I first discoverd Tolkien back in 6th grade. I really enjoyed the Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings. I find myself rereading the Lord of the Rings at least once a year. The Hobbit has sort of lost the attraction it had when I was younger. The way he weaves his story line together so it all conncects just brings the story to life.
Any Tolkien fans?
- Thread starter Mellian
- Start date
Tolkien is a great author. The Lord of the Rings is just one of those books that people up every so often to read again. That is a rare find for me at least. I have not even read the rest of the trilogy yet though; the furthest that I got was the fellowship of the ring (i think?), first of the trilogy.
You have to wonder at it - to write this book, Tolkien must have pretty much designed Middle Earth in his head before he ever set pen to paper. I wonder how many details, how many other stories he left out?
You have to wonder at it - to write this book, Tolkien must have pretty much designed Middle Earth in his head before he ever set pen to paper. I wonder how many details, how many other stories he left out?
Fellowship of the Ring is the first part of the Trilogy.
Two Towers is the second part and The Return of the King is the third part.
I am sure there where a lot of others stories he could have written. There is the Simarillion (not sure of spelling) that covers the early part of middle earth. It is not as easy to read as the Lord of the Rings however.
Two Towers is the second part and The Return of the King is the third part.
I am sure there where a lot of others stories he could have written. There is the Simarillion (not sure of spelling) that covers the early part of middle earth. It is not as easy to read as the Lord of the Rings however.
Christopher Tolkien, JRR's son, has been putting out volumes and volumes of book which are all under, I believe, "The History of Middle Earth" title. The first two were The Books of Lost Tales which had a lot of his unfinished stories... these have been followed by basically all his notes. They are really, really interesting. Anyone who is really interested in Middle Earth should check them out. Most bookstores carry at least volume 1 & 2 if not more.
Mellian, I'm a Tolkien fan!!
Can you tell?!
I discovered him around 8th grade... and have been reading him ever since. IMO, he's the best. The Ring Trilogy is up there in my 3 all time favorite books list... right next to AS Byatt's Possession and Frank Herbert's Dune series... ok... so I'm counting series as books.
:aliengray
Mellian, I'm a Tolkien fan!!
Can you tell?!I discovered him around 8th grade... and have been reading him ever since. IMO, he's the best. The Ring Trilogy is up there in my 3 all time favorite books list... right next to AS Byatt's Possession and Frank Herbert's Dune series... ok... so I'm counting series as books.
:aliengray
I have read one of those collections of the works of Tolkien. I know there are some others out there.
Tolkien has always been one of my favorite authors ever since I found him in six grade. Even named some of my cats after characters in his book, the first one being Arwen. Kind of scary that, everybody always asking me where in the world did you find a name like that for your cat..
Haven't reread the Lord of the Rings in about 4 months, means I better get it out again soon.
Still wish he had written some more complete stories based in Middle Earth.
Tolkien has always been one of my favorite authors ever since I found him in six grade. Even named some of my cats after characters in his book, the first one being Arwen. Kind of scary that, everybody always asking me where in the world did you find a name like that for your cat..
Haven't reread the Lord of the Rings in about 4 months, means I better get it out again soon.
Still wish he had written some more complete stories based in Middle Earth.
Me too... but you know what else? I started creating a world of my own about 10 years ago... I got maps and notebooks and notebooks filled with history and stuff... and the actual "novel" I'm writting which takes place in it hasn't gotten very far. I'm only on chapter 3 or something... because everytime I write something in the novel it somehow leads back to all my notes and I start adding stuff to them and elaborating. I can understand how he has so much unfinished stuff and so few finished works. Even The Silmarillion was something he never planned to publish. It's a compelation of all the revisions of middle earths history and lore which Christopher put together to try to reflect it best.
Tolkien is so amazing... he was such an amazing person as well as such a creative genius.
He's pretty much ruined fantasy for me as nothing seems to compare to his work. :rolly2:
And I know what you mean about the name Arwen... my husband and I are actually considering naming one of our children Arwen... if we ever have a girl. It's such a beautiful name. I had a dward hamster named Frodo too.
Tolkien is so amazing... he was such an amazing person as well as such a creative genius.
He's pretty much ruined fantasy for me as nothing seems to compare to his work. :rolly2:
And I know what you mean about the name Arwen... my husband and I are actually considering naming one of our children Arwen... if we ever have a girl. It's such a beautiful name. I had a dward hamster named Frodo too.
Many years ago I started playing with a world of my own. Never did get a whole lot done to much detail and to little time.
My only problem was the limited number of good female names, most of my cats have been female. Right now I have a Luthien, Mellian (yes, that is where I get my username from) and an Elbereth. I used to have a Galadriel and a Eowyn. Also had an Eomer.
Your right I tend to classify books as Tolkien quality or not Tolkien quality. Unfortunately it is mostly not Tolkien quality.
My only problem was the limited number of good female names, most of my cats have been female. Right now I have a Luthien, Mellian (yes, that is where I get my username from) and an Elbereth. I used to have a Galadriel and a Eowyn. Also had an Eomer.
Your right I tend to classify books as Tolkien quality or not Tolkien quality. Unfortunately it is mostly not Tolkien quality.
I think that the problem is that once you've read Tolkien, you become very critical of other people's world structure. Or at least, I find myself doing that. I like Frank Herbert's Dune series because I can believe that it really exists.
Also, I've been working on my world on and off for 10 years. I've taken as much as a year and a half break from it sometimes... it's something I figure I will always work on, but the work goes in spurts. I still haven't even named it! Although all my towns, water ways, mountains, etc. are named. My main character is named Ewlyn Bree... hence my handle here.
And we do need more Tolkien female names! I never really thought of that.
What do you think of the movies Peter Jackson is working on?
From what I've seen and heard... they have the potential to be good. I plan to go see them with no expectations... because I know I will hate them if I expect too much.
I like Frank Herbert's Dune series because I can believe that it really exists. Also, I've been working on my world on and off for 10 years. I've taken as much as a year and a half break from it sometimes... it's something I figure I will always work on, but the work goes in spurts. I still haven't even named it! Although all my towns, water ways, mountains, etc. are named. My main character is named Ewlyn Bree... hence my handle here.
And we do need more Tolkien female names! I never really thought of that.
What do you think of the movies Peter Jackson is working on?
From what I've seen and heard... they have the potential to be good. I plan to go see them with no expectations... because I know I will hate them if I expect too much.
The secret to any good story is being able to believe that it (the world and story) can really exist.
I have heard of the movies. They definetly sound like they might be good and I plan to give them a try.
It is difficult not to go see any movie without expectations but I will try.
I have heard of the movies. They definetly sound like they might be good and I plan to give them a try.
It is difficult not to go see any movie without expectations but I will try.
I agree. Liv Tyler is playing Arwen and they've made her role bigger... I almost get the feeling that they've written her into just about every scene in the movie. This, for me, is a big problem. It's like someone decided that the movies would fail if they didn't center around a romance. This, to me, equals trouble. :angryfire
But from the movie trailer - which you can download from http://www.apple.com/trailers if you want to see it - they just look soooo cool. The orcs alone look so cool.
I'm just trying very hard to not have high expectations and to not go in expecting them to cover every aspect of the novels... even if they are doing 3 films - one for each book.
But from the movie trailer - which you can download from http://www.apple.com/trailers if you want to see it - they just look soooo cool. The orcs alone look so cool.
I'm just trying very hard to not have high expectations and to not go in expecting them to cover every aspect of the novels... even if they are doing 3 films - one for each book.
Finally had a chance to see the trailer.
Definete possibility.
I like the idea that they are doing a movie for each book. Means maybe they won't leave to much stuff out. Don't want to get my hopes up though.
Don't like the idea of Arwen playing a major role. They probably thought they needed a more constant female character. I always felt the underlying but subtly stated romance between her and Aragon added so much more to the book. We didn't need to see any great romance, you knew it was there but it wasn't the main story.
Definete possibility.
I like the idea that they are doing a movie for each book. Means maybe they won't leave to much stuff out. Don't want to get my hopes up though.
Don't like the idea of Arwen playing a major role. They probably thought they needed a more constant female character. I always felt the underlying but subtly stated romance between her and Aragon added so much more to the book. We didn't need to see any great romance, you knew it was there but it wasn't the main story.
Exactly! That's also why I've always liked Arwen so much. Because she's such a subtle character, so to speak.
That's not all they are changing either... or so the rumors go. It should be an interesting adaption. A friend of mine sent me an email with all the rumored changes in it that I thought I still had but now I can't find it. I seem to remember something about taking some stuff from Gandalf's past and bringing it into the present or something.
That's not all they are changing either... or so the rumors go. It should be an interesting adaption. A friend of mine sent me an email with all the rumored changes in it that I thought I still had but now I can't find it. I seem to remember something about taking some stuff from Gandalf's past and bringing it into the present or something.
December 2001, 2002, and 2003. Basically, a year between each movie. I think it's due out mid-December. Not sure of the exact date. 19th somehow rings a bell.
The one problem I see in bringing things from Gandalf's past and having them happen in the present is that they might mess up the whole time line.
Oh! Another cool thing is that they had a bunch of language experts in who studied the various languages and created accents for all of them... so the elves will have their own distinct accents, as will the hobbits, etc. based on the languages Tolkien created. I almost think that's the coolest thing about it.
The one problem I see in bringing things from Gandalf's past and having them happen in the present is that they might mess up the whole time line.
Oh! Another cool thing is that they had a bunch of language experts in who studied the various languages and created accents for all of them... so the elves will have their own distinct accents, as will the hobbits, etc. based on the languages Tolkien created. I almost think that's the coolest thing about it.
Tolkien Maps.
Sorry to interrupt your conversation - it does seem to be just you two - but I was reading what you were saying about drawing your own maps and worlds, and I heard something on BBC Radio 4 a few weeks ago you would be interested in.
They were doing a series of short city walks, and describing things on the way. The one I listened to was from Birmingham city centre along canal paths. They said that Tolkein used to live nearby, at some point in his life, and they said that he used real places and sights, in his books. They even passed somewhere called 'The Shire'.
Sorry to interrupt your conversation - it does seem to be just you two - but I was reading what you were saying about drawing your own maps and worlds, and I heard something on BBC Radio 4 a few weeks ago you would be interested in.
They were doing a series of short city walks, and describing things on the way. The one I listened to was from Birmingham city centre along canal paths. They said that Tolkein used to live nearby, at some point in his life, and they said that he used real places and sights, in his books. They even passed somewhere called 'The Shire'.
Feel free to jump on in to the conversation. The more the merrier.
I have heard of the area of Birmingham called the Shire. Hadn't heard the part about Tolkien though. Very interesting. They always say when you right you should use things based on your own experience to add realism to the story.
I have heard of the area of Birmingham called the Shire. Hadn't heard the part about Tolkien though. Very interesting. They always say when you right you should use things based on your own experience to add realism to the story.
I also live near Bagshot here in the UK.
From my understanding, most of Middle Earth is based the United Kindgom and English literature.
My world I'm creating actually is mostly based off places I have been... and a lot of places are named after placed here on Earth.
Tolkien was a very interesting individual.
From my understanding, most of Middle Earth is based the United Kindgom and English literature.
My world I'm creating actually is mostly based off places I have been... and a lot of places are named after placed here on Earth.
Tolkien was a very interesting individual.
I found this on the BBC website about that programme.
'Ramblings' with Clare Balding
Programme 2:
Birmingham - the Cole Valley
First broadcast Friday 6 April 2001, 3.00-3.30 p.m.
Companion: Peter Bennett, local resident and conservationist.
Clare and Peter walk from Sarehole Mill through Moseley Bog - which both have connections with J.R.R. Tolkien, author of Lord of the Rings - and past Swanshurst Park, which used to be farming land. They continue over common land at Billesley, by the Chinn Brook and round Trittiford Mill with its bats and breeding swans, then back along the Mill Stream Way in the Cole Valley to Sarehole Mill.
Map: Ordnance Survey Explorer 220. See also: Birmingham A-Z.
'Ramblings' with Clare Balding
Programme 2:
Birmingham - the Cole Valley
First broadcast Friday 6 April 2001, 3.00-3.30 p.m.
Companion: Peter Bennett, local resident and conservationist.
Clare and Peter walk from Sarehole Mill through Moseley Bog - which both have connections with J.R.R. Tolkien, author of Lord of the Rings - and past Swanshurst Park, which used to be farming land. They continue over common land at Billesley, by the Chinn Brook and round Trittiford Mill with its bats and breeding swans, then back along the Mill Stream Way in the Cole Valley to Sarehole Mill.
Map: Ordnance Survey Explorer 220. See also: Birmingham A-Z.
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