Lord of the Rings

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Speaking of Tolkien…Has anyone read “The Children of Hurin” yet? I just got it out from the library, and am going to start on it in the next day or so. 😃 👍 It looks delicious, precious…

Er, ahem…maybe I should calm down. 😛 😃
No, but I want to…school reading comes first. :rolleyes: 😦
 
It is OUTSTANDING!!! If you have never read “The Silmarillion”, it may be a bit confusing at first – by the same token, it may be a good introduction to “The Silmarillion”.

Check out my review on Amazon.com

amazon.com/gp/product/customer-reviews/0618894640/ref=cm_rev_sort/102-5605325-5880161?customer-reviews.sort_by=%2BSubmissionDate&x=11&y=7&s=books
I read the Silmarillion and also the Narn I Chin Hurin in the Unfinished Tales collection, so I think I’m good. 😃
 
I just finished with the Fellowship of the Rings last night and all I have to say is WOW! I cannot wait to start the next two. I could only imagine how much better it would have been to see it on the big screen. The visuals just blew my mind. I was slightly confused at first trying to keep up with the story and all the names, but think that I am “up to speed” as much as can be expected. I look forward to watch the other two soon. The one part I was not sure of was at the end Frodo had to make the journey on his own, well with his tag team partner, but where did the other go? Forgive me I am not good with the names yet.
 
I just finished with the Fellowship of the Rings last night and all I have to say is WOW! I cannot wait to start the next two. I could only imagine how much better it would have been to see it on the big screen. The visuals just blew my mind. I was slightly confused at first trying to keep up with the story and all the names, but think that I am “up to speed” as much as can be expected. I look forward to watch the other two soon. The one part I was not sure of was at the end Frodo had to make the journey on his own, well with his tag team partner, but where did the other go? Forgive me I am not good with the names yet.
Ok…as to the others: Merry and Pippin (the other two hobbits besides Frodo and his partner) had been captured by those monsters (Uruk-hai) and were being carried off to one of the bad guys’ fortresses. Aragorn (the last remaining man in the Fellowship), Legolas (the elf) and Gimli (the dwarf) could either follow Frodo to Mordor in one direction, or follow Merry and Pippin in the opposite direction and try to rescue them. Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli chose to go after Merry and Pippin and try to save them. That’s about where Fellowship leaves off.

Clear as mud? 😛
 
Ok…as to the others: Merry and Pippin (the other two hobbits besides Frodo and his partner) had been captured by those monsters (Uruk-hai) and were being carried off to one of the bad guys’ fortresses. Aragorn (the last remaining man in the Fellowship), Legolas (the elf) and Gimli (the dwarf) could either follow Frodo to Mordor in one direction, or follow Merry and Pippin in the opposite direction and try to rescue them. Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli chose to go after Merry and Pippin and try to save them. That’s about where Fellowship leaves off.

Clear as mud? 😛
Clear as mud. Thank you for the clarification and for being able to spit out those names like that. I was too caught up in the story to remember names. I guess I also missed why Frodo has to go off on his own? Why do the other members go to save versus following?
 
Clear as mud. Thank you for the clarification and for being able to spit out those names like that. I was too caught up in the story to remember names. I guess I also missed why Frodo has to go off on his own? Why do the other members go to save versus following?
As to why Frodo went off on his own: If you recall, the one member of the Fellowship (Boromir, the man who got killed at the end) became overcome with desire for the Ring and tried to take it from Frodo. Frodo realized that the Ring was breaking the Fellowship, and decided that the only thing he could do to prevent the Ring from overcoming them all was to leave and go off to Mordor alone (although Sam, his partner, tagged along too).

The other members of the Fellowship could only go one way or the other-- and Legolas and Gimli would follow Aragorn, since he was their leader. Aragorn realized the threat the Ring posed to the Fellowship, as Frodo had, and decided that the fate of the RIng was out of his hands. He knew that Merry and Pippin would most certainly die sooner or later in the hands of the Uruk-hai, so he and the others decided to attempt their rescue.

If you read the books later, this will become clearer, since Tolkien explains all the intertwining motives of the various characters. But what I put above is the basic idea of what’s happening.

Any other questions? 😃
 
As to why Frodo went off on his own: If you recall, the one member of the Fellowship (Boromir, the man who got killed at the end) became overcome with desire for the Ring and tried to take it from Frodo. Frodo realized that the Ring was breaking the Fellowship, and decided that the only thing he could do to prevent the Ring from overcoming them all was to leave and go off to Mordor alone (although Sam, his partner, tagged along too).

The other members of the Fellowship could only go one way or the other-- and Legolas and Gimli would follow Aragorn, since he was their leader. Aragorn realized the threat the Ring posed to the Fellowship, as Frodo had, and decided that the fate of the RIng was out of his hands. He knew that Merry and Pippin would most certainly die sooner or later in the hands of the Uruk-hai, so he and the others decided to attempt their rescue.

If you read the books later, this will become clearer, since Tolkien explains all the intertwining motives of the various characters. But what I put above is the basic idea of what’s happening.

Any other questions? 😃
No, thank you, this clarified what I was thinking, I just wanted to make sure that I did not veer off on the wrong path. I am looking foward to starting the Two Towers, but will not get to it until next week :mad:
 
No, thank you, this clarified what I was thinking, I just wanted to make sure that I did not veer off on the wrong path. I am looking foward to starting the Twin Towers, but will not get to it until next week :mad:
That one is quite good too-- in fact, I was just rewatching some of it last night. Now, of course, I can’t get Return of the King for a while. :rolleyes: And by the way, it’s Two Towers. 😛
 
That one is quite good too-- in fact, I was just rewatching some of it last night. Now, of course, I can’t get Return of the King for a while. :rolleyes: And by the way, it’s Two Towers. 😛
Fixed…oops…😊
 
Check out The Sanctifying Myth by Birzer.
He is a professor at my alma mater who wrote about Catholicism in the LOTR books.
 
No, thank you, this clarified what I was thinking, I just wanted to make sure that I did not veer off on the wrong path. I am looking foward to starting the Two Towers, but will not get to it until next week :mad:
Finally was able to get to see this one and WOW! What I would give to see this in the theatre. That battle scene was intense!!!

Sorry, just had to say that this one has my interest peaked. I cannot wait to watch The Return of the King!! Maybe tomorrow night I will start that one!

Which one was everyone’s favorite?
 
Which one was everyone’s favorite?
Hard to say. I loved the character development in Fellowship, it really connected me with everyone. With Two Towers, I just couldn’t wait to see Return of the King, there was so much suspense. I really loved that ROTK tied up all the loose ends, I felt completely satisfied, you know, like after Thanksgiving Dinner. 😃

I prefer to think of them as all one movie, so I don’t have to pick a favorite. 👍
 
As to why Frodo went off on his own: If you recall, the one member of the Fellowship (Boromir, the man who got killed at the end) became overcome with desire for the Ring and tried to take it from Frodo. Frodo realized that the Ring was breaking the Fellowship, and decided that the only thing he could do to prevent the Ring from overcoming them all was to leave and go off to Mordor alone (although Sam, his partner, tagged along too).
Right, although this is emphasized more in the movie. The scene with Aragorn where Frodo says “can you protect me from yourself” is not in the book. I made one die-hard Tolkien fan mad by saying that I thought the addition of that scene actually improved the story. I’m not sure I would stand by that opinion now, but I think it was legitimate to make the situation somewhat clearer than it is in Tolkien. One of the intriguing questions about the books is why Aragorn never seems to be tempted by the Ring. . . .

Edwin
 
Right, although this is emphasized more in the movie. The scene with Aragorn where Frodo says “can you protect me from yourself” is not in the book. I made one die-hard Tolkien fan mad by saying that I thought the addition of that scene actually improved the story. I’m not sure I would stand by that opinion now, but I think it was legitimate to make the situation somewhat clearer than it is in Tolkien. One of the intriguing questions about the books is why Aragorn never seems to be tempted by the Ring. . . .

Edwin

I thought the scene on the way through the Misty Mountains in which Boromir is tempted by the Ring was very well done - not in the book, but according to its spirit.​

What I do think is a pity, is that the bits of the book that were cut out before it was published, just in case it should be a failure, were not restored once it was clear that it was not going to be one: & the same applies to some details in the Sil.

but that is slightly OTT 🙂
 
Right, although this is emphasized more in the movie. The scene with Aragorn where Frodo says “can you protect me from yourself” is not in the book. I made one die-hard Tolkien fan mad by saying that I thought the addition of that scene actually improved the story. I’m not sure I would stand by that opinion now, but I think it was legitimate to make the situation somewhat clearer than it is in Tolkien. One of the intriguing questions about the books is why Aragorn never seems to be tempted by the Ring. . . .

Edwin
Very interesting. I have not read the books so I would not have known this. Thanks for pointing it out. Things that make ya go :hmmm:
 
I loved the movies, there were all great but I think they progressively get better and the last one, Return of the King, was best because it brings it all to a satifying and spectacluar conclusion. It won the oscar for Best Picture which was much deserved.

I am reading Fellowship of the Ring currently and it is very good, though I do see the differences. But I try to take a book for what it is without letting the memory of the film version to corrupt my enjoyment of it.
 
When the movies were about to come out, the DH said, “Well, these look really cool, but maybe I should read the books first…”

How did I marry this person without correcting this fault!?!

“You didn’t read the books?” I said.
“I don’t do fantasy.”
“Oh, honey, these aren’t fantasy, these are TOLKIEN.”

SO, he read the books and adored them. We now have the Tolkien biography (Tokien: Man and Myth), Tolkien: A Celebration (also by Joseph Pearce), and J.R.R. Tolkien’s Sanctifying Myth by Birzer. And a guest bedroom decorated with my poster from the Tolkien art exhibit when it was at Marquette University when I was 12 (and already a huge fan) facing a giant mural of a map of Middle Earth with the “Elbereth, Gilthoniel” poem (in elvish- I found it online; major Marian overtones!) across the top and two of the movie reproduction swords. :rolleyes:

Now, we are not TOTAL Tolkien geeks because I do NOT know elvish… so it’s ok…

I found Narnia disappointing. Beautifully done, but just nowhere near as good as LOTR. I have to agree with Tolkien: strict allegory is a cheap way to write a book and insulting to the reader. “I’ve got a secret; can you guess?”
 
I just finished my 4 hour sitting watching the Return of the King, and all I have to say is WOW! The effects in that movie were astounding! I was blown away by the battle scenes and the visuals throughout. I am definitely going to have to watch the entire series again.

My only question remains is what is the thinking of where the characters are going at the end. I do not want to give too much away if someone has not seen the movie.

Please if you have not seen the movies:

DO NOT READ ANY FURTHER AFTER THIS POST AS OTHERS MAY POST DETAILS YOU DO NOT WANT TO KNOW

I am just curious what others thought about this ending. It is all new to me so I have not formed an opinion of where I think that they are going. I do feel that this one did “complete” the series without leaving any openings and unanswered questions. I do agree that this was not a Part III, but the finale in a very long movie!
 
But I try to take a book for what it is without letting the memory of the film version to corrupt my enjoyment of it.
Yeah, like trying not to visualize Elijah Wood as Frodo when you’re reading the book. 😉 I don’t have anything against Mr. Wood, but I think I would have imagined Frodo a bit differently had I read the book first.
My only question remains is what is the thinking of where the characters are going at the end.
You mean when Frodo, Bilbo, Gandalf, and the Elves take the last ship to the Undying Lands? Life Everlasting for a job well done!! 😃
 
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