J.R.R. Tolkien discussion

Sounds good!

Earlier parts of this discussion were held on this thread.

However many you wish, Lindsay. We have three months for this group read, and the discussion thread will stay open beyond that. Jump in wherever you feel comfortable :-)

If you feel you want to 'shadow' (no pun intended!) a few fellow travellers so that you feel you're at the same point as others, let us know where you're up to and how fast you want to take the pace and we can see if somebody can match up with you.

As an alternative, I guess I could get hardcore and set up seperate discussion threads per chapter! How would you feel about that? As I'm running the idea around in my head, I'm liking it :-)

Wow, this is really cool! I hope we get a few more buddies on the road through Middle-Earth! I'll try to watch out for spoilers in case we have new readers. I have just entered book IV and noticed again that it's not my favorite part of the journey - I hardly remember any details.

Penny wrote: "Sounds good!"

Did you get started yet, Penny? Does your husband read it aloud for you while you knit? That's really cool! Wouldn't work for me - I don't knit and my husband's English is well... not up to the task, let me put it that way. :-)

I've just finished reading it! :( But I'd be up for another go if there's discussion to be had. Set number of chapters per week would be fine by me. Or there are six "books" in the whole novel - perhaps we could do one of those per fortnight?

Hyarrowen wrote: "I've just finished reading it! :( But I'd be up for another go if there's discussion to be had. Set number of chapters per week would be fine by me. Or there are six "books" in the whole novel - pe..."

Welcome, Hyarrowen! A book per forthnight sounds like a good idea to me, although most of us are alread ahead. But that shouldn't keep us from discussion!

Hello everyone!
It's so quiet here, are you all reading? I have now finished The Two Towers and started in on The Return of the Ring. I'm glad I'm out of Mordor and back on the plains of Rohan and Gondor! How are you faring?

I'm doing well, had to stop reading for a while because of life :( meaning tests

lily.grace wrote: "I'm doing well, had to stop reading for a while because of life :( meaning tests "

Oh, poorest! You have my deepest sympathies. I hope they went well!

Thank you so much!!! I don't know how they went yet but I'm happy to be back in Middle Earth x I'm also trying to finish Unfinished Tales at the same time...

I did get started, we're mixing our driving listening and home reading. Spending a lot of time in the car so the listening is mixed with some other adventures. I plan to get caught up with Fellowship & Two Towers this week and check back. Enjoy everyone!

Sorry to say that I have already reached the Grey Havens and Frodo and Bilbo have left. Shed some tears yet again. I'll miss them!
But like Gandalf said: "Not all tears are an evil."
There are some truly spiritual truths in this story, ways of thinking that are becoming rare in today's society. Like the knowledge that there are things you have to do, even if you receive no reward for them. Or is it just my imagination that there are fewer heroes today than there used to be?

Hey y'all, new user here. I'm actually reading through the index of ROTK right now, so I'd love to be involved in discussion. I finished the series for the first time in early February and it's been on my mind since. Pretty fantastic stuff.

I read the books years ago, and listened to the audiobooks in January and February of 2016. So not ready to do a re-read yet. However, Lord of the Rings is one of my favorite books ever, and I have read a lot of books. I have read tons of fantasy, and Tolkien's series still stands head and shoulders above the rest.

Hi Cameron and Beverly, welcome!
What are your impressions of the books? Favorite characters? Things that touched you? I'm curious...

Beverly wrote: "I read the books years ago, and listened to the audiobooks in January and February of 2016. So not ready to do a re-read yet. However, Lord of the Rings is one of my favorite books ever, and I have..."

Which audiobooks did you listen to, and would you recommend them|? I imagine they're quite a big investment to buy.

Well, I think they're the most beautiful stories ever written haha. Samwise son of Hamfast (which I always say because I think it's funny) is my favorite character. I love everyone else but he's in his own tier to me. A true friend to Frodo who never succumbed to the allure of the Ring, and the most down to earth character in the series too. His attitude towards Smeagol is a turn off, I guess, but in the end he was ultimately right about him, as Gandalf was as well. Sam is the embodiment of loyalty and sacrifice, making him the most loving character throughout the novels.

I love Sam so much!!! He was a million times better than movie Sam and everything he says and does is just adorable, I love his relationship with bill the pony XD

I loved it when Frodo values Sam's sacrifice by telling him that he has to be whole in the end, and not always torn between his master and his family. There is so much caring in that and such an acknowledgement of all that Sam is willing to give. While they were still on their quest, you could sometimes get the feeling Frodo is so wrapped up by the ring that he doesn't even notice what Sam's doing for him. But in the end it shows that he's well aware of it and treasures it.

A little slow in posting, and reading, but I wanted to respond to Annette's comment from the previous thread:

"Annette wrote: never whiny, like "Oh I wish the old days would return, everything is so bad now..." Quite on the contrary, they draw strength from the memory to face the tasks at hand."

Reminds me of how each generation say the same thing, "I wish the old days were here, they had it easier."
It takes a great person to understand and apply what Gandalf said to Frodo "... and so do all who live to see such times... All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us..."
(One of my favorite quotes, and a whole discussion could be devoted to it. :-D )

"Today I noted something special while reading how Gandalf, Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli walk into Meduseld and see the picture of Eorl the young. There is so much appreciation of the past and the good deeds of the forefathers..."

There are religions that revere/ feel connected to their ancestors. I see in my own immediate family the character traits of those who have gone on in those that are still here. Aragorn knew his ancient past and grew great strength from them. He knew the weaknesses as well, but understood their strengths and drew upon them and made them his own. I think it's interesting that he also knew the histories of those that were part of the ancient realm. Makes me wonder if that's why he acted the way he did when he met Éomer the first time, he knows there is goodness in the Rohirrim, but more importantly he knew of the greatness in Éomer because of his linage of old, saw it in him, knew what to say, and do, to gain the help he needed. In the process gaining an eternal friendship. Hmmm, maybe if we were to understand our own ancestry we might gain strength from them; and knowing others history might give us more understanding and compassion just as Gandalf and Aragorn had for others.

Out of the shadows the hobbits pepped, gazing back down the slope; little furtive figures that in the dim light looked like elf-children in the deeps of time peering out of the Wild Wood in wonder at their first Dawn.

I love love love the vision this gives. I wish I was an artist and could draw/paint this.

So it was that they did not see the last stand, when Uglúk was overtaken and brought to bay at the very edge of Fangorn. There he was slain at last by Éomer, the Third Marshal of the Mark, who dismounted and fought him sword to sword.

I can just envision this.

There is so much of an allegorical nature throughout the books. So many lessons to be learned as many of you have already written regarding the past and those that have walked before us and things we learn from them and through our own experiences. I noticed this time reading through and then listening to the BBC radio series that Frodo and Sam would reflect on the purpose of the journey, the ultimate goal, how hard it was to continue on and being focused. They spoke about whether this would be written and how those reading it, if it were, would see them; either Frodo or Sam. It struck me how much it reminds me of what is written in Ecclesiastes 4 where it says it's best for brothers to walk in two so that when one falls the other is there to lift him up. Sam is that brother to Frodo and many times, I think he is so much stronger, wiser and more courageous. Lots for all of us to glean from certainly. I'm so glad I got to read through the series again.

Hello everyone! I am joining in a little late here, but its my first time around reading Lotr. I play the online MMO game version of Lotr and it is a lot of fun.. I am hoping to catch up this series to join in on the discussion. 😊

@Christine What's the game like?? I've heard people say it's good and I'd like to know wether it's worth getting or not

I've played LOTRO for a while and I can say it really is enjoyable. Though it has too many microtransactions for my liking.

lily.grace wrote: "@Christine What's the game like?? I've heard people say it's good and I'd like to know wether it's worth getting or not"

It really is a lot of fun. There are so many places to discover, crafting, quests, pets and my favorite housing... You really can not get bored with this game... 😊

@Christine Thank you!! I really want to get it now. Is it free and do you have to download it or something? Or do you but it on a disk?

lily.grace wrote: "@Christine Thank you!! I really want to get it now. Is it free and do you have to download it or something? Or do you but it on a disk?"
The game is free to play, however there is a cash shop for all kinds of items, including different quest packs. You just have to go to the following website and create an acct, after which it will tell you how to download the game. Go to www.lotro.com and make sure to check out the entire game, you will love it. -)

Hi Anne, that is certainly an interesting question you raise here. So far I had always interpreted these visions as insights into the spiritual world, where a person's character defines the shape and not the physical genes. So a physically small person may appear as a tall and fearsome warrior in the spiritual world if he (or she) happens to have a warrior's heart while a tall and strong person may appear like a helpless chick if he (or she) feels very insecure inside.
We are trained to associate darkness with bad and light with good. But I don't think this applies here. Galadriel for example shines brightly, but is also described as terrible and cold. And if I remember correctly, Sam's vision of Frodo is in connection with Gollum. It demonstrates the power resident in Frodo by which he controls Gollum. But this power is driven by mercy, not solely by the power of the ring, or Frodo would have treated Gollum differently.
As for Gandalf, it seems to me that his shadow was meant to intimidate Bilbo to make him give up the ring. It was a demonstration of power, but not necessarily the power of the Lord of the Rings such as Gandalf might have become. I believe Gandalf is the kind of person who knows exactly which measure will turn out the desired effect and darkness was the means to cow Bilbo a lot more effectively than bright light. When he meets up with Gimli, Legolas and Aragorn on the eaves of Fangorn, he reveals himself in bright light as Gandalf the White. But that was after his fight with the Balrog and his transformation. So maybe he could not have shone with such a strong light before.
So no, I don't think those are manifestions of what the people would look like as as Ring-Lords. Those are manifestations of the core of their spiritual personalities, the power that is contained in each one according to his/her heart.

It's been a long time since I sat down and read this. In fact, Peter Jackson's three part movie adaptation came out between then and now. He really butchered the story even more than I thought he did. I understand leaving parts out that don't directly advance the story, but changing parts so that the story takes a different path seems to be completely unnecessary.

Charles wrote: "It's been a long time since I sat down and read this. In fact, Peter Jackson's three part movie adaptation came out between then and now. He really butchered the story even more than I thought he d..."

I agree with you there. Never bothered to watch the whole thing because it just makes me angry.

Anne wrote: "Don't get me started on the so-called Hobbit movies"

Indeed I refuse to finish watching his telling of The Hobbit. I can't excuse the female elf character (Tauriel) he made as a heroine and love interest for a dwarf. I'm not against female heroine characters, in fact one of my favorite book series by Melanie Rawn, the Dragon Prince and Dragon Star trilogies, has plenty of strong, female characters.

Anne wrote: "Annette wrote: "Hi Anne, that is certainly an interesting question you raise here. So far I had always interpreted these visions as insights into the spiritual world, where a person's character def..."

You're welcome! I'll be glad to discuss more, so just throw it in the ring!

Charles wrote: "Anne wrote: "Don't get me started on the so-called Hobbit movies"

Indeed I refuse to finish watching his telling of The Hobbit. I can't excuse the female elf character (Tauriel) he made as a heroi..."

Yes, that was really odd. It's probably one of those warped results of gender mainstreaming. Everything you can possibly think of should be tested and tried. And it's all okay. I'm missing a thumbs down icon here...

Annette wrote: "Hi Cameron and Beverly, welcome!
What are your impressions of the books? Favorite characters? Things that touched you? I'm curious..."

I apologize for being so long in replying. I left my comment several months ago, and this is the first time I have come back to check out the group again.
Anyway, I loved the books, and have loved them for a very long time. My favorite character is Gandalf in all his manifestations. My favorite creatures are the eagles, who always arrive just in time to help someone in trouble. And, along with many others, I found Sam and Frodo's friendship and companionship very touching, for the same reasons already explained by others above.

Hyarrowen wrote: "Beverly wrote: "I read the books years ago, and listened to the audiobooks in January and February of 2016. So not ready to do a re-read yet. However, Lord of the Rings is one of my favorite books ..."

I apologize for taking so long to answer this question. I left my comment several months ago, and am just now coming back to check on the group.
Anyway, I listened to the Recorded Books versions read very capably by Rob Inglis. I checked them out from my local library. They are much too expensive for me to purchase.

No worries! Having looked at the prices, I'm fairly sure I couldn't afford them either, at least not new. But the library idea is a good one; since you say Rob Inglis did a good job, I'll see if I can get them on inter-library loan. Thank-you for the info!