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Ok. So this
Chatterbox: Blab About Books
The Lord of the Rings
Ok. So this...
Ok. So this thread is about anything Tolkien. He is probably my favorite author. Eventually maybe we can go and write/plan what happens later. So... What is your favorite Tolkien book?
submitted by Strider, age 13, Earth, Inner Solar System
(October 6, 2016 - 9:28 am)
(October 6, 2016 - 9:28 am)
So. Lord of the Rings. *takes deep breath* ok, let's do this.
I was first introduced to the Lord of the Rings when my dad read the first book to us. And, I am ashamed to admit, I found it incredibly boring. But again, I was listening to it. And...... I was younger. (My dad also read the hobbit to us a few times.)
I feel kind of bad, becuase the way I heard them, I couldn't apprieciate the beauty and the richness of it all. So, recently, I decided to try to find the two towers. I tried the audiobooks...... oh my goodness, they were terrible. I love listening to books, but at the first part of the book, they literally played a horn sound effect, and made some guy who was supposed to sound like Aragorn talk in an un-Aragorn-like voice.
Never listen to dramatic retelling, my friends.
Anywho, I dug around and found an old paperback version of it, and started to read it. I really liked it, although it drove me nuts becuase my tiny paperback would NOT STAY OPEN AND THE WORDS WERE TINY!!!!!!! (I have a feeling we have all have been there. >D) So, I purchased a better one at a bookstore, and continued to read. I have, unfortunately/fortunately, discovered the most wonderful book called My One Hundred Adventures, by Pollly Horvath (guys, it is the BEST BOOK EVER) and have not been able to put it down, even for Tolkien.
I would also like to say that one of the reasons I like Tolkien is becuase it is so challenging. I honestly feel like a lot of the fantasy/modern fiction I read sort of spoon-feeds you the bare minimum of details, then proceeds to rush into non-stop action. A lot of great books are like that, but it's refreshing to read something rich and beautiful like lotr.
One last thing; I am going to be an elf for halloween. I was going to be a ranger, but wasn't, for various costume difficulties.
Also, Estelle, I loved what you said in this month's mag. It was beautiful.
Ok, I'm done now.
(Wait, Luna just said "evyn" Envy, looks like to me. XD)
(October 9, 2016 - 7:19 pm)
Everybody has trouble with The Lord of the Rings when they're younger-- like the Hobbit, Tolkien wrote it for his children, who were significantly older at the time. I actually used to go around telling everyone that the Hobbit was soooooooooo much better than The Lord of the Rings.
Yessssssssssssssss Mirax! I'm so glad you feel that way! And I agree about the films too-- they're fun, but they're an entirely different story. (As it most often is with film versions.)
Autumn, when my father first started reading the Lord of the Rings to us, I barely paid attention. It just isn't written for younger children. (Which does NOT mean that no young children can enjoy them-- some will.)
If you're going to do an audiobook, do NOT begin with a dramatization. The unabridged reading by Rob Inglis is the place to start-- its the best one out there, being, I believe, the only unabridged version. He does sort of under-emphasize some scenes, placing the stress on the wrong words in an important sentence-- but that's just part of it. Only listen to a dramatized version when you already know the story well. They can be rather funny sometimes-- and sometimes they are moving and well-conducted. But only if you've already been introduced to the real story.
I love paperback books (you don't always want an ebook, with its lack of touch and scent), but they will sometimes be printed badly. I believe that we all HAVE been there at some point. ;D
And I agree about the challenging part too. A great book is one that changes you-- that has a lasting impact on you and your world. Easy, candy-books may be good on occasion, but very rarely are they great. The Middle-earth saga is among the greats.
I'm glad you liked my bit in the Letterbox! I had not the slightest inkling that it would turn up in there.
(October 15, 2016 - 12:12 pm)
Good conversation! I definitely agree that the LOTR and the hobbit both have some movie related problems. I, being a stop-motion animator, know a lot about this kind of thing. There are some times where you can tell something is computer generated and not real film. But I guess I notice these things because I make some of those same mistakes. The books: yes. They are boring reads. I personally wish that Tolkien would go a bit faster in describing things, but when I film scenes from the LOTR I love being able to see all of the detail. The Hobbit is definitely more faster paced. The Hobbit movie. Peter Jackson did an ok job. The scenes in the movie all occurred in the appendices. But taking a new character like Tauriel? No. I personally don't enjoy that aspect. I know he was trying to appeal to girls blah blah blah but in my opinion girls already like the books. Why make it harder for the rest of us??
But overall, I'm still crazy about Tolkien and I enjoy the movies.
(October 16, 2016 - 5:28 pm)