for those who have read the books...

[disneynut04]

I was just wondering if the books are as good as the movies? I love the Harry Potter books(more so than the movies) and didn't know if the LOTR's book who worth reading. How would you rank them to Harry Potter.

[king_of_hetzer]

If I were you, I would read Two Towers first since you've seen the movies, then read Fellowship, then Return of the King. TTT will make you anxious so you will really be determined to finish Fellowship... Fellowship is just a bore at the beginning if you are a busy person, but you too will learn to cherish it. They are very worth reading.

[Kashmir]

No, no, no. I say read them in order. They are awesome! I have read them so many times I can't remember. And, though the movie is wonderful, the books are outstanding! Much more detail and info. Now go to the nearest bookstore and buy them ASAP. LOL! Hope that helps.

[king_of_hetzer]

Okay...but if I would've taken my own advice I would have finished the trilogy in three weeks... rather than...a year...

I kept putting down Fellowship because I couldn't stand it. It took me a year to read it. I only like the Lothlorien chapters...but the second book of Two Towers, WOAH! The first book of TTT is okay, but not as grand. I read both Two Towers and ROTK in a week because they were so AMAZING! I had never read something like that before.

[Glordreen]

Yes, read them in order. They are just as good as the movies, once you get into them. Which is better? I dont like to choose one over the other.

[Brock Landers]

My favorite is THE LORD OF THE RINGS.....so all three are magnificent :D

[Samwise Gamwich]

(nice Avatar, Brock!!)

[CrzyCanuck72]

you can't compare them because they're two entirely different media, but the books will always be superior to the films. Always.If you intend to read them, do it in order. If you don't you'll just confuse yourself and end up doing twice as much reading. Yes, Fellowship is difficult at parts, but once you get to RotK it's all worth it.

[Aztec]

Actually, I say read The Hobbit first. The beginning of FOTR will make a lot more sense and be more bearable if you read The Hobbit first. The Two Towers is an amazing read. Return of the King is so far BEYOND amazing that it's difficult to describe in words.

I would suggest skipping the Tom Bombadil chapters in FOTR if you can. He's like Jar Jar meets the Fab 5.

[CrzyCanuck72]

Originally posted by Aztec
I would suggest skipping the Tom Bombadil chapters in FOTR if you can. He's like Jar Jar meets the Fab 5.


but then you miss Fog on the Barrow-Downs, and the blades of Westernesse

[KenM]

If you like reading really long travel scenes, and having the characters break out into songs that last for 3 pages and have nothing to do with the main plot of the story, also having the major battles/ action not well described( the orc fight at end of FotR is about a paragragh, this helps break up the Fellowship and is a MAJOR plot point that should have been expanded), then its a great book. :rolleyes:

[Aztec]

Originally posted by CrzyCanuck72
but then you miss Fog on the Barrow-Downs, and the blades of Westernesse

Barrow-Downs was pretty lame IMHO.

IMHO in FOTR Book 1 skip 6, 7, 8. Then in TTT mentally add the scene in TTT EE of Merry and Pippin being attacked by the tree and saved by Treebeard. It makes more sense.

[CrzyCanuck72]

Originally posted by KenM
If you like reading really long travel scenes, and having the characters break out into songs that last for 3 pages and have nothing to do with the main plot of the story, also having the major battles/ action not well described( the orc fight at end of FotR is about a paragragh, this helps break up the Fellowship and is a MAJOR plot point that should have been expanded), then its a great book. :rolleyes:

or if you majestic vistas, beautifully written songs and poems that have everything to do with the story, and battles based on emotion rather than violence then it is a great book

[CrzyCanuck72]

Originally posted by Aztec
Barrow-Downs was pretty lame IMHO.

IMHO in FOTR Book 1 skip 6, 7, 8. Then in TTT mentally add the scene in TTT EE of Merry and Pippin being attacked by the tree and saved by Treebeard. It makes more sense.

that's a pretty ****ed up way of reading, IMHO

[Cbars]

I actually just finished listening to the book on tape of the Hobbit. It was the original narrated version with Ian Holm. It was AWESOME.

[Samwise Gamwich]

Originally posted by CrzyCanuck72
that's a pretty ****ed up way of reading, IMHO

Interesting how you manipulated the ComingSoon.Net Board's own 'code' so you could use that word.......

I submit that he is giving the Peter Jackson interpretation... Which is what is always the main topic here

[Screwu2]

hmmm compare the Potter books which are great to LOTR. LOTR owns Potter in so many different ways. It makes Potter look like a a tiny piece of dust compared to Mt. Everest.

[PsYkOoOoO]

its 2 very different things...you can check out both of them..

[CrzyCanuck72]

Originally posted by Samwise Gamwich
Interesting how you manipulated the ComingSoon.Net Board's own 'code' so you could use that word.......

I submit that he is giving the Peter Jackson interpretation... Which is what is always the main topic here

it's a little trick I've picked up along the way ;)

As far as reading the 'PJ way', I think that's riddiculous. The movies, amazing as they are, are only a condensed, simplified version of the full story. To skip over parts not included in the movie is foolish, IMHO.

[adt100]

I can't believe some of the comments I've read in this thread!

disneynut04 (and any others yet to read the book) -

1. LOTR is an infinitely better piece of literature than the Harry Potter series. They are certainly more difficult to read and need a little more persistance, but IMO it is well work it if you are into these kind of books.

2. As people have said, the films and books are completely different mediums, but the books include so much more of the story, and give so much more depth and richness to the tale that I think there's little question that they are better IMO.

3. There is only 1 order in which to read Tolkien's work. First read The Hobbit, then read LOTR from front cover to back cover. Don't skip chapters or read then in different orders. If your'e going to do that then you might as well not bother reading them in the first place.

[Elf Lady]

The books being the source material for the films, you may expect the action to take place much more quickly since PJ compressed timelines for his adaptation. However, the books are spectacular imho, filled with so much detail and an incredible sense of "vistas unseen" (to paraphrase Tolkien himself).

By all means, read them, in order. You may find yourself succumbing to Tolkien's written word and move on to The Silmarillion! :)

[KenM]

While I personally don't like JRRT style of writing, I must say that without LotR, there would not have been Harry Potter. Like someone else said on here awhile ago, I'm not a LotR hater, i'm a JRRT writting style hater.

[The_Manipulator]

^Really? Love his way of writing things.....*dreamingly* I would love to write and compose as he did. Though I would not start over and over again every time I didn't like the latest I had done. But then it wouldn't have been the same if he didn't. It is so perfect because he did that....if you know what I mean.

J.K.R has been inspirered by LOTR so much! Nazgul - Dementors!
Harry's scar - Frodo's ring. An evil man who wants the world covered in darkness Sauron - Voldemort.
Saurons Saruman - Voldemorts .......slave. Tailsomething.
And then on and on!!

[KenM]

Originally posted by The_Manipulator
It is so perfect because he did that....if you know what I mean.



No I don't know what you mean. IMO JRRT needed a couple of lessons on pacing and describing the action. A person can only read so much about traveling and songs that have nothing to do with the plot before you get bored, most of the major action/ plot turning points are not described well. Someone else said the reason JRRT did not describe the fighting well was because he was a pasifict (SP?). But someone else said on these boards that LotR is a war, and no matter what kind of story someone is writing, you need to describe the action and major plot points good. JRRT does not do that IMO.

[Necross]

I agree that without JRRT that Harry Potter would not exist. Hell, I am going to be an author, I already have the story pretty much complete in my head. I owe a great deal to JRRT. I am going to write a fantasy trilogy like LOTR of course mine could never come close, but I did get many ideas from LOTR....except the songs. I don't think I have a single one in my books but you never know, I am making changes everyday.

I also agree about the battle scenes being to short. I am going to go into detail about everything. Setting, characters, situations and battle scenes, nothing will be without detail in my books.

[king_of_hetzer]

Originally posted by The_Manipulator
^Really? Love his way of writing things.....*dreamingly* I would love to write and compose as he did. Though I would not start over and over again every time I didn't like the latest I had done. But then it wouldn't have been the same if he didn't. It is so perfect because he did that....if you know what I mean.

J.K.R has been inspirered by LOTR so much! Nazgul - Dementors!
Harry's scar - Frodo's ring. An evil man who wants the world covered in darkness Sauron - Voldemort.
Saurons Saruman - Voldemorts .......slave. Tailsomething.
And then on and on!!

OMG! Thank you Manipulator! So awesome! I am so proud of J.R.K's allusion to LoTR, Greek/Norse/Other Mythology, and the bible! She is so fantastic at doing that! It is like reading CENTURIES worth of literature in a modernized way! Her allusions really show how Harry Potter is going to be a timeless story. She is brilliant. I cannot stand people who compare the two in such manners that I have seen since Harry Potter is just the aftermath of LOTR combined with other literature.

[The_Manipulator]

Originally posted by KenM
No I don't know what you mean. IMO JRRT needed a couple of lessons on pacing and describing the action. A person can only read so much about traveling and songs that have nothing to do with the plot before you get bored, most of the major action/ plot turning points are not described well. Someone else said the reason JRRT did not describe the fighting well was because he was a pasifict (SP?). But someone else said on these boards that LotR is a war, and no matter what kind of story someone is writing, you need to describe the action and major plot points good. JRRT does not do that IMO.

Well....I love the songs, and above all, the way he is describing the nature on the caracters jorney! That is really unbelievable!
I think he was doing GREAT at the battles! I really do!
But if you only seek ACTION, then I agree with you, that LOTR is not the book you should read. Because it brings much much more than just battles. I would be bored, if the half of the book, only described battles....
Different tastes!

[The_Manipulator]

Originally posted by king_of_hetzer
OMG! Thank you Manipulator! So awesome! I am so proud of J.R.K's allusion to LoTR, Greek/Norse/Other Mythology, and the bible! She is so fantastic at doing that! It is like reading CENTURIES worth of literature in a modernized way! Her allusions really show how Harry Potter is going to be a timeless story. She is brilliant. I cannot stand people who compare the two in such manners that I have seen since Harry Potter is just the aftermath of LOTR combined with other literature.

OH! Then you should read the tale about Frodo and Sam at Hogwarts.....Haven't read the whole thing, but it's funny..!
www.stupidring.com
there you go! Funny as hell site! They have made the whole LOTR book over again! And THAT is funny! READ!

[Pwnst1k]

I have not read the books. 'Skimmed' fellowship though!

[moviegeek]

anyone, what was your favorite chapter

[CrzyCanuck72]

Originally posted by moviegeek
anyone, what was your favorite chapter
Choices of Master Samwise/The Battle of the Pelennor Fields

[adt100]

The Siege of Gondor

[The_Manipulator]

Choices of Samwise Gamgee! I think it is an amazing chapter!!! But, I also really like the 1st chapter! Bilbo's Birthday!! :D

[PsychoMike]

The Scouring of the Shire. It set the Hobbits in high esteem with there own. Battle of Pelennor Fields was the best action chapter though.

[chosenone]

Speaking of JKR being influenced by Tolkien... Where do you think she got the idea for the cave troll in Book 1, Aragog in Book 2, a character named Wormtail in Book 3, etc...? I've never really seen a good listing of references to LotR in the HP books, but there are plenty of them.

[The_Manipulator]

Well....Aragog - Shelob
And....Wormtail - Wormtongue.....
And there is also cave trolls in the LOTR so....

[darthspielberg]

JRR RULES!

[CrzyCanuck72]

Originally posted by The_Manipulator
Well....Aragog - Shelob
And....Wormtail - Wormtongue.....
And there is also cave trolls in the LOTR so....

it was a rhetorical question.

[gwaihir]

the books are like a whole different book because there is so much extra