One Does Not Simply...
I admit it. I've never been a fan of Tolkien's work. I tried. I really did try to read the whole Lord of the Rings series, but I couldn't do it.
The plot itself seemed interesting. Old man gets a ring and gives it to his nephew (I think) and the nephew has to embark on a dangerous journey to the unknown, etc, and so forth. But J.R.R. Tolkien's writing style just didn't fit what I like in a book. He was too descriptive I felt, and I couldn't get into the book what with all of the descriptions of the trees and the Hobbit holes. When I want to know more about this mysterious ring, I really don't need to know about what the Hobbit had for breakfast.
Another thing I didn't like was how much singing the little creatures did. Pages and pages of song after song. I cannot stand reading songs in books, nor can I stand to read poetry in books. It's just the way I am. And Tolkien spends so much time making poetic songs in his books.
I got about halfway through the first LotR book and gave up. I couldn't stand it anymore.
So tell me. Do you enjoy Tolkien novels?
That is all.
I never read Tolkien's novels. Too complicated fo me. But I did love the movies. The only novel I read was from his friend, C.S. Lewis's "The lion, the witch and the wardrobe."
ReplyDeleteFOR NARNIA! (I admit, I never read the rest of those. I sort of forgot about them.)
DeleteLOL, no worries.
DeleteI'm going to go all literary Nazi on you and correct you. It's J.R.R. Tolkien. ;) That being said, I've yet to enter the Lord of the Rings world. And that'll be our little secret, since pretty much everyone at my co-op is a fan.
ReplyDeleteOopsie. xD. Let us hope no one else noticed my mistake.
DeleteAlright. I shall keep that tidbit hush hush.
If you like books like Percy Jackson or if you just like books from the middle grade/young adult area, the odds of you liking Tolkien's work are slim. They require some thought and take time to read, whereas the other ones are mostly rollicking fun-filled adventures. (btw... There are two 'R's in his name. Just so you know.) Tolkien's work is considered "high fantasy" which is always full of descriptions and poetry. They're pretty complicated and you REALLY need to be in the MOOD to read them... because they are hard. But awesome. I'd actually have recommended that you wait until you're closer to sixteen or seventeen to read them; I think you'd like them better then. XD
ReplyDeleteI probably should fix Tolkien's name...two people have noticed it. xD.
DeleteI'll stick these books on my "To Read In Three Or Four Years" list. (:
LOL, no worries. Everyone makes mistakes. :)
DeleteI read The Hobbit and REALLY enjoyed it but then I started on LotR and almost died before the first (monumentally long) chapter was over. However I was only 10 at the time so I'm considering revisiting them and having another go :)
ReplyDeleteI think I'll wait a few years before I take another swing at the series. (:
DeleteMy policy is usually to read the book before the movie, but with LOTR, I just skipped right to the movie--and I'm pleased to say I made the right choice. I laughed for so long at one of Gollum's scenes :).
ReplyDeleteI go by that same policy. Currently I'm heading through the Harry Potter movies. (:
DeleteEverybody I've talked to loved them, but I've never really been interested.... I saw the movie once when I was little and that totally turned me off. My cousin was telling me all about how the Hobbit movie was coming out or something and he was all pumped up and then I was like, "Ok.... I don't really care, sorry."
ReplyDeleteI've heard their good, just not good for me :P
A lot of people really liked the Hobbit, or so I've heard.
DeleteI do enjoy John Ronald Reuel Tolkien's work; but his detailed, observative nature doesn't make it easy to get through the Lord of the Rings trilogy. The first book moves along at a decent pace, but the further you get, the harder the reading. Of course, I'm the crazy kid who tried reading his biography, which, while managing to be extremely enlightening, was the best "sleeping pill" ever created. Anyway, if you can make it through the part where Gandalf is riding to Minas Tirith in book 3 you've pretty much won the nobel prize for persistency.
ReplyDeleteThe Hobbit is probably the fastest read out of all of the Tolkien books (lore books included.) You wouldn't like it though, Seana, it's bursting at the seams with songs. Tolkien wrote these books for his kids; I think he may have included the songs so he could sing to his kids and get them enveloped in the scenarios.
In all of this, the best reason to read or see Tolkien would be to get a fundamental understanding of high fantasy. All current high fantasy concepts are built off of Tolkien's pioneer world.
~~ Anyone who has interest in the Aragorn/Arwen storyline, Appendix A of the LOTR series is "The Tale of Aragorn and Arwen." It's a sweet tale.
Wow....you could probably write one of my book reviews sometime. That helped me a lot.
DeleteThanks /humbled
DeleteSomeday I think I'll have to hunt you down to do a guest post for me. (:
DeleteMy favorite book (or books) is The Lord of the Rings, but I can understand why someone else may not like them. I particularly don't like the second chapter of The Fellowship of the Ring or the battle of Helm's Deep because of length. If they were shorter I might like them better.
ReplyDelete~Robyn Hoode
Btw, I may not be the best person to comment, I've read LOTR four times.
Delete~Robyn Hoode
Wow. That takes serious dedication! :D
DeleteNo more dedication than it takes HP fans to read their favorite book again or Percy Jackson fans to reread The Lightning Theif (or which ever is their fave).
Delete~Robyn Hoode
By themselves, each LOTR book is only about 400 pages. and if you divide it into the 6 books they really are, it's probably closer to 200 a book. And let's face it, we eat 200 pagers for breakfast.
DeleteMaybe it would help once if you had a goal of one chapter a week. You could read farther if you wanted, but you didn't have to.
~Robyn Hoode
I don't think forcing myself to read the books would really help. When I said a chapter goal for myself on any book, I just don't get into it, and whatnot. I might just wait a few years and see what happens then. Who knows?
DeleteNo. No, no, NO. I couldn't stand The Hobbit, and only got as far as maybe the fourth chapter before I had to fling it away in disgust. I don't know why I still HAVE the flaming thing.
ReplyDeleteI thought maybe...just maybe, if I was in the right mood and was feeling super pumped I'd give The Hobbit. So far, there's not been much pumpedness or right moodness.
DeleteI just barely got through The Hobbit but now I'm reading the first LotR and it's actually quite enjoyable. Some books aren't for everyone though.
ReplyDelete~D. Skye <3
I agree. :)
DeleteAs do I!
Delete