funny I've been trying to read LoTR since I was 14 (so it's been quite a good decade now), and I still haven't made it throught book 1, it's just a boring slow tale with far to much singing.. if I wanted a fucking musical I would have rented The Sound of Music.
I liked the LoTR movies, but again, 2 and 3 were just mainly battles, and no story, I'm told the books are better but I just can't stand reading them.
But now that were are at it LoTR borrows from other works as well, like Beowulf and many of the classic sagas, that's called inspiration, and it's a good thing.
jounihat wrote:Because The Lord of the Rings is the book of the 20th century
OMG please tell me you didn't actually just say that!
Actually, he did.
Probably, it was in reference to the 1997 poll by the BBC, which put LoTR just ahead of 1984 as the "Book of the Century".
Well I wouldn't put Nineteen Eighty-Four at the top of my list of 20th century fiction but it certainly ranks higher than Tolkien's tripe.
I mean if you are going to talk about books of the century surely more deserving titles would be Ulysses, The Remembrance of Things Past or The Man Without Qualities, or if you'd rather something a little lighter The Great Gatsby and The Trial are good reads without being overwhelming.
Edit: Of course that's talking about books of the century and I must say I do remember enjoying Lord of the Rings when I read it; just like I might enjoy a one night stand with some brainless beauty but I'd be damn sure to sneak out the door first thing in the morning.
Four years ago I convinced my english teacher to use book #1 in the lessons. Although the vacabularies weren't easy to cope with, it was more interesting than the common Harold & Maude reading.
One year later I've got to know of the german audiobooks. Superb! Especially during boring long-range routes (university <-> home | 400km).
I actually just re-read all five books since last Tuesday (last Monday was my last day of high school). I was looking for a bit of light reading, found the books in my brother's room, and decided to read them.
I have to say, re-reading them has shown me just how much plot J.K Rowling has fit into them, just tiny details that are mentioned in the beginning but then turn out to be why the story is the way it is. The writing style, while somewhat childish and using funny "wizard" words, is enjoyable to read. The story itself though, is what I enjoy the most, because J.K. Rowling has created a whole universe in which to work with, and it is rather interesting how she has developed it.
The movies, sadly, leave much to be desired. The books may live on for a while, but the movies, I'll see them, and hope they die a quick death, cause they make me cry. The 3rd movie left out so much of the plot, I didn't know what had happened (from a pure cinematics point of view, I liked it, for what it was supposed to tell, it sucked).
To anyone who voted no, or to anyone who bashes the series, please at least tell us that you've attempted to read the first book, because without having touched any of the books, you really have baseless claims and should simply keep your mouth shut.