Should I read LOTR or not?

Post by **drew** » Wed Dec 15, 2004 1:40 am

I've seen lots of pro/con discusion lately....so here's a quick profile, maybe someone with similer tastes can point me in the right direction:
Fave author...SRD (duh)
Other fantasy...Read Eddings and Brooks...Enjoyed Eddings
Other books...mostly history (and The Far Side)
Music...Early 90's/late 70's hard rock/punk...classical (Esp. Vivaldi)
as well as Bob Marley, and Bob Dylan.-No Country, no Hip Hop
Status...Married, two kids (pre-school aged) PS wife thinks I'm a total
geek for using KW
Brushes with JRRT....read the Hobbitt, it was Okay
Loved the movies (who didn't)
Hobbies...songwritting, teaching music

so...do I buy it or not...if I do, I'm leaning towards the one volume book.

Post by **Cail** » Wed Dec 15, 2004 1:54 am

LOTR is one of those series of books that you will probably be glad you read when you finish them. If you're like me though, you'll want to gouge your eyes out at several points in the trilogy. Its slow, really slow, and in my very unpopular opinion, not very well written.

Post by **Worm of Despite** » Wed Dec 15, 2004 2:30 am

Maybe it's just me, but sometimes I just look at something and I think, "This is definitely for me." Or the opposite. With LOTR, I definitely had a "this is for me" sensation. I gotta say, if you like the fantasy, it's definitely something I'd recommend. At least read it to see "what all the fuss is about", and then form your own opinion.

Post by **Avatar** » Wed Dec 15, 2004 5:02 am

yeah, I'd definitley recommend it. As Cail says though, there is a tendancy to be slow. In terms of how well written it is, I also remind myself that Tolkein was first and foremost a linguist, and the book was written as part of his "explanation" for the elven tongue, which he invented from scratch.

Read it anyway. It's one of those that are almost a requirement for fantasy fans.

--Avatar

Post by **Loredoctor** » Wed Dec 15, 2004 8:49 am

It is a good book, but not a great book.

Post by **dlbpharmd** » Wed Dec 15, 2004 9:23 am

Nah, give it a miss.

Post by **Alynna Lis Eachann** » Wed Dec 15, 2004 9:51 am

I wouldn't jump up and rush to the store to buy it, but definitely put it on that "Books to read before I die" list. It is written like a history or (dare I say it?) geography book more than a fantasy, so it is heavy on the narration and not always so much on the details. The story is epic in nature, so it's heavy on the (male) heroes. I was put off largely because of characterization and the trivialization of female roles, but that is part of the epic method, so what can you do? I'll never be a big fan of the books, but Tolkien was a genius, and I'm not sorry I read any of his work.

BTW, at the risk of a flood of "You MUST read this!" I'm moving this to the Tolkien forum.

Post by **Worm of Despite** » Wed Dec 15, 2004 10:08 am

Actually, probably won't get a flood of those; seems the Tolkien lovers are in hiding at KW these days!

Post by **duchess of malfi** » Wed Dec 15, 2004 5:29 pm

Personally, I love Tolkien and LOTR.

I think you should give them a try.

Post by **Sunbaneglasses** » Fri Dec 17, 2004 6:05 am

Befor you read LOTR put on a pair of footy pajamas,make yourself some cocoa and read The Hobbit.Besides getting you ready to read LOTR it is a good read,if you have the right state of mind in other words read it for what it is-a really long childrens story.After you read LOTR read The Sillmarillion,there are parts of it you will love and parts that will bore you to death.but it sheds a lot of light on Tolkiens genius.Its like the Bible of Middle Earth.

Post by **drew** » Fri Dec 17, 2004 9:11 am

I read the hobbitt, it wasn't bad, but some of the songs were a litttle silly.

Post by **burgs** » Tue Dec 21, 2004 5:50 pm

Virtually every fantasy writer published has read The Lord of the Rings, and there's a reason for that: it's a darn good book, very well constructed, plotted, and written. It's a classic. Just as Don Quixote is recognized as the first real novel ever written (and many considered it the best: Faulkner reread it every year), so LOTR was the first real fantasy novel ever written (yes, I know about Dunsany and Eddison), and it spawned a genre.

If for no other reason to see why Eddings (whom I did not enjoy) decided to write fantasy, or why Donaldson was able to write fantasy, read LOTR. No question.

Post by **Avytaya** » Wed Dec 22, 2004 4:14 pm

Yes, for heaven's sake man, read it!
Of course I am an SRD fan, or I wouldn't be here.
And I'm not going to fuel the debate on which author is better than the other (JRRT or SRD) because they are both brilliant in their own right.
First of all, the Hobbit is nothing like the LOTR. After all the LOTR was written some 14 ? years later. It is not child-like in any sense, it has a suburb use of language. And there is also some incredible symbolism throughout the book, you get some in the movie, but not like the books.
If you can get through the complexities of the Chrons., than you can surely get through LOTR.
A few years back I told a friend that I was reading LOTR for the first time and he said he envied me.
I asked him why and he said that he wished that he could be in my place experiencing the books for the first time. I didn't know what he meant until I finished the triology. I've re-read this books multiple times, and I still wish I could go back. The books will change the way you look at fantasy.
-Avy

Post by **Cybrweez** » Tue Dec 28, 2004 5:05 pm

In my experience, FOTR was a little slow, took me a bit to get through it. But TT and ROTK I just flew through, I loved the way he follows a certain storyline, then goes back in time and follows another, until they all meet, kinda like the movie Snatch. I also read the Simarillion, loved it. Especially the story about the creation of Middle Earth.

Post by **drew** » Fri Dec 31, 2004 7:19 pm

I just bought it today.
The soft cover, one volume edition.
I'll let everyone know how it turns out.

Post by **BT Shire** » Sat Jan 29, 2005 3:21 pm

There should be no question. Any fantasy fan MUST read LotR.

It's great. And as far as it being slow, I used to think so, too, but I've changed my mind. After reading authors like Robert Jordan who go on and on ad nausium about nothing, LotR, especially parts of Two Towers and Return of the King, flies by like lightning. I almost wish he'd taken more time with some of the scenes.

The language can be a little clunky at times, but usually it's very good, and occasionally it's brilliant. In a few spots I was moved to tears.

Skip the prologue.

Another must-read is The Talisman of Faerie! Click my link!!

Post by **drew** » Sat Jan 29, 2005 3:31 pm

Nice shamless plug!
I'm now halfway through TTT. I'm agreing with what most poeple said so far...FOTR was a little slow going, but very enjoyable. TTT is incredible!

-I'll check out this Jason Beal guy, sometime soon.

Post by **BT Shire** » Tue Feb 01, 2005 5:16 am

Yup, I'm pretty shameless.

Glad you're liking Lord of the Rings. Each book is better than the previous one... Return of the King is like... OMG.

Once you finish, I'd be interested in hearing how you think the books compare to the films. There are some pretty significant differences! Both are great, however, in my opinion.

BT

Post by **drew** » Tue Feb 01, 2005 10:50 pm

Differences..DIFFERENCES..don't get me wrong, they still class as my favorite movies, but I'm wondering if he even read the books.

Post by **drew** » Fri Apr 01, 2005 1:42 am

Okay, I forgot about his thread.
It took me about 6 weeks, I finished it mid-february.
Let me tell you all...I can't wait to read it again!!!
I've since re-watched the Movies (Extended Versions)-They even hold new meaning for me (Although he was quite liberal with TTT wasn't he).

If anyone wants more disscusions about LOTR, count me in now!!
I'd have to say, that I liked it, pretty much on par with the Chronicles.

Kevin's Watch

Kevin's Watch

Should I read LOTR or not?

Should I read LOTR or not?