Lord of the Rings

[brent.bennett]

I didnt like Lord of the Rings. It was like a college text book. It was boring to me. I was shocked. I read the Silmarillion, Children of Hurin, Hobbit (Hobbit was good though) and all three of the Lord of the Rings. I felt like the scenes had no intensity to them. I thought the movies were better than the books. Thats never the case, so I thought. Now I thought he was very good at characterisation, but thats it. I've read battle scenes from Paolini, Jordan, Goodkind and Brooks. I enjoyed them. I felt the intensity. I read faster. I felt nothing like that from any scene with Tolkien. He wrote about things but I felt that he draw the reader in. I'm not to good at explaining things. I just thought the three books were dull and I had a hard time making through them. But I had too. Its the freakin Lord of the Rings. A great, supposed fantasy epic. I guess I'll think about reading Salvatore or Eddings.

[brent.bennett]

Is it because they were written to long ago? Like the 50's? Do I not like the books because I'm desensitized. I loved the newer fantasy epics just fine. Or is it because I just dont like Tolkien's Writing. Maybe If I read it in the 50's I would love it?

[spknoevl]

Tolkien actually wrote LOTR in the late 30s and 40s and was trying to write it in the style of the old norse myths and early british legends. If you've ever read The Iliad or Beowolf you would be familiar with the style. It should be no surprise that by todays standards some of the prose seems archaic. I suppose the same could be said about other great authors like Dickens and Steinbeck; by today's standards their writing may seem out of date. That certanly doesn't diminish them as writers.

Tolkien created a wonderful story and strong characters, and even if you can't get into the story because of the prose, you have to admit that it made a powerful movie and with only a few alterations to the books plot.

Just remember without Tolkien the entire fantasy genre might very well not exist and that LOTR is still held up as one of the standards for fantasy writing. You don't have to go far to find Tolkien's influence in the stories of the majority of modern fantasy authors: orcs did not exist in any fantasy story prior to LOTR.

[brent.bennett]

I have read the Illiad. The idea that tolkien's prose did seem In likeness to those such as the Illiad did cross my mind. I find it fascinating that he created the orcs and a skeletal structure for the fantasy genre. I now feel privilaged to have read it, although I didn't enjoy it as much. I just find that kind of prose annoying. If I lived in an earlier era maybe my opinion would be different. Now that you have clarified some things for me, I consider it necessary to have read it,even though I didn't like it.

[Rojoshom]

I find the archaic prose to be absolutely fascinating. It's different than much of contemporary fantasy, but very satisfying. Some people keep a copy of the Bible around, no matter what. I keep a copy of LOTR around, no matter what, because of its unparalleled impact on the fantasy genre...

[River Boy]

Tolkien wanted his readers to experience every part of the journey from Hobbiton to Mordor, even the boring parts. He's not just interested in plot or drama but in the landscapes and history people walk through when they walk across a landscape, and it proved an effective way of getting the reader to empathise with the characters. Rather than pointing out that Frodo and Sam are tired and starving when they get to Mordor, he allows you to know how they feel because we've been all the way with them. Other writers often try to tell things to the reader rather than show them, personally I prefer Tolkien's way.