If you were going to get into LotR books would you read them Sil -> Hobbit -> LotR?
^Not having read Sil, and not liking LotR…
I would read them in the order they were written. Hobbit, then LotR, then Sil.
@Sweep - have you watched The Hobbit movies? I’m wondering about all this Gandalf/Radagast/Saruman/Necromancer stuff. It’s not in the book (except for one part of one sentence). Is it in any of the other Tolkien stuff?
(I know that the “white orc” stuff is made up simply for continuty’s sake. The Hobbitt, as it was written, would probably make a very bad movie.)
@lxwarr - I’d probably read LotR first, including the appendix and see if it’s something you find interesting. If you’re curious about the origins of what’s possibly the largest mythical universe ever imagined, then I’d read the Sil. After that I’d read Unfinished Tales and then if you wanted to go even deeper you could try the History of Middle Earth series - of which Morgoth’s Ring is the 10th volume. I’m not a big fan of The Hobbit and barely consider it canon. Aside from how Bilbo finds the ring, the rest of the story doesn’t really matter. It was written for kids to enjoy so it has an entirely different feel to it.
@Greenie - I watched the first one. Haven’t gotten around to the second one yet. Gandalf speaks in more detail about the Necromancer during LotR in the chapter The Council of Elrond.
^Second one was quite a bit better. More character development, more plot, less “action for action’s sake”. The first one had the feel of a filler movie.
Necromancers, hobbits, elrond, you people have gone full-geek. :o
Glad you liked it. Every time I watch it I pick up on something new in the dialoque that I previously missed. Really good stuff
I get the Queen song in my head whenever I look at this thread.
Actually a decent album if you like the Highlander concept.
We may already be living forever.
If the elves live forever, wouldn’t they have some kind of population problem?
Theoretically yes, but their many wars against Morgoth and Sauron dwindled their numbers and the ability to compound their growth rates. Also the return of evil into Middle Earth during the Third Age forced many to abandon ME and sail into the West due to growing number of orcs infringing on their isolationist policies. They also practice safe sex techniques to further their adherence to environmental sustainability and good global citizen mandates.
^ they also don’t consummate like bunnies like humans
^ exception, feanor who had seven sons
Girls who know science fiction should become automatic boardmembers.