|
Post by Midnattblod on May 5, 2014 11:07:56 GMT -6
well I figured I would at least start a thread for him since he is one of the greatest fantasy writers ever in my opinion. do you agree with me or disagree? discuss below.
|
|
|
Post by Firiath on May 5, 2014 11:45:12 GMT -6
I agree, although his books have the large disadvantage of Tolkien's writing style. The worlds he's created are so large and alive, and as someone who's very passionate about medieval literature I love how he wove literary traditions into his books.
|
|
|
Post by Taliesin on May 5, 2014 17:20:11 GMT -6
It's been literally twenty years since I last read his Lord of the Rings trilogy, so I'd have to reacquaint myself with his writing style. However, as I recall I did like it quite a bit, and his worlds truly did feel alive. He had a knack for making you feel as if you were right there going through the same stuff that his characters were!
|
|
|
Post by Midnattblod on May 5, 2014 17:29:54 GMT -6
yea. his other more obscure works are also interesting. I actually bought his version of The Legend of Sigurd and GudrĂșn which is a Norse epic poem. sadly I have yet to read it. also his tales of Tom Bombadil short works is quite a joy to read. I would like to get deeper into the mythology side of Middle Earth but what I've read has been very good.
|
|
|
Post by Liv the Librarian on May 5, 2014 17:35:23 GMT -6
I'm a huge fan of Tolkien, but he does get a bit dry and boring at times. Doesn't stop me from reading his works though.
I love his version of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.
|
|
|
Post by Midnattblod on May 5, 2014 17:37:20 GMT -6
I think that's where I stopped in his compilation book I have. I don't remember. but that is an amazing book. everything he wrote that's not LotR except a few small parts in it.
|
|
|
Post by Taliesin on May 5, 2014 18:52:32 GMT -6
I'm a huge fan of Tolkien, but he does get a bit dry and boring at times. Doesn't stop me from reading his works though. I love his version of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. YES! I should have mentioned that also! Sir Gawain and the Green Knight was a terrific read! Alas, I no longer have that book. I think I might have lent it to someone and never got it back...
|
|
|
Post by Firiath on May 6, 2014 1:23:53 GMT -6
I'm currently working with his edition of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight in one of my classes. It's a great tale and his edition is the best one I've worked with so far!
|
|
|
Post by sjfaerlind on May 8, 2014 9:06:58 GMT -6
Tolkein is one of my favourites for sure. Though I think that his writing style was meant for a much earlier era than ours, I love the man's imagination. I had a huge obsession with Middle Earth for a long time and I probably always will....lol. I can't think of too many other fantasy authors that have had such a huge impact on the genre (and popular culture) or who have captured the imagination of so many people. The detail he worked into his writings was unbelievable. I stand in awe.
|
|
|
Post by Liv the Librarian on May 8, 2014 10:04:17 GMT -6
I'm definitely still obsessed with Middle Earth, and always have been. My mother didn't read me normal children's stories (no See Spot Run for me, lol). I was read The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings as a child, and when I was in junior high, I read all four of those books and then the Silmarillion. I used to spend all of my free time writing LoTR fan-fiction and drawing maps. I love Tolkien to death, but I can still say that his writing style is dry You are right though, it's definitely not meant for our time. He was probably considered "fluff" in his time
|
|
|
Post by Sorillon on May 8, 2014 11:13:12 GMT -6
I do really love Tolkien, the Hobbit was a book I read when I was really young.
I do have only one issue with him and it isn't really his own fault, it has to do with the echoes he left running through fantasy. It has to do with how many people draw upon a certain aspect of his work, specifically the "Dominion of Man" angle. The fantasy races have to diminish, the magic has to be leaving. It isn't that it's in every series, which is for certain not true. But I've read enough recently where it holds true, sometimes out of nowhere. I can't help but feel like this underlying concept that humans are inherently more important is going to turn out to be a really really bad idea in the future.
|
|
|
Post by Liv the Librarian on May 8, 2014 16:24:15 GMT -6
You have to remember that a lot of his work was based off of WWI, which he fought in. I don't think that the underlying theme of his story was that humans are inherently more important, I think it was that time changes all, old alliances fade, evil can be vanquished, and no matter how much you think you know someone they can always surprise you (whether or not that is a good thing is entirely situational). There are also really heavy Christian undertones, especially if you read the Silmarillion.
|
|
|
Post by sjfaerlind on May 10, 2014 6:50:50 GMT -6
Yup. T'is a sign of the times though and that's how I interpret that kind of stuff. it just doesn't apply to the modern world.
|
|
|
Post by Midnattblod on May 10, 2014 8:15:37 GMT -6
the only thing other then that human's being the race that sticks around, is that there is still so much unknown in the series and it's been a good decade or more since anything new has been released.
|
|
|
Post by Firiath on May 10, 2014 16:33:04 GMT -6
You have to remember that a lot of his work was based off of WWI, which he fought in. What's very interesting about this is that he always denied that LotR was an allegory for WWI, although it can be seen so clearly in his works. However, Tolkien drew his inspiration from a number of sources which he cleverly interwove with his very own ideas. This is what I consider to be his greatest achievement.
|
|