Patrick is going to kill me...

[katster]

It's 2:30 and I'm still up, having fallen into reading Out of the Silent Planet over again instead of sleeping. I need to pull out and reread the Narnia books, C.S. Lewis is a pretty good author. And I need to start that big thick book I got handed for my birthday...unfortunately, my first and only exposure to Tolkien was some weird book that I never got into, and I fear trying to descend into Fellowship of the Ring for some reason I don't quite understand.

Yes, in seventh grade I was exposing my mind to some concepts that have probably warped me forever...(my favorite novel in seventh grade was easily 1984 if that tells you anything about my weirdness. I read all the dytopias (1984, Brave New World, We), but I didn't understand the last book until I got some higher math in me and BNW just scared me silly.)

Anyway, somehow in my formative years of literature, I never got exposed to Tolkien. I got Lewis (my copy of Dawn Treader has a youthful scrawl about the book being read when the US started bombing Iraq in the Gulf War...) and my forays into science fiction went through David Brin's Earth (fascinating book which I need to reread again sometime), the Tripods Trilogy, by John Christopher, and then, the Foundation Series by Isaac Asimov. I owe my introduction to Heinlein to my HS English teacher, who considered Stranger in a Strange Land to be the only science fiction book worthy to be mentioned on the AP exam, and thus the only one worthy of being reported on in oral book reviews, and I was bitterly disappointed when Ben got to report on it. (I ended up with Gulliver's Travels, which is a book I don't regret reading, though.)

But I've never managed to get into Tolkien. Never. And now that I actually have a copy of the book in hand, I'm pondering reading it, but I'm nervous. I know, nominally, that The Hobbit is a prequel to LotR, but is it necesary to read that before you start Fellowship of the Ring?

Aw well, while I'm trying to figure out it, I'll start reading the book Patrick shipped me. I showed it to my sister and asked her to tell me where it was bought, and it took her a little while before she noticed "CANADIAN NATIONAL BEST SELLER" across the top of the back cover. %)

Anyway, my reading list for vacation has much Tolkien on it, as well as Vinge, a couple books under the tree for me, and a couple books I ordered from Thinkgeek. With physical therapy and college applications, that's going to get intersting quick.

But I should listen to Patrick and go to bed now, so...there's my unholy rambles for the night.

Comments

[joii.livejournal.com]

... The Hobbit is not a prerequisite to the trilogy, *but* it will give you some familiarity with Middle Earth, and some background on the ring... Plus you get Gollum! Bilbo is a much more sedate traveller than Frodo, although his travelling party is almost as varied...I recommend that you read the Hobbit, on principle, whether you read it before the trilogy or not.

-jo

*squawk!*

[zibblsnrt.livejournal.com]

It's 2:30 and I'm still up

Grr! ;)

unfortunately, my first and only exposure to Tolkien was some weird book that I never got into, and I fear trying to descend into Fellowship of the Ring for some reason I don't quite understand. [...]
But I've never managed to get into Tolkien. Never. And now that I actually have a copy of the book in hand, I'm pondering reading it, but I'm nervous. I know, nominally, that The Hobbit is a prequel to LotR, but is it necesary to read that before you start Fellowship of the Ring?

Sounds like you stumbled over Simarillion or something.. I've heard that's the least possible one to wrap ones' head around, mainly because it's Tolkein's design notes converted into a novel after his death or somesuch. Hobbit was almost meant from the ground up as a children's book, and in many places reads as such. It helps to read it before going into the trilogy, but it's unnecessary. Fellowship picks up several decades later, and the world's of course a different place by then. A lot of what you need to know is handled through exposition, though. The "trilogy" itself is actually one 1,400-page novel that happens to be bound in three seperate volumes, though..

And dammit. You're reminding me of a large stack of stuff I need to get around to reading. :P :)

Enjoy the book, too. :)

-Pat

Re: *squawk!*

[katster.livejournal.com]

I knew you'd kill me.

I have no idea, it's been forever since I checked it out, and I haven't had opportunity to go back into my jr. high school library and find it. All I remember was a gray cover with blue writing, and a book I set down after two pages because I couldn't tolerate it.

And as for my copy of LotR, it's bound back into one complete volume, just the way it's supposed to be, I guess. :)

-kat

Re: *squawk!*

[fb.livejournal.com]

Squawk. That's exactly how I woke up this afternoon. ;P

Yeah, the Silmarillion was compiled from notes by Tolkein's son after his death. It's about the very beginnings of Middle Earth, reads more like a text of obscure religious mythology than a novel most of the time. I actually liked it quite a bit though. Has an elvish dictionary in the back. ;)

Kat, like they said, the Hobbit isn't necessary but a fun read and introduces the setting. There's actually a pretty good and as far as I can tell faithful animated adaptation you may be able to find to rent if you've got a decent non-corporate video store anywhere around. It's funny, with as much as I've read I came to Tolkein pretty late too, especially since my dad's been into him I think since before I was born, the books I have are his old ones. Still haven't read the second two Lord of the Rings books because we never found his.

lewis and tolkien

[phenyx.livejournal.com]

I don't know about you, but I tried rereading the Narnia books yearsplus later, and I could not get over the Blatant. Religious. Symbolism. That bugged me. But ... Whatever floats yer boat.

And re: Tolkien: Yeah, what everyone else said. Hobbit is Recommended Background for Fellowship, though not a Prerequisite. (aaaagh I've been working with u of l timetables too long). Haven't read Silmarillion (sp?). Me, I need to start into Return of the King.. Took a break between Towers and King to read Neverwhere. Add that onto your list somewhere if you haven't already. =)