The Hobbit

[Nope]

I have reread The Hobbit and LotR several times but never read The Silmarillion. This thread has made me want to finally read that book.

[JuliaL]

I have reread The Hobbit and LotR several times but never read The Silmarillion. This thread has made me want to finally read that book.

I started it a couple of times.
As I remember it's more like the OT, Numbers or Kings. History & genealogies without much action or dramatic arc. I found it too dry to finish.

[thesummerqueen]

I have reread The Hobbit and LotR several times but never read The Silmarillion. This thread has made me want to finally read that book.

It is easier to read with a lecture series like I mentioned, or a study guide. I think the thing that trips a lot of people up is the sheer amount of names in Elvish that Tolkien spits out. Dude basically back-engineered stories for everything after making up names. It is also easier the first time if you try to ignore the names and just read it once through to get the basic frame work of the creation story, then the subsequent movements of the Elves. And there are also charts on the net to help you parse out what all the names refer to later.

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History & genealogies without much action or dramatic arc. I found it too dry to finish.

Hardly. It contains a lot more than genealogies, and if you were looking for action and missed it, you were skipping over things that didn't slap you in the face.

[Chas]

It is Peter Fucking Jackson who is in need of immolation.

Dude, is LOtR really such an important part of your world view that you are going to get stressed over it? It's a movie-- something to take the kids out on Saturday afternoon, eat a little popcorn and some Milk Duds. But you act like Jackson's interpretation of the book represents a personal ass-raping to you; is your world really so fragile that a Hollywood movie can ruin your day?

Let's face it. I know it, you know it, everyone here knows it. You're at that age where complaining is the most fun you can have. So if The Hobbit gives you a good target for your crotchety old-man rage, then feel free to vent-- but I know on the inside, you're happy as hell.

You and Gawdzilla have nothing interesting or useful to add to the discussion, but you are butthurt fanbois and have to respond with this crap.

If you would like to respond to the criticism of the movies, I'm all ears.
If you only have insults for someone who disagrees with your opinion, then you should grow up.

[thesummerqueen]

Says the person making the hopefully hyperbolic claim that Peter Jackson should die in a fire...

[Chas]

Says the person making the hopefully hyperbolic claim that Peter Jackson should die in a fire...

In response to Gawdzilla's absurd post. So, there's that.

[thesummerqueen]

Yes, because more absurdity and immature response makes it right. That'll show everyone.

[Gawdzilla]

Face it, "all great trilogies come in threes."

[Nope]

[quote='Nope' pid='825729' dateline='1419223736']
I have reread The Hobbit and LotR several times but never read The Silmarillion. This thread has made me want to finally read that book.

It is easier to read with a lecture series like I mentioned, or a study guide. I think the thing that trips a lot of people up is the sheer amount of names in Elvish that Tolkien spits out. Dude basically back-engineered stories for everything after making up names. It is also easier the first time if you try to ignore the names and just read it once through to get the basic frame work of the creation story, then the subsequent movements of the Elves. And there are also charts on the net to help you parse out what all the names refer to later.

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Thank you, Summer Queen. When I was a kid, I used to read our Encyclopedia set for the fun of it so charts and things like that make me happy. I've accepted the fact that I am a strange nerdish person.

[thesummerqueen]

Stuff like this helps:



The Tolkien Professor also walked his class through the Silmarillion (and other works) and lets you know which chapters will be included in the recordings: http://tolkienprofessor.com/wp/lectures/...en-survey/