J.R.R. Tolkien
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I'll admit he's a writer of some esteem and they are not shallow books. But I reckon you don't need to be a Catholic to "portray the depths of the Faith" Can't one be agnostic? I don't often read fiction but when I do, it will probably be Tolkien. I read his books in my teens and now my eldest reads his books.
>>By hiflydi (Friday, 19 Mar 2004 18:25)
I popped into the Tolkien discussions about a year ago and, I popped out. Well, back in!! I believe that, if you really want to understand the mythology, if I may use that term, of Tolkien's writing, you should start with 'The Book Of Lost Tales - 1' and, work yourself all through the rest of the books. What you will find is extremely consistent 'mythology or,'history' and, you will find that the laws of the Tolkien universe are consistent. The creation of the languages, the geography adds to the stupendous achievement.
His writing being leaden? Don't know. I believe that he had adopted a style that was probably used many centuries ago. About the sexism? Well, most mythology writes about The Hero so, he's pretty consistent there. I don't believe that you can compare him with writers like Dostoevsky or Tolstoy. Their genre was different. You should compare him with people who write within the same genre to really understand if his writing is good or not.
>>By Rajiv (Saturday, 20 Mar 2004 05:16)
ok...may seem weird but what's the point of judging tolkien or his work...
everybody who needs to already know that he was brilliant and who don't will have to discover on their own...better for them this way...let the poor man rest...
anyway the thing that disturbes me the most are the so called biggest fans...
*firstly cause most of them haven't even read the original work and judge only the films...
*secondly cause there is no such thing as the biggest fan....fans can't be compared.....i may as well start calling me the biggest reader....i read a lot but i know most of the world reads more than me..ok not most of the world but a big part of it anyway....
actually i doubt there is such thing as a fan alltogether...start to think of it...
*thirdly cause even if there is a big fan most of the ones who call themselves like this really didn't know anything about tolkien or his work before the movies...
(don't mean to show off or anything but lotr was my favourite book alreadywhen i was seven...,even tough it isn't anymore...now Ender's Game has got the first place,.......
i was called a weirdo by the same people who now walk around and exclaim that they're the biggest fans...... their favourite subject is lotr and the proudest thing for them is to tell others that they've read all of the three books...LOL....or no....a big cry instead...not that it shows anything but i really have read all tolkien's books very many times....not just the three most known ones...
unfortunately i can't even ignore the people since they're my classmates...)
*fourthly because several of the fans actually simply go with the flow...isn't it rather easy to say that i love the same book as everybody...introducing a brand new book take much more courage and willing....
also a portion of people go with the flow to show how popular they are...they haven't got any back themselves...like smoking drinking and drugs...
*fifthly cause there isn't the slightest reason to be a fan...you like it then you like it....why do you have to bother everybody surrounding you with it...people have got different taste in everything...
sorry for the long and boring complaint but i believe everybody has felt this way from time to time.....not just me alone... i simply couldn't stop when i had started...
>>By HY - (Tuesday, 23 Mar 2004 22:56)
wow they must really bug you for you to even have thought about it enough to post that
>>By Billy Pilgrim (Tuesday, 23 Mar 2004 23:59)
Yes, that was a really long, impasssioned post. Hell, I can't edit this post!!
>>By Rajiv (Monday, 29 Mar 2004 06:33)
Most of the people are praising LOTR a lot too much, I think. I was completely dazed by The Silmarillion. This is the best book I've read so far. So of the people are praising the films a lot. I think "The Fellowship Of The Ring" was a mediocre movie and "The Two Towers"(Movie) sucks. What do you people think?
>>By Wolf Of Angband (Monday, 29 Mar 2004 12:16)
i think that all the books r great i can't stop reading them .
i love them all
>>By amelia06 (Saturday, 3 Apr 2004 03:12)
Bored of the Rings is a parody of the real book. Another parody is Muddle Earth.
They're both really good.
>>By just_slightly_insane (Saturday, 3 Apr 2004 12:57)
£É £ó£á£÷ £ô£è£å£ó£å £â£ï£ï£ë£ó £é£î £Ë£õ£á£ì£á £Ì£õ£í£ð£õ£ò£® Did'nt buy them 'coz the bookstore was full of parodies. I figured that they were not such hot stuff.
>>By Rajiv (Wednesday, 7 Apr 2004 09:26)
I didnt read what you all wrote... but I think tolkien is a very untalented writer. sure he has a great fantasy and his stories are wonderful, but is way to write really bores me
>>By LiV* (Wednesday, 7 Apr 2004 23:20)
you will make tolkien very borrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrring
there are a lot of other books
but i am sure people become awere of books after some holiwood movie
boring americans
>>By klit (Thursday, 8 Apr 2004 14:36)
You know Rajiv, I agree with your very long post...I'm sick of people saying that they're Tolkein's biggest fan when they haven't even read the books, and really, some of them are only obsessed with drooling over orlando bloom or elijah wood. Admittedly, I do find they are both very good looking, but you can't judge a book by the actors in the movie.
I don't mind parodies. Some of them are really funny too, but what's really funny is all throughout the introduction in Bored of the Rings, was written "This is not to be mistaken with the best book ever written, The Lord of the Rings. Please do not buy this book thinking you are getting the real deal, it is simply a humorous paroy written by college students".....or something along those lines....This is a long post...maybe I shoild stop befor I makr to many more errors.
>>By just_slightly_insane (Saturday, 8 May 2004 07:01)
I enjoy reading Tolkien but find that i really have to be in the right frame of mind or they are hard going. If you can immerse yourself in the story they are great but if real life intrudes too much (kids coming in, dog barking, phone ringing) its just too easy to lose the plot.
>>By spiritwalker (Saturday, 8 May 2004 20:15)
SpiritWalker, I agree with what you say. But, how about reading Tolkien late at night? If you want to really read, I would think, a dark, stormy night. Late night. A lot of Tolkien is very dark. Even the bright parts. It sometimes feels as if it is coming from a mysterious source and, yes, you need to be able to concentrate and, lose yourself in the stories.
>>By Rajiv (Wednesday, 12 May 2004 09:58)
I read all the books of Tolkien, and the only thing that I can say about this writer, is that he's a genius. He "made" a world out of nothing, using only his imagination, and his talent. And, somehow, this is what writers should do: use their imagination, and tell stories, about new and fascinating things. Tolkien was just following this thing.
>>By Teimo (Wednesday, 12 May 2004 15:15)
i too think tolkien is a guiness! i heard a rumer that they were going to make the movie the hobbit! can anyone tell me if this rumer is true or not?
>>By brokenheart26us (Wednesday, 12 May 2004 18:46)
he is the best writer in the fantasy genre! these are all the words i can say about him and i think it is enougt,no more discussions !
Nikolai,Bulgaria
>>By _sleepwalker (Monday, 24 May 2004 21:32)
Actually, he made his world from mythology, European . He was well versed in the mythology of his area, if you find the book the real middle earth you find out where he got his ideas from and that the traditions of Hobbits, elves and the like is rather old, especially in nordic Mythology, where they believed . The best thing about him is that he made his knowledge and life experience into a piece of art that will live on in many, many generations.
I have heard that the Hobbit is going to be made as well, but don't know if it is the truth or not.
ON topic of the movies, I was happy that someone finally made it, and think they did a good job, BUT they tended to drag things out, such as the end of Return of The King, which just went on and on, AND i think they left somethings out that needed to be there, and had things that could have been cut. Having said that, I don't think anyone really could live up to the books in makign a movie, they are just to involved to be able to make completley to expectations.
>>By Phobia (Wednesday, 26 May 2004 05:26)
I think that j.r.r tolkien..i know i know....it's gonna sound weird....In my opinion I think that he was actually there. This whole mytholgy was and did actually happen, that there was such a thing as the elves and the Valar, and the whole creation of the Ainur through Music. Why do you think music has such deep impact, it's because living things were created by it. It all could've happened in another dimension. Honestly there hasn't been another writer such as him, someone to come up with such detailed precise and accurate information, language, the coming of Atani (men), everything is like the Bible itself. I'm not saying or comparing anything to the Bible. But if you just really think about it. Or either this dude was realllly high and stoned, or he simply was just in another dimension and saw and experienced this.
>>By ivy_whispers (Friday, 4 Jun 2004 08:33)
Ivy, you don't have to be stoned to write something with this kind of truth dimension to it. You don't need to feel it in real life either. Any talented writer should be able to produce this effect.
But Tolkien is somewhat special and I agree that it all feels like a different kind of reality; like it existed (or exists) somewhere out there.
Our minds and hearts don't live in our regular jobs or houses, do they? Mine doesn't, at least. The experience you get when you read this and you think it's somehow real is just some part of you coming home.
Tolkien has provided a space where our hearts can rest for all those who are more or less on the same wavelength as he was.
>>By Aywin (Saturday, 5 Jun 2004 16:48)
A space perhaps where it was all a reality....and then it was no more, except only for your own imagination and thought.
Other writers create based on this life, not in one yonder. I always thought perhaps maybe these writers have experienced their own world too. Maybe there is one for each and if you're invited into it you have been invited into their own little world where you'll meet many others.
My mind rests somewhere else as well, and my body remains here. You're right about the coming home...but i think it's just a visit home.
>>By ivy_whispers (Tuesday, 8 Jun 2004 01:37)
Without Tolkein, there would be no Fantasy books.
He is the beginning of the genre.
He is the best.
>>By nkiblue (Friday, 25 Jun 2004 04:17)
It took him years to complete LOTR, and I have a couple of copies of Return of the King that are different in spots. He actually wrote in the preface of the last edition I have, explaining why it took so long and why he published rewrites of the original story.
Tolkien's perfectionism is why the Fantasy genre has such a solid foundation.
Phobia is right about the movie version, one can only hope that crucial parts of Return of the King are in the extended DVD version due out in November. Christopher Lee had a right to be mad about his exclusion of that film!!!!
>>By trollop23 (Friday, 25 Jun 2004 07:59)
i think he's the best too! when i read his books you kind of loose yourself in his world, it's amazing you can just forget bout stuff and join frodo on an adventure! it's gr8 i wish he'd written more, coz he's da best!
>>By beloved (Monday, 28 Jun 2004 22:00)
TO ALL THOS WHO DISSED LOTR... Au contrair. i appologise for ruining your beauty sleep but I just must burden you with this question: Why is it that you believe that absolutely everyone only read the books after the movies came out? I was only 11 when the first movie came out. I had read the hobbit when I was 7 and had attempted to read LOTR but it was too well written and in depth for me to understand. Also I have introduced many diferent books to people at my school, and thirdly, at my school it isnt "the flow" to absolutely love LOTR. And havent you noticed that people already use themselves as advertisement? i.e. Roxy Billabong etc. Also I am not one bit attracted to Elija or orlando. Orlando is a sissy and Elija just doesn't appeal to me. I am a fan of LOTR and I do enjoy the paradies. I even own Bored of the rings. I believe that if you can't make fun of something you love, you dont really love it. I have never , and will never claim that I am tolkien's biggest fan unless I grow to be 6000 lbs because that is way too much of a statement. I read many books aside from LOTR and I am a huge supporter of New authors. I also think that What others say is "Boring" Is really what pulls the whole book together. If there was half as much description, you wouldnt have such an easy time imagining the charachters. My final comment for today: IF YOU DISLIKE J.R.R. TOLKEIN THEN WHY THE ARE YOU ON THIS WEBSITE?
Sincerely,
Megano
p.s. please understand I hold you in the highest respect. You are allowed to have your oppinions and I can have mine just some of the accusations you made are unjust.
If anyone would like to e-mail me it is meganolovescheesybakedcrackers@hotmail.com
>>By Megano (Wednesday, 29 Sep 2004 02:51)
"Honestly there hasn't been another writer such as him, someone to come up with such detailed precise and accurate information, language, the coming of Atani (men), everything is like the Bible itself"
I just wanted to make a comment about this quote above...someone may have already mentioned it but tolkien studied linguistics and so with all those different languages he was able to create them on the basis of his knowledge of languages and how they work
>>By madamecoffee (Wednesday, 29 Sep 2004 07:26)
Tolkien is genious, but I enjoy J. Rowling as much.
Its completely acceptable if you do not like her books, BUT
some person wrote that he/her had PITY for adults reading JKR.
I find that childlish. Why do you feel pity for somebody whos engaged in reading, such as yourself???
J.R.R. Tolkien and Joanne Rowling are very different, but they both encourage people to read more, through their work.
Thats not a thing to pity!
Alanna Skovsang, 15 years, Denmark
>>By Alanna Skovsang (Wednesday, 29 Sep 2004 20:21)
I read The Hobbit and loved it. I read The Lord of the Rings and thought they were even better. Why is it, then, that I started the Silmarillion, and after the first page, gave up? Does it get better later on? Please answer so I know if I should give it another try!
>>By raspberry_juice (Monday, 11 Oct 2004 01:40)
you shouldnt give up... i am having the same problem. but i will not give up. i am desperate to learn about beren and Luthien. I am only about 20 pgs in tho so ya.
>>By Megano (Monday, 11 Oct 2004 06:21)
Ok, thanks.
>>By raspberry_juice (Monday, 11 Oct 2004 18:15)
The discussion board is currently closed.
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