Who here besides me don't like the books?

[KenM]

I expect a big flaming for this, but I really think the LoTR movies are alot better then the books. JRRT's writing style is long winded and boring. He describes almost every blade of grass the characters walk by, and have the characters break out into some song about some minor person/ event that happened 500 years ago in Middle Earth that has nothing to do with the story. But he barely mentions major plot devolpments. The orc attack at end of FoTR/ start of TT is hardly mentioned, but he goes into detail about things that are not critical to the story.I felt like I was reading a text book, not a fantasy adventre. If i wanted to read a text book, I would read a text book. Who arees with me?
I think the extended edtions will be the definative fantasy movie triogy.

[Fable]

i'll agree with PARTS of what yo usaid! the movies are better then the books IMO, but the books still are great... yeah they can get boring from time to time, but i still enjoy them.

[Screwu2]

The books are wayyyyyyyy better than the movies. The movies are great and all but the books are better.

[LOTRNUT04]

as much as i love the movies, the books are better

[DolAmroth]

The books are a totaly different thing then the movies. But I like them the same.

[The Moose]

i liked the books, but i did find that in some places, there was a huge amount of detail, but that was very rare, when that huge amount of detaiul wasn't totally necessary. but as Dol said, the movies are a completely different thing. but both are still damn great

[jeti]

Haha :)
I see what you mean, but I still prefer the books for one reason in particular: the sense of a long journey is more profound in the books. It is true that, say, the battle at Helms Deep is described in considerable less detail in the book while other - dull to some - moments are described in endless detail. The songs and poetry are also everpresent in the books, that's true as well.

But I have to admire your courage :D

[evenstar]

The books and films are two different things- however you wouldnt have the films without the genius work and imagination of JRRT and for that you have to admire his amazing achievement- not only for LOTR but the whole world, history and languages that he created.
Love the books, and as a fan its brilliant to see it as a film.

[KenM]

I'm not a LoTR hater, I'm a JRRT writing style hater, there is a difference.

[Brandy]

The incredible depth and bredth of Tolkien's work can be difficult to appreciate. Even Tolkien himself said that those of 'lesser minds' may not understand his work. What he is referring to is the enormous amount of material that he provided in the appendices and his writing to create the world of Middle-earth. So, while you may not enjoy reading his written word, there is still much to admire. Tolkien created the landscape of a world, and in order to do this he needed to describe everything in minute detail . . amazing if you consider it . . he sat down and created maps inwhich if you study them you can locate all of the events that occur during the story. Not only that but he created calendars for each of the races . . and separate cultures, complete with their timelines. The characters are more historical than literary . . they have detailed genealogy and rich family histories. And, the languages . . every race has a spoken and written language . . Tolkien was a linquist . . he understood the science of creating a language. The languages are real . . they have their own unique grammatical rules and can be spoken and written.

I do not think that it would bother Tolkien that you do not like his writing . . he was a master at story telling . . he wanted to create a mythology for England . . any mythologies in general are created by word of mouth, by story telling, by passing a tale from generation to generation. If you enjoy the tale that Tolkien has set forth . . than I think that would have pleased the old gent enormously.

[downflow311]

im not a fan of the books, i read them once and was pretty bored. i have been an avid movie fan my whole life so its only natural im a way bigger fan of the movies. the detail that went in to the LOTR movies is something that has never been done before. LOTR is a new breed of movies that will spawn tons of copycats, just like the original Matrix.

[DarkPhoenix646]

i hope one of these 'copycats' is a Zelda movie...that would be freaking sweet

[PsYkOoOoO]

im a big fan of the books...but i deny that it can get boring at times..but hell..its just not yr kinda books...

[downflow311]

Originally posted by DarkPhoenix646
i hope one of these 'copycats' is a Zelda movie...that would be freaking sweet

no ****!!! i would be just as excited for a Zelda movie as i would for LOTR.

[PsYkOoOoO]

i wannna see a warcraft movie though...

[downflow311]

yeah that would be cool too. Diablo would be awesome and so would a live-action final fantasy based off ff7.

[PsYkOoOoO]

hmm...how about halo?

[downflow311]

im more of a fantasy rpg gamer, but that would be cool too. as long as its like based on the war instead of just one soldier.

[PsYkOoOoO]

ok this belongs to the gaming thread..

[Aztec]

Ken,
Your complaints do have some validity. There were some parts of the book with too much description of insignificant events for my liking as well. I also could not stand when the characters broke into song every other page.

With that being said though I loved the books. I especially loved Return of the King. There are several scenes throughout the trilogy which, when I read them, sent chills down my spine. Ex: Helm's Deep, Hobbits being chased by the Nazgul, Orcs throwing heads, Pellenor Fields, Path of the Dead, Shelob, Treebeard and the Ents, Minas Morgul, Dead Marshes etc.

Remember too that the movies are PJ's attempt to turn this epic fantasy into a viable modern day action/fantasy movie. I think it works so far :).

[Mike_Carrie]

Originally posted by Screwu2
The books are wayyyyyyyy better than the movies. The movies are great and all but the books are better.

i agree

[Turin Turambar]

Listen, I love Tolkien's work, and I also love PJ's adaptation. It just so happens that I love to read more than watch movies (though I watch a very good amount of movies) and so I put Tolkien's work higher up. I don't mind the boring parts because what is pacing in the movie world is just story-telling in the books, and therefore allowing the reader to get a good sense of the amount of traveling they have to do. By the time you've read through FOTR and TTT and Frodo is now at Mt. Doom, you are very cognizant of the amount of hard effort and traveling he had to do to get there, because you had to sit there and journey with him.

That's the main reason why I like TTT EE over the TC. It's because it slowed it down, and it gave me a better sense of how far they had to go to get to their destinations. PJ's additions through the action scenes are the biggest addition to the story, not to mention Shore's wonderful score and the incredible amount of detail of the scenery/weapons/monsters/etc.

Originally posted by downflow311
LOTR is a new breed of movies that will spawn tons of copycats, just like the original Matrix.

I heard talk that the Forgotten Realm story about Drizzt the Dark Elf Ranger could possibly be a movie one day.

[Marvin Nash]

I don't know about the LOTR books, but I read the Hobbit. I found that book horribly boring. The story was great, however I feel Tolkien spent way too many pages explaining every detail of scenery.

[Tonkpils]

Originally posted by Marvin Nash
The story was great, however I feel Tolkien spent way too many pages explaining every detail of scenery.
But think about that for a second, if Tolkien hadnt spent all that time explaining every detail of the scenery then it would be VERY difficult for Peter Jackson to make the scenery in the movies good... he used the books a lot for the explanations Tolkien gave about the scenery and everything.

[PsYkOoOoO]

i agree...after all Middle Earth is an imaginary world...details need to be explained..

[Marvin Nash]

Oh, without a doubt. However, I would'nt have a hard time picturing things if he cut out a few pages per scene. I guess the books just aren't for me... the movies are more of what I'm into. ;)

[Queen Arwen]

I'll grant that The Hobbit was an incredibly boring book and that its only viable purpose was to set the stage for The Lord of the Rings. However, despite the fact that the saga starts out slow in Fellowship, the books are fascinating because you are left to your imagination. Don't misunderstand me--the trilogy is one of my favorite movies of all time! The movies also piqued my interest in the novel. But because Professor Tolkien was so keen on detail, I found myself appreciating his incredible writing even more. I saw every place with a clarity and vibrance that only the movie rivaled. I met and began to know every character with more understanding and compassion. And I understood each scenario in more breadth and suspense to the point of breathlessness when I finished "Mount Doom" in The Return of the King. Plus, there are various details and scene for which PJ & Crew did not have the time or funds that are wonderful vignettes within the novel. Naturally, for me, the books are the ultimate experience, especially my personal favorite, The Return of the King.

[ReActor]

Having just finished reading LOTR's for the first time I can fully understand what you mean. However, I loved the book - I thought it was great. I had an incredibly hard time reading some parts, example of that being the Council of Elrond. The songs/poems I usually skipped. What I will say though is this...it wasn't until I finished reading the book did the whole saga click into place in my mind. I had to finish the book to really understand why people liked it, up until that point I wasn't really fussed.

Now I can't wait to read it again as I feel I will be able to get into the world alot better second time round.

Fantastic book - sensational movies...thats all there is to it.

[PsYkOoOoO]

yikes u skipped the poems?what a waste..:)

[ReActor]

I'll read them next time round....promise :p

[PsYkOoOoO]

check out the poem about beren and luthien...really cool

[evenstar]

Ive heard loads of people say they skipped Tom and Goldberry, at the time when you read it your like wtf? but after completing the book those chapters are kinda special, I dont know why but after all that happened to them its a fantastic contrast to the story.

[IceGambit]

I am a person who became acquainted with LOTR through the films. After seeing Fellowship, I went Tolkien crazy and bought all all of his Middle-Earth books. The Hobbit was dreadfully boring at times, and the first 100 pages or so was boring in LOTR. Once the Hobbits meet up with Strider, I think LOTR is one of the greatest books of all time, even if I skip over some of the songs when I read. :o

[PsYkOoOoO]

sigh..i read every word!!!:):)