BLUECON 2012 - Lord of the Rings Discussion

[Red2111]

i can only enter into part of this discussion. i've read the Hobbit (about 4 years ago) but have not read LotRs (i got almsot to Elronds house in the 1st book and just couldn't do it due to Tolkiens dryness as an author)

 

 

even with the Hobbit, i struggled to get through until after they left Elronds house; by the time the dwarves are abducted, i was hooked though.

 

 

i've also never watched the movies, though i'm dragging bubba out to see the Hobbit (i still can't believe they turned it into 3 movies o.0 ) i cannot wait to see the giant eagles and Smog!!! both are my fav parts of the Hobbit.

 

 

my fav character in the Hobbit is Smog, with Elrond being 2nd. why ... well Elrond is a given. imo, hes the DD of this series (ie: the all knowning being that the author uses as their mouth piece to influence events). Smog, is just a bad ass :smiles: he's a cantankerous git who just wants to be left alone. i can admire that. i think alos it has to do with that scene being one of my favs in the book itself.

 

 

as for the Silmarillion ... right now i doubt i'll try it. from what i've heard, it reads more like a history book than a novel and the things i hve a hard time with Tolkiens other works are magnified in the Silmarillion. i plan on giving LotR's another try when i get back into a reading mood, but until then my focus for this author is to first get through LotRs before tryign the latter book.

 

 

 

Turin - were you plannign on discussing the religous aspect of LotRs and the influences CS Lewis and Tolkien had on eachother?? i've been reading up on this lately and find it utterly fascinating as i didn't know the two were friends and had such a major impct on eachothers stories. http://www.christianitytoday.com/ch/news/2003/aug29.html?start=2

[Starrik]

The Silmarrillion was brilliant, but I got lost in his extended geographical descriptions of Middle Earth. What really got me was the creation story, I thought that was just brilliant.

[Turin Turambar]

There is something for everyone in the Silmarillion I believe. The historical creation of Middle Earth. How it has changed through the ages. There are also just stories. Great stories.

 

Red, I was not planning on making a question about the relationship between Tolkien and Lewis. I have read some of the tale but I was just going to keep it to the books and films. If you wish to add it tho feel free. It is a fine example of how small a world it is when you find out that two great writers were actually friends.

 

Red, I would encourage you to do something I wouldn't normally do with a book. Start in the middle. Maybe with the story of Beren and Luthien. Each chapter at that point is an individual story of one of the heroes of the age. I think that if you start with the Who's who you might be inspired to dig thru the rest of it.

 

The Hobbit film just opened here in the US. If you have seen it how did you like it? If not, are you eager to see it once you can? Please use spoiler tags for anything you think might be a spoiler... I haven't seen it yet but I will be going once I get the opportunity. I will have to avoid any discussion on it until then cause I want to have as few predispositions as possible to just enjoy it as a movie first. Later I can disect if I liked how it was done.

 

Do you think that the fact the Hobbit is being made into 3 films is a money grab or do you think that it will be worth it? or both? For me it is Both. I think it is not enough book to be three films unless they really dig into some of the time. That may be the case and if it is I will be very interested to see what they say about certain things like the White council and Dol Guldur.