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Oh, LOTR. Not seen the films yet nor have I read the books. I know! I'm WAY behind everyone else, not having seen LOTR & Nemesis, most films in the last 2 years . . . what can I say - the only friends that I have are on the Internet (i.e. you lot and those on other discussion forums!)
-------------------- If you cant convince them, confuse them.
Registered: Apr 2001
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Read "The Hobbit" (as a small introductory snack), then "Lord of the Rings". Then you will understand. "Quenta Silmarillion" is good to, may even be the best of them, if one appreciates mythology. The War of the Ring can be seen as a mere trifle compared to the amount of shit going down in The Sil. Maybe you'll also run into a cute librarian in the process, at that.
Registered: Aug 1999
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And FIRST read the books, THEN see the movies.
While the movies are wonderful movies in themselves, the books are way way better. A lot more characters, a bit less Arwen. But there are at least two things the movies really hit the right spot:
- Gollem. Somehow, I never really grasped his split personality from the book (but hey, I was only 15 when I first read it!).
- Galadriel. I now understand why Men are wary of her. Man, she was scary when she wore the Ring in "The Fellowship"! Never trusted her after that.
And on another note, recently New Line has publicly expressed interest in a "The Hobbit" movie. They made it seem like they were eagerly waiting for Jackson to finish "King Kong".
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Harry: "- Galadriel. I now understand why Men are wary of her. Man, she was scary when she wore the Ring in "The Fellowship"! Never trusted her after that."
You should have. My brother made the same misimpression. Galadriel never wore the ring, the movie took liberties in showing how she "could've" been. The book had her simply talking the part, describing that she would be a magnificent and terrible queen, had she taken it. Gandalf said the same things at his test in Bag End, you know. She passed the test, at that point she was the Fellowship's strongest and most powerful ally in Middle Earth, as well as the most powerful woman.
TSN: Have you read the new, illustrated Silmarillion? I got very much emotion, action and tragedy out of it, and I consider myself a completely normal turnip. I'm reading Unfinished Tales right now, to get even that good stuff at the bottom of the saucepan, after a good meat fondue.
Registered: Aug 1999
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Ohhhh After The Lord of the Rings - DEFINATELY read "Unfished Tales" - well all of it except the first two chapters which deal with events of the 1st age and thus tie in with the Silmarillion.
The Silmarillion WAS slow going - and I don't remember EVERYTHING about it - thing is it's more a collection of stories and mythologies of early Middle Earth than an ongoing narrative - like The Hobbit or The Lord of the Rings.
That being said - I NOW appreciate it in a new light after going back one day and saying to myself 'stuff it' i'm going to read and finish "Narn in hi Hurin" The tales of the children of Hurin - the second chapter of Unfinished tales. Which then made me re-pick up and read at least ONE chapter from the Silmarillion... "Turin Turambar" - one of the most tragic of tales written.
Now THAT book/chapter would be a FANTASTIC movie to see.
Or even Beren and Luithien - I might read that again soon.
Oh also - for more stories along the lines of the appendicies and "The Unifished Tales" get the XII? Book of the History of Middle Earth - "The People's of Middle Earth". I *have* tried reading the first couple of the History of Middle Earth - THAT is slow going.
But Yeah, read Unfinished Tales then Silmarillion and go back and read the 1st two chapters of Unfinished Tales.
-------------------- "Bears. Beets. Battlestar Galactica." - Jim Halpert. (The Office)
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