Poll

What's your favorite Tolkien Middle Earth work?

The Hobbit
3 (21.4%)
Fellowship of the Ring
3 (21.4%)
The Two Towers
3 (21.4%)
Return of the King
2 (14.3%)
The Silmarillion
1 (7.1%)
Unfinished Tales and History of Middle Earth
0 (0%)
Children of Hurin
1 (7.1%)
The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrún
0 (0%)
Beren and Lúthien
1 (7.1%)
The Fall of Gondolin
0 (0%)

Total Members Voted: 14

Author Topic: What's your favorite Tolkien Middle Earth literary work?  (Read 6817 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

What's your favorite Tolkien Middle Earth literary work?
« on: June 24, 2018, 12:35:41 PM »

Offline Eja117

  • NCE
  • Bill Sharman
  • *******************
  • Posts: 19274
  • Tommy Points: 1254
I tried to write this poll broadly because his son Christopher Tolkien is/was highly involved in this stuff. I've started the Silmarillion and wow is it different so far.

I figured some of you could educate us a bit
« Last Edit: June 24, 2018, 02:15:33 PM by eja117 »

Re: What's your favorite Tolkien Middle Earth work?
« Reply #1 on: June 24, 2018, 12:43:56 PM »

Offline Boris Badenov

  • Rajon Rondo
  • *****
  • Posts: 5227
  • Tommy Points: 1065
I remember when I read the Silmarillion as a teenager, I was just blown away by how fully-realized the Tolkien universe was, and then to realize how the major characters in LOTR fit into that, and how all of the depth of LOTR was just a sliver of the whole story...it was so cool.


Re: What's your favorite Tolkien Middle Earth work?
« Reply #2 on: June 24, 2018, 01:30:43 PM »

Offline rocknrollforyoursoul

  • Satch Sanders
  • *********
  • Posts: 9672
  • Tommy Points: 325
I voted for FOTR, as a large chunk of that book takes place in the Shire and in the Wild—places that seem familiar (and comforting) to me as a native Mainer.

As for the Silmarillion, I didn't get far the first time I tried reading it, mainly because the lack of dialogue made it seem very dense to me. But later on, after I'd gotten deeper into the world of Middle-Earth, I went back and tried again, and I found it pretty fascinating—especially since Tolkien was a Christian, as am I, so the entire Illuvatar/creation aspect was very intriguing.
"There are two kinds of people: those who say to God, 'Thy will be done,' and those to whom God says, 'All right, then, have it your way.'"

"You don't have a soul. You are a Soul. You have a body."

— C.S. Lewis

Re: What's your favorite Tolkien Middle Earth work?
« Reply #3 on: June 24, 2018, 01:51:05 PM »

Offline Eja117

  • NCE
  • Bill Sharman
  • *******************
  • Posts: 19274
  • Tommy Points: 1254
I voted for FOTR, as a large chunk of that book takes place in the Shire and in the Wild—places that seem familiar (and comforting) to me as a native Mainer.

As for the Silmarillion, I didn't get far the first time I tried reading it, mainly because the lack of dialogue made it seem very dense to me. But later on, after I'd gotten deeper into the world of Middle-Earth, I went back and tried again, and I found it pretty fascinating—especially since Tolkien was a Christian, as am I, so the entire Illuvatar/creation aspect was very intriguing.
This all makes total sense to me

Re: What's your favorite Tolkien Middle Earth work?
« Reply #4 on: June 24, 2018, 02:08:51 PM »

Offline Ilikesports17

  • Don Nelson
  • ********
  • Posts: 8595
  • Tommy Points: 842
I've read the first 4 on the list along with Children of Hurin. My favorite probably being Two Towers. I'm not sure why. Perhaps because I read all 3 more or less back to back and found FOTR a bit dry and by the time I finished ROTK I was pretty much LOTRd out. I don't have any great analysis for you all. I enjoyed Children of Hurin but didn't love it.

Like a poster above mentioned I too found Silmarillion hard to get into and only made it a short way in. Although after reading this I may give it another shot.

Does anyone have any recommendations for the rest of the list? What should I read next?
Quote from: George W. Bush
Too often, we judge other groups by their worst examples while judging ourselves by our best intentions.

Re: What's your favorite Tolkien Middle Earth literary work?
« Reply #5 on: June 24, 2018, 04:08:41 PM »

Offline rocknrollforyoursoul

  • Satch Sanders
  • *********
  • Posts: 9672
  • Tommy Points: 325
I've read the first 4 on the list along with Children of Hurin. My favorite probably being Two Towers. I'm not sure why. Perhaps because I read all 3 more or less back to back and found FOTR a bit dry and by the time I finished ROTK I was pretty much LOTRd out. I don't have any great analysis for you all. I enjoyed Children of Hurin but didn't love it.

Like a poster above mentioned I too found Silmarillion hard to get into and only made it a short way in. Although after reading this I may give it another shot.

Does anyone have any recommendations for the rest of the list? What should I read next?

I haven't read The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrún or the History of Middle Earth, but among the others, Unfinished Tales has some pretty cool stuff.
"There are two kinds of people: those who say to God, 'Thy will be done,' and those to whom God says, 'All right, then, have it your way.'"

"You don't have a soul. You are a Soul. You have a body."

— C.S. Lewis

Re: What's your favorite Tolkien Middle Earth literary work?
« Reply #6 on: June 24, 2018, 04:10:56 PM »

Offline Roy H.

  • Forums Manager
  • James Naismith
  • *********************************
  • Posts: 58554
  • Tommy Points: -25636
  • Bo Knows: Joe Don't Know Diddley
The Hobbit will always be my favorite, because it was my entry to that world.


I'M THE SILVERBACK GORILLA IN THIS MOTHER——— AND DON'T NONE OF YA'LL EVER FORGET IT!@ 34 minutes

Re: What's your favorite Tolkien Middle Earth literary work?
« Reply #7 on: June 24, 2018, 06:38:46 PM »

Offline Eja117

  • NCE
  • Bill Sharman
  • *******************
  • Posts: 19274
  • Tommy Points: 1254
I wanted to ask you all this question. Gollum shows a willingness and ability to track Frodo across a continent going into extremely dangerous places.......but for whatever reason for 60 years he never attempts to sneak into the Shire to get the ring back when Bilbo has it. Probably the easiest place to go he never goes.  Also....I'm a little lost on how and why the enemy got him. How did they know he had the ring? How did they know anyone had the ring?  And how did they catch him? Doesn't seem like an orc could do it. Seems like it would have had to be a nazgul.  Or perhaps there are some orcs that are far more able than I gave them credit for.

Re: What's your favorite Tolkien Middle Earth literary work?
« Reply #8 on: June 24, 2018, 07:01:27 PM »

Offline Celtics4ever

  • NCE
  • Johnny Most
  • ********************
  • Posts: 20000
  • Tommy Points: 1323
Turin Turambar is a great story and tragic, thought stolen as it resembles elements of the Kalevala.  Mine is Lord of the Rings as a whole.

Re: What's your favorite Tolkien Middle Earth literary work?
« Reply #9 on: June 24, 2018, 07:04:50 PM »

Offline Eja117

  • NCE
  • Bill Sharman
  • *******************
  • Posts: 19274
  • Tommy Points: 1254
A ten year old was telling me recently that the geography of the Hobbit was metaphorical for personal growth

Re: What's your favorite Tolkien Middle Earth literary work?
« Reply #10 on: June 24, 2018, 07:27:53 PM »

Offline rocknrollforyoursoul

  • Satch Sanders
  • *********
  • Posts: 9672
  • Tommy Points: 325
A ten year old was telling me recently that the geography of the Hobbit was metaphorical for personal growth

I've never heard that. From what I know of Tolkien, Middle Earth was to him an "actual" place—fictitious, but absolutely a "real" land in his imagination, not simply a metaphor.
"There are two kinds of people: those who say to God, 'Thy will be done,' and those to whom God says, 'All right, then, have it your way.'"

"You don't have a soul. You are a Soul. You have a body."

— C.S. Lewis

Re: What's your favorite Tolkien Middle Earth literary work?
« Reply #11 on: June 24, 2018, 07:33:07 PM »

Offline Beat LA

  • NCE
  • Don Nelson
  • ********
  • Posts: 8338
  • Tommy Points: 896
  • Mr. Emoji
I wanted to ask you all this question. Gollum shows a willingness and ability to track Frodo across a continent going into extremely dangerous places.......but for whatever reason for 60 years he never attempts to sneak into the Shire to get the ring back when Bilbo has it. Probably the easiest place to go he never goes.  Also....I'm a little lost on how and why the enemy got him. How did they know he had the ring? How did they know anyone had the ring?  And how did they catch him? Doesn't seem like an orc could do it. Seems like it would have had to be a nazgul.  Or perhaps there are some orcs that are far more able than I gave them credit for.

Iirc, wasn't Sauron able to detect the presence of the ring when anyone would wear it, kind of like a homing beacon? Christ those books were beyond atrocious, lol ;D.

Re: What's your favorite Tolkien Middle Earth literary work?
« Reply #12 on: June 24, 2018, 07:51:18 PM »

Offline Roy H.

  • Forums Manager
  • James Naismith
  • *********************************
  • Posts: 58554
  • Tommy Points: -25636
  • Bo Knows: Joe Don't Know Diddley
I wanted to ask you all this question. Gollum shows a willingness and ability to track Frodo across a continent going into extremely dangerous places.......but for whatever reason for 60 years he never attempts to sneak into the Shire to get the ring back when Bilbo has it. Probably the easiest place to go he never goes.  Also....I'm a little lost on how and why the enemy got him. How did they know he had the ring? How did they know anyone had the ring?  And how did they catch him? Doesn't seem like an orc could do it. Seems like it would have had to be a nazgul.  Or perhaps there are some orcs that are far more able than I gave them credit for.

Guesses: he didn’t know where the ring was. He searched, but was drawn like a magnet to Mordor, like all evil. He was captured because of Sauron’s eye, and perhaps because of the connection amongst ring bearers.

That doesn’t fill up 60 years, though.


I'M THE SILVERBACK GORILLA IN THIS MOTHER——— AND DON'T NONE OF YA'LL EVER FORGET IT!@ 34 minutes

Re: What's your favorite Tolkien Middle Earth literary work?
« Reply #13 on: June 24, 2018, 07:54:26 PM »

Offline Eja117

  • NCE
  • Bill Sharman
  • *******************
  • Posts: 19274
  • Tommy Points: 1254
I wanted to ask you all this question. Gollum shows a willingness and ability to track Frodo across a continent going into extremely dangerous places.......but for whatever reason for 60 years he never attempts to sneak into the Shire to get the ring back when Bilbo has it. Probably the easiest place to go he never goes.  Also....I'm a little lost on how and why the enemy got him. How did they know he had the ring? How did they know anyone had the ring?  And how did they catch him? Doesn't seem like an orc could do it. Seems like it would have had to be a nazgul.  Or perhaps there are some orcs that are far more able than I gave them credit for.

Guesses: he didn’t know where the ring was. He searched, but was drawn like a magnet to Mordor, like all evil. He was captured because of Sauron’s eye, and perhaps because of the connection amongst ring bearers.

That doesn’t fill up 60 years, though.
I just assumed he knew where it was because he told the enemy under torture.

Re: What's your favorite Tolkien Middle Earth literary work?
« Reply #14 on: June 24, 2018, 07:57:59 PM »

Offline number_n9ne

  • Jayson Tatum
  • Posts: 937
  • Tommy Points: 126
The Hobbit will always be my favorite, because it was my entry to that world.

I relate to this so much. I genuinely loved Thorin's company and all the dwarf antics. I love the original animated film too.