Lord of the Rings: So who else has read all of the books?

[Kevin]

I remember reading first The Hobbit and then the LOTR trilogy many years ago so I was thrilled with the new movies. Watching the movies inspried to open up the books again, the first time in some years, to re-read them all over again.

Anybody else read LOTR again because of the movies? If not, what are you waiting for?

 

[Tom]

John Ronald Reuel Tolkien

At Fantastic Fiction there's a very nice bios on his work.

Many years ago I read 'The Hobbit'. I remember the movie as well and the one they did after it. Cartoon with live-action underlays.
When I saw 'The Lord of the Rings-The Fellowship of the Ring' I was amazed at how close this was to my memory of the book. Some of the scenes even sent shivers up my spine the memory was so close to what I was seeing.
I haven't been able to read a book for a few years now but I have been exploring books on tape. If the $ were there I would like to buy the series. Alas the $ are not available right now. In time our public library may get a copy I can borrow.
Peter Jackson has ruined Hollywood forever in the "based on book productions". No longer can I tolerate the hacking and rewriting mess they throw upon us. I actually get angry when I hear people dis 'BattleField Earth' because the only reference they have to the title is the felgercarb that Hollywood spat out! I read 'BattleField Earth' again after I saw it because I needed to rinse that taste from my mouth! Perhaps someone should ask Peter Jackson to do a remake, That would be AWESOME!

A book that may interest your passion for the LOTR could be 'The Lays of Beleriand-The History of Middle Earth' Fantastic Fiction has a link for more.

 

[omegadrax]

i, for one, am glad for the movies. i read the books as a youth and thoroughly enjoyed them, but could never read them again. i have tried. as an adult, they are just to dry to keep my attention for long. even after seeing the first movie, i was tempted to reread the series. my mom even bought them for me for christmas. i still couldn't do it. now i just watch the movies.

 

[Morbid Angel]

I have read the trilogy. And I've read the hobbit.

Films usually ruin the books for me, smashing the images I'd built in my head for the descriptions. But Tolkein describes so well that the film shows exactly what I saw in my head. Although, his descriptions do tend to drag on...

 

[Emma!]

I really really enjoyed reading the trilogy. It was like a friend to me for many weeks...I'd have to say they are in my top books of all time. I think perhaps The Two Towers was my favourite. Tolkien is a master, he describes everything so intricately and must have put so much of his life into the world he created. He was influenced and some people even say he based (though i'm not sure) the books on my area. He stayed in a college about a mile from my house and i live on a lane besides Shire lane which is said to have interested him.

Oh and the movies were unbelievable too.

 

[Mutant]

I've read them all a few times. {even the Silmirilion! }

I have to agree Peter did a fabulous job in staying true to the original vision. If you've never read the originals though, I highly recomemd that you do at least once. The written word hits on a different {yet satisfieing} level than an effects strewn motion picture. Even one as lovingly crafted as LOTR.