JRR Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, and Other Middle-Earth Stories Book

“If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.”

J.R.R. Tolkien's beloved high fantasy epics, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, sit at #2 (142m) and #1 (150m) respectively on the highest selling novels of all time. (For reference, the highest selling copy of a single Harry Potter book falls short by about 35m and 43m.) The six movies based on these two novels have grossed a combined $5,847,200,000 -- averaging just shy of $975,000,000. The three LOTR films being nominated for 30 Oscars -- all three receiving Best Picture nominations -- winning 17, including a sweep of all 11 the third film, Return of the King, was nominated. The Hobbit films earned a further seven nominations.

This is a thread to discuss all of his books and films.



The published works of Tolkien that exist within the histories of Middle-Earth are The Silmarillion, The Children of Hurin, The Hobbit, and The Lord of the Rings which is often published in the well-known trilogy: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King.

As a note, the three The Hobbit films have taken the plot of the novel, and infused the story with information gathered from other Tolkien writings to help bridge the gap of styles and level of writing between the two major works. Though, there is much debate on the level of which these additions were needed.



“I wish it need not have happened in my time," said Frodo.
"So do I," said Gandalf, "and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”

 

Forever thinking Sean Astin was robbed of a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his portrayal of Sam.

 

Probably my favorite movies ever. I'm in love with them. Kinda feel like a pleb that I haven't read the books but I'll get around to it eventually, not gonna rush them. I got The Silmarillion for an ex a while back but she left it at my house so I'll probably read that first. It's got illustrations and stuff in it, it's really neat.

 

The true meaning of friendship

 

They're definitely my favorite movies and books, bar none. I've got all the special hardcover illustrated editions of the main five, and copies of the main five in Italian, too. I adore The Silm, but it's also probably the toughest read of all of his books. Some of the stories in it are just downright beautiful, while others are super devastating. I'm in awe of him.

Full disclosure, I wrote my senior thesis on Tolkien in college. I could talk about these works for the rest of my life.

 

So Galadriel's freak out in the movie was really weird, right?

 

Galadriel is such a difficult character to capture correctly. I remember really loving the scene at the Mirror when I was younger, but the more I delved into the story, the more it felt wrong.

Most people don't realize that at the time of the War of the Ring, she's like 15,000 years old.

 

I am here..



It's beautiful, @Garrett L.

 

Yeah, in the book I didn't get the feeling at all that she was shouting or being forceful toward Frodo at all. Then the movie turns her into a blue CG monster for 30 seconds

 

How far into Fellowship are you now?

 

Oh I finished it a couple weeks ago. But I'm not far into The Two Towers yet

 

I always have a hard time getting going with TT when reading it, but then I get halfway through and the next thing I know I've finished RotK.

...it's about time to read them again.

 

I vividly remember riding my bike up to the library during the summer between seventh and eighth grade and checking out one book at a time in the LOTR trilogy. Those books took me to an incredible fantasy world all summer long as I sat there on my bed powering through them. They were so special to me. I was moved to tears by the end. When the films came out I obviously missed things I felt should be there but overall I was blown away and loved them as well. The Hobbit films I don't really care for though it's nice to see Middle Earth and Gandalf again. I also think Martin Freeman is terrific in the role as he is in most everything.

 

All I wanted out of The Hobbit films was Smaug and the Cleansing of Dol Guldur... both, thankfully, being the two things that those films did best.

 

I think The Hobbit films feel kind of tedious while they're on the road, but it may just be me. I watched the first one again a couple weeks ago and loved the beginning, loved the trolls, loved Freeman and McKellen of course. There are a lot of good parts, the film just drags in places.

 

They could've been a very solid, impressive two films if handled correctly. Alas... three entertaining, but not great films is what we got.

 

I've been meaning to check out the fan edits that are out there, but life is so busy.

 

Oh, and Riddles in the Dark was pretty pitch perfect, too. But Andy Serkis is king, so there was never going to be worries there.

 

I read the Hobbit in the 5th grade on my own. Everyone thought I was going to be a genius but I turned out average. Haha I still love it though.

 

growing up I was always treated like I was sooo smart and it took me until the last few years to realize I'm very average

 

lol same thing happened to me. I just loved to read when I was very young. I was reading at a college level when I was in third grade and they wanted me to skip a grade. I chose not to because I didn't want to leave my friends. All the kids told each other how smart I was. I just liked to read, man. Math is super hard and I suck at it.

 

Well, the four of us are all kindred spirits then.

 

Math suuuuucks so hard.

 

I had to take the most basic math course in college that was worth zero credits and I failed it, took it again and almost failed a second time. The entire time I just kept wondering what the hell was wrong with me. Everybody said I was smart. I can study one math equation over and over again, see a different variation of that one equation on a test and I'm like Gandalf in Moria.

"I have no memory of this place."

 

Way to bring it back on topic @Nyquist