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Read them.
The Silmarillion is one of the most painful experiences I ever failed to finish.
I read them all about age 15 (probably the best time to read them, since as you get older you've read/seen more stuff that's derived from it so it gets less interesting) and actually quite enjoyed it. I seem to remember the 150 page sort of epilogue at the end being a bit much.
Read LOTR and the Hobbit several times although not for some years. Skimmed Silmarillion and decided life might be too short.
Have read the whole LOTR and Silmarillion about 8 or 9 times, and various of The Lost Tales. The Hobbit was too twee/kiddy for me at 10 and only read it the once. The Fellowship of the Ring (vol 1 of LOTR) is heavy going / scene setting and the Tom Bombadil sequence very weak (no surprises Jackson dropped it from the film!). Silmarillion is IMO a lot better - wish it was filmed, it'd be epic.
If you think The Silmarillion is hard going try The Book of Lost Tales and some of the other more obscure works!
14 times, mostly skipping the songs. I decided I ought to stop afer that.
Thought The Hobbit was kinda good, nice and simple. LOTR was good overall, but it does have some pretty slow parts.
Would also advise to skip the poems, I still don't know what the point of those were...
Read the Hobbit and LOTR when I was a teenager, so forty something years ago. Still got the books, haven't read them since. Most of what I read is SF/Fantasy, but I tend to prefer my fantasy with a darker, grimier flavour these days, like the Borderland collections, and Kate Griffin's Urban Magic series.
Read The Hobbit and The Fellowship of the Ring when I was 8 (the books came with the Spectrum text adventures!:P), and read The Two Towers and Return of the King when I was 9. Kept on getting them out from the library until I was 11 and my dad got me my own copy, all in one massive book with tiny, tiny text! It's kept with extreme reverence as it means a lot to me, as a) it was my favourite book as a kid, and b)my dad wrote a note inside the cover marking my 11th birthday, so it's got sentimental value on that front too.
As that copy was starting to get a bit fragile, I bought the Kindle version last year. Still love the book, but yes, the songs and poems can outstay their welcome! 😛 My brother finally managed to read LotR when he was in his late 20s after about fifteen years of trying. It took him nine months - apparently the "three f*****g pages describing Treebeard's eyes" particularly annoyed him, as did Tom Bombadil. Poor Tom, nobody likes him...
Read it first when i was about 7, and read it continuously for many years after. Used to read a lot as a kid, and Lord of the rings and the Hobbit were always being read.
Its something all kids should read, its an amazing story
You do know they've been made into films now, right?
I enjoyed it at 11yrs or so, I thought the films were gash though, that kind of story no longer appeals.
TSY & like all films huge swathes of the story are missed but they are great for the masses. Short stores suit films not long books.
ratswithwings - of course it has plus plenty from the Finnish Kalavela and the Celtic; Tolkien's perspective was to create a cohesive British mythology incorporating all the strands from the various cultures / peoples that form Britain.
Tolkien later regretted writing the Hobbit as a kids book.
Read it lots over the years but my wife couldn't stand it as the stories seemed like sketches without detailled characterization to her.
Ahhh... still not convinced about giving the books a go though.
I'm going to write a story that appeals to Al instead. It'll be full of EPIC battles and stuff.
Erm.. dull. Mystical rubbish, bit like those nerdy cartoon comics adults buy in brown paper bags.
Me! and it was far more detailed and enjoyable than the film!
Your post suggests you watch a lot of tele then Kaesae.
The Southern Yeti - Member
Your post suggests you watch a lot of tele then Kaesae.
Be gone Yeti, I have neither the time or the inclination to play silly games with thee!
You cheeky editor! 😀
Hahahaha!
3 times, or is it 4?....will prob be reading them again soon, only read the hobbit once tho. Only really started reading when I got a palm in my mid 20s. loads of books in your pocket + lots of windows progress bars to watch = reading habit formed.
I thought the films were a bit pants tbh.
If I'd read the books, I'd quote a relevant bit at you.
Instead, I'll save everyone else the time...
By the way those knocking it for being a kids story, have you read any of harry potter? LOTR is mature reading high brow literature compared, can't beleive how many adults love HP books.
The films are some of the best fantasy films ever made, the books are just a bit tedious.
I managed to get half way through the last book and gave up.
My beard had grown long and grey, my staff had gone all shiny.
I read it years ago...my Dad read the Hobbit to me and my brothers when we were little.
LOTR was a great book, but yes it can be hard going. The last time I read it it took me ages (but after taking it on holiday I plowed through it.
If you like that genre, try Robert Jordans's Wheel of Time series...I'm reading them at the moment and he has the same attention to detail.
I read it a few times in my teens, don't think I could stand it now, though. Try the Chronicles of Thomas Covenant by Stephen Donaldson if you fancy an adult version ......
Robert Jordans's Wheel of Time series
Pah 👿 a pale imitation; he started off palely imitating R.E.Howard with Conan.
Other classic fantasy - Fritz Leiber's Lankhmar books (Terry Pratchet built his career on the back of them) or more modern Joe Abercrombie's First Law series.
I've heard it said that if LOtR is your favourite book at 14 then that is fine but if it is still your favourite at 40 something is wrong.
couldn't have put it better myself
Terry Pratchett said that. The same is true about his Discworld novels of course.
I've read LoTR multiple times except, like everyone else, all the poems and songs.
Read 1 and 2, got half way through the 3rd book when the 3rd film came out. I think i was a bit fatigued by all the walking in the 2nd book. Awful lot of walking.
probably read it 3 0r 4 times before i was 16 and then 2 or 3 times since
I saw all 3 films at the cinema - went with my OH.
The 3rd one was painful. I nearly stood up twice at the end as i kept thinking 'this must be the final scene'.
And then all that pointless crap about the bloody boat.
and THEN they go back to tellytubby land again.
Somewhere between the boat bit and tellytubby bit i began to really really hate Tolkien for writing this dross, and Peter Jackson for filming it 🙂
The 3rd one was painful. I nearly stood up twice at the end as i kept thinking 'this must be the final scene'.
Were you sat behind us - we were s****ing every time they made a grab for their coats.
Robert Jordans's Wheel of Time seriesPah a pale imitation; he started off palely imitating R.E.Howard with Conan.
I'm quite enjoying the series. It's still not a scratch on Tolkein I agree, but I'm enjoying it. I particularly like that there's no goblins, orcs or elves, he's created a world without relying on 'lore' created by others.
Once i've finished it I'll look for another fantasty epic to read I think.
When I went to see the final film, after about 8 pints of ale (not the greatest idea, especially when I bought salted popcorn without a drink, but I digress), the film cut out just as Gollum was about to throw the ring into the fire.
We had to wait for ten minutes till they got the thing working again, grrr. Someone in the projection room must have been having a laugh.
Read the books at least 10 times, I actually like the Silmarillion as well.
DaRC_L - MemberThe 3rd one was painful. I nearly stood up twice at the end as i kept thinking 'this must be the final scene'.
Were you sat behind us - we were s****ing every time they made a grab for their coats.
Possibly, if you kept hearing assorted muttered comments: "not more", "my legs have packed in", "I have DVT", "Throw it in the bloody lava you tit", "whats this about", "can i go home", "noooo more please", "boat?", "excellent, lets get to the car park before it gets to busy...hang on, why are they back at the start of the first film, this wasnt the trailer was it?"
Read it from start to finish twice. Superb book.
Read it twice but not for 20 years. Recently downloaded it to my Kindle.
Never read any of them. Never will.
When I was a kid, we moved and I changed junior schools. When I joined the class they were part way through the teacher reading "The Hobbit" in installments. Put me off for life. Bloody nonsense.
Recently re-read the Hobbit and thoroughly enjoyed it.
LOTR - never managed to lot - just wanders on for too long.
Tim 😆
Dezb 'tis because you are fickle 😉
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Marin County, Cali
Twice, 30 years ago and then a few years ago before the films came out.
Have read LotR > 10 times 🙂
1st reading was followed by The Hobbit, then by LotR, The Hobbit, LotR, then The Silmarillion.
What a loser!
Love LotR - Hobbit is twee & shite, Silmarillion is desparate (I'd know; I've struggled through it twice).
Funnily enough I rarely finish any fiction books these days, must have been scared for life.
Read it loads. Was quite the tolkien fan years ago.
I've recently re read the Silmarillion, The Hobbit and LOTR back to back.
My 8 year old son is quite a reader, so I thought I'd let him have a go with my illustrated copy of The Hobbit.
He handed it back to me after half an hour with the immortal phrase, "this is nonsense."
Yeah Darc
I guess there was the norse mythology he was into aswell and his academic work in Old English etc.
After going to Iceland and looking at place names there and their similarity to UK place names , you do realise how Germanic the English language actually is.
i.e. Scafell in the Lakes, Scaffafell in Iceland.
Anyone been sad enough to go to the Eagle and Child in Oxford? Um .... I have!!
Think we're going to do a big walk on the Wrekin soon as that was a huge influence on his writing for LOTR. Heck I'm sad.
By the way, Tom Bombadil does have fans, his book by JRR sells for quite alot of money, first edition though!