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For devoted Tolkien fans... |
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aapatsos ![]() Special Collaborator ![]() ![]() Prog Metal and Heavy Prog Teams Joined: November 11 2005 Location: Manchester, UK Status: Offline Points: 8941 |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posted: June 06 2009 at 12:43 |
I can't remember if we have done this before...
I have recently (again) delved into the fantasy world of J.R.R. Tolkien and was wondering how many of us read his books and which one is your favourite. I have included the most obvious ones, although the 'other' choice covers everything (books edited by Christopher Tolkien are also included). My favourite has always been the Silmarillion as it unfolds the whole myhtology behind Middle-Earth and because I prefer reading about Elves rather than Men ![]() Please feel free to discuss your preferences and any other comments about Tolkien (by the way I heard that The Hobbit movie is underway?) |
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"Prog-gnostics" show - every Saturday 2-4pm UK time on http://www.justincaseradio.com, the first progressive radio in Greece
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Snow Dog ![]() Special Collaborator ![]() ![]() Errors & Omissions Team Joined: March 23 2005 Location: Caerdydd Status: Offline Points: 32995 |
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The Hobbit movies are indeed in the early stages of pre poduction.
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Atavachron ![]() Special Collaborator ![]() ![]() Honorary Collaborator Joined: September 30 2006 Location: Pearland Status: Offline Points: 57125 |
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I'm a casual fan, I wish I could converse about it but I know few of the books' details
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Raff ![]() Special Collaborator ![]() ![]() RIO/Avant/Zeuhl Team Joined: July 29 2005 Location: Alexandria, VA Status: Offline Points: 22697 |
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I am a big Tolkien fan, and have also published a few articles about his work, as well as edited and partly translated the Italian edition of three of the most important scholarly books on him. That said, my favourite work of his is The Lord of the Rings, a real treasure trove of everything that is good about literature - in spite of all the venom so many 'ivory tower' critics have spewed on it since its first publication. The Hobbit would be my choice as a runner-up: it may be 'only' children's literature, but it is a masterpiece in its own right.
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aapatsos ![]() Special Collaborator ![]() ![]() Prog Metal and Heavy Prog Teams Joined: November 11 2005 Location: Manchester, UK Status: Offline Points: 8941 |
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^
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"Prog-gnostics" show - every Saturday 2-4pm UK time on http://www.justincaseradio.com, the first progressive radio in Greece
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Garion81 ![]() Special Collaborator ![]() Honorary Collaborator Joined: May 22 2004 Location: So Cal, USA Status: Offline Points: 4336 |
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Lord of the Rings truly the first of the modern adult fantasy epics. He really did inspire so many to delve farther into the genre most thought to be only kids stories and use our imaginations more. I read it for the first time in the early 70's in high school. Hmm great music, Tolkien and what was that funny green plant? |
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![]() "What are you going to do when that damn thing rusts?" |
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Raff ![]() Special Collaborator ![]() ![]() RIO/Avant/Zeuhl Team Joined: July 29 2005 Location: Alexandria, VA Status: Offline Points: 22697 |
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My published articles, with one exception, are all in English, and all the books where they appear are available from Amazon. You might even find them in some university library there in the UK. I'll be happy to give you the titles.. I just have to try and remember them all ![]() |
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A Person ![]() Forum Senior Member ![]() ![]() Joined: November 10 2008 Location: __ Status: Offline Points: 65743 |
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For the past five years I have been almost constantly in the middle of a Tolkien book because I have a bad habit of reading multiple books at a time and sometimes forget/ don't feel like finishing one of them, it's almost as annoying as my habit of not using bookmarks and trying to remember what page I am on.
![]() I absolutely love Tolkien, I like tLotR more than the Silmarillion, maybe a reread would change that though. I was amazed by some of the stories in the Silmarillion, they are some of the best I have ever read, but I like tLotR partially for the larger volume of the story, it allows more to unfold. I love The Hobbit too, but the different writing style is harder for me to get into at first. I like the original animated The Hobbit movie, if only for the nostalgia. |
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someone_else ![]() Forum Senior Member ![]() ![]() VIP Member Joined: May 02 2008 Location: The Castoreum Status: Offline Points: 18116 |
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It has been The Silmarillion for a few years: after trying to read it, I came to chapter 10 of the Quenta Silmarillion, with great effort. Then I laid it away for six months and read it again: from beginning to end in two or three days. But nowadays I think that The Lord of the Rings is my fave: from 1977 'til now I hav read it maybe 27 or 28 times.
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progkidjoel ![]() Prog Reviewer ![]() ![]() Joined: March 02 2009 Location: Australia Status: Offline Points: 19643 |
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THE CHILDREN OF HURIN
The first Tolkien book I was old enough to properly understand, and indeed, one of the best I've ever read. |
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clarke2001 ![]() Special Collaborator ![]() ![]() Honorary Collaborator Joined: June 14 2006 Location: Ireland Status: Offline Points: 4151 |
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I can't imagine how anything else besides Lord OF The Rings can win this poll. Hence, my votes goes to The Hobbit - very charming book.
I like his Smith of Wooton Major children's book, too. I'm not familiar with Lost Tales/Unfinished Tales/Hurin. I tried Silmarillion but must admit twas a bit dense for me, if you take my meaning. |
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Mr ProgFreak ![]() Forum Senior Member ![]() ![]() Joined: November 08 2008 Location: Germany Status: Offline Points: 5082 |
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Lord of the Rings clearly is his crowning achievement. Nevertheless every serious Tolkien fan should read the Silmarillion, too. IMO it's a fascinating idea about how the world might have been created. It's even likened to composing music, with Morgoth (originally called Melkor) representing chaos and dissonance (which today would most likely be Extreme Metal
![]() Edited by Mr ProgFreak - June 10 2009 at 04:42 |
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sleeper ![]() Prog Reviewer ![]() ![]() Joined: October 09 2005 Location: Entropia Status: Offline Points: 16449 |
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The Silmarillion, a truly amazing read.
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Spending more than I should on Prog since 2005
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aapatsos ![]() Special Collaborator ![]() ![]() Prog Metal and Heavy Prog Teams Joined: November 11 2005 Location: Manchester, UK Status: Offline Points: 8941 |
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I am glad a few people actually voted for the Silmarillion - to make a movie out of this will be the ultimate achievement, much harder than LOTR...
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"Prog-gnostics" show - every Saturday 2-4pm UK time on http://www.justincaseradio.com, the first progressive radio in Greece
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Jim Garten ![]() Special Collaborator ![]() ![]() Retired Admin & Razor Guru Joined: February 02 2004 Location: South England Status: Offline Points: 14683 |
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It's odd but I tried many times in my younger years to read Lord Of The Rings, but never managed it... then I read The Hobbit, loved it & sped through the entire LOTR series in a couple of weeks. I'd say The Hobbit is essential reading to understand LOTR but a great stand up book in its own right. Overall though & predictably, it is LOTR for me. |
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![]() Jon Lord 1941 - 2012 |
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Mr ProgFreak ![]() Forum Senior Member ![]() ![]() Joined: November 08 2008 Location: Germany Status: Offline Points: 5082 |
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My recommendation for Tolkien newbies:
1. The Hobbit (easiest to read) 2. Lord of the Rings 3. The Silmarillion (explains how the world was created and tells what happened before LotR) |
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Negoba ![]() Prog Reviewer ![]() ![]() Joined: July 24 2008 Location: Big Muddy Status: Offline Points: 4994 |
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My family is so enmeshed in the Tolkien world that its mythology is our mythology. My father has read the books so many times it borders on obsession. The professor that spoke at my brother's graduation here in Saint Louis was a big Tolkien scholar. The work he's done simply will never be matched because the kind of scholarship he had in languages and mythology is rare enough, but to combine that with the obsession in a fantasy world....It just won't happen.
I personally can't separate the parts of the world and say "this is better" or "that is better" though clearly the LOTR was the most finished piece of work for adults. The Silmarillion is already a collection of lore, and other works are even more patchwork, though some of the stories still are great.
Anybody up for a round of "Where there's a whip there's a way" over a pint or two?
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You are quite a fine person, and I am very fond of you. But you are only quite a little fellow, in a wide world, after all.
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Alberto Muņoz ![]() Forum Senior Member ![]() ![]() Joined: July 26 2006 Location: Mexico Status: Offline Points: 3577 |
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Vote for the Sillmarilion it's an amzaing story and the Noldor's elves story are fascinanting.
I wonder what really happen when Ungoliant retire to the south and ended devouring himself
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Mr ProgFreak ![]() Forum Senior Member ![]() ![]() Joined: November 08 2008 Location: Germany Status: Offline Points: 5082 |
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BTW: If any of you Tolkien fans haven't checked out Blind Guardian - Nightfall in Middle-Earth yet ... well, you should.
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Raff ![]() Special Collaborator ![]() ![]() RIO/Avant/Zeuhl Team Joined: July 29 2005 Location: Alexandria, VA Status: Offline Points: 22697 |
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You mean Tom Shippey, I suppose? I edited the Italian translation of his book The Road to Middle-earth, and had the opportunity to meet him in person in 2005, at the Birmingham convention organised on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of LotR. Edit: Alberto, Ungoliant is a she ![]() ![]() Edited by Raff - June 12 2009 at 12:45 |
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