolkien fans among them) who don't like the book at all. Nonetheless I guess I will read it if I get hold of it at the library.
I like the lord of the rings for being a fantasy book which (while sometimes considered the genesis of fantasy genre, which I consider a disputable claim) didn't sport many clichÈs of fantasy literature which spoiled some of the later fantasy writings.

Nick22 · **Reply #2 on:** September 12, 2006, 09:53:38 AM

The Simarillion basically covers most of the events prior to the Hobbit, The creation of Middle-eArth and the Valar, the revolt of Morgoth(who can be seen as a stand-in for the devil), and provides background for many of the references made in the trilogy especially by the elves.

Malte279 · **Reply #3 on:** September 12, 2006, 11:58:29 AM

Yes, I knew that much. I have read some secondary literature about Tolkien's work so I have some basic knowledge about the Valar, about Morgoth, the N?menor, about Beren and L?thien. Nevertheless I should read the Simarillon when I get my hands on it.

Nick22 · **Reply #4 on:** September 12, 2006, 12:33:52 PM

Then get the book at the earliest opportunity. What other Tolkien books have you read Malte?

WeirdRaptor · **Reply #5 on:** September 12, 2006, 03:16:55 PM

I'd highly recommend "The Silmarillion", Malte, but beware, Christopher Tolkien actually finished it for his father (Christopher ain't no J.R.R. of writing), and the editing and such for the book almost borderlines on being Frankenstein-ish, but it still provides excellent backstory for Middle-Earth.

Nick22 · **Reply #6 on:** September 12, 2006, 03:41:02 PM

Christopher merely finished the book, 80% of it was JRR's work.

WeirdRaptor · **Reply #7 on:** September 12, 2006, 05:12:39 PM

He still edited it, and it DOES have a hack-and-slash feel to it.

Nick22 · **Reply #8 on:** September 12, 2006, 05:29:47 PM

I grant you that Christopher didn't have his father's flair for writing or editing, but at least he completed the book. Would you prefer that he have left the material unfinished?

WeirdRaptor · **Reply #9 on:** September 12, 2006, 10:56:14 PM

You miss my point. I wasn't saying that C. Tolkine shouldn't have finished, so don't put things into my mouth. I was warning Malte about the cut-and-paste feel of the book as I found it highly distracting, so I thought I give someone else a head's up. Got a problem with that?!

Malte279 · **Reply #10 on:** September 13, 2006, 03:31:48 AM

Easy! No reason at all to get agitated about anything. Once I get the book and read it I shall make up my own opinion and tell you about it.

WeirdRaptor · **Reply #11 on:** September 13, 2006, 04:28:32 AM

Sorry about that, Nick. I lost me temper again.

As I said, I recommend the book to anyone wanting to know more about Middle-Earth, but due to the fact that it wasn't actually finished by J.R.R., himself, it does lack a certain touch, and it isn't edited well. That is something I found to be downside, Nick, not something that actually makes me hate the book. I probably should have been clearer, earlier.

Malte279 · **Reply #12 on:** September 13, 2006, 05:04:17 AM

I have an audio play of "The lord of the rings" and one of "The Hobbit" (which I read too and of which I have a very good comic version as well) on eleven respectively four CDs. Regretably the Audio plays are in German

I'm sure you would like them WR.
I know audio plays of the two books exist in America too (saw them myself at Barnes and Nobles during my exchange) but I don't know how popular they are. Apart from the secondary literature on Tolkien's books I also have some on the movies with planning sketches etc. and one dealing with Gollum in particular (I used that one, among other, for my Gollum / Mr. Hyde university essay which I mentioned elsewhere before.

Nick22 · **Reply #13 on:** September 13, 2006, 08:25:09 AM

That's alright Wr, I didn't take anything you said personally. I liked the Silmarillion, although i think JRR would have done things a bit differently had he lived to finish the book. I know German fairly well, so I'd be interested in hearing the story in German.

I can do a mean gollum imitation "my preciouss".

WeirdRaptor · **Reply #14 on:** September 13, 2006, 05:07:27 PM

I probably would like them. I'd have to work on my German a lot more before I can listen to them, I'm just now getting to learn the language (German is the foreign language I'm learning in college, I chose it because my strongest ancestry is German).

Malte279 · **Reply #15 on:** September 13, 2006, 05:17:31 PM

Not to discourage anyone, but German if compared to English, is a really difficult language. I heard many people talk who thought they were reasonably well at it, but didn't utter a single correct sentence, just because there are so many more forms etc. to be regarded in German. There are languages more difficult than German, but English is certainly a lot easier.

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I can do a mean gollum imitation "my preciouss".

Yes, I too can send my young cousin running and screaming (or else attacking me) if I do my imitation of Gollum.

WeirdRaptor · **Reply #16 on:** September 13, 2006, 05:23:03 PM

I'm beginning to learn that the hard way, but I do intend on having a long stay in Germany some day, and I don't plan to do it walking around with a translater just to be able to converse in the country's native language. (I understand that most people in Germany probably know English because your'e surrounded by countries that don't speak German as their native language, but still.)

Nick22 · **Reply #17 on:** September 14, 2006, 08:52:10 AM

When I went to Germany 5 years ago, I found I was able to converse pretty well in German. German is a more difficult language than English, and while I'm ok at it, I still have trouble with proper use of nouns (der die das, etc)

WeirdRaptor · **Reply #18 on:** September 15, 2006, 05:43:03 PM

Yeah, I have a hard time with that, too.

Speaking of audio cassettes. I have a CD collection of "The Silmarillion" on audio.

Malte279 · **Reply #19 on:** September 15, 2006, 06:40:43 PM

You have? That's really cool! I wasn't aware that there was an audio version of the Simarillion.
If ever anyone feels really secure about the own German I could send him or her land before time audio plays which have been released but only over here. They are short stories, but very nicely done indeed. I sent them to Platvoet already who is quite capable of understanding German (there are many similarities between Dutch and German).