I saw this on an ebay listing
http://cm.ebay.com/cm/ck/1065-29296-2357-0?uid=142021303&site=0&ver=LCA080805&item=180058109441&lk=URL and was just wondering if it's worth buying it. Before I bid I wanna know if anyone has the books and if they're interesting enough. And I need an answer asap! It seems like a good xmas present....but I don't know. So is it worth it?
2006-11-30 14:25:47 · 16 answers · asked by Lahmsdagr8est! 2 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Books & Authors
If you like fantasy books with hobbits and elfves and scorcerers you would like Tolkien. They can be quite difficult to read. Probably a gift for 12 - 100 age group.
2006-11-30 14:30:10 · answer #1 · answered by auntynoall 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The Hobbit The Fellowship of the hoop the two Towers The return of the King His different middle Earth books are particularly a compilation of middle Earth's history. you need to study the above 4, first, so as. The others could be study later once you're nonetheless hungry for greater Tolkien. it is going to easily be mroe approximately what middle Earth is. they're marvelous, yet no longer on an analogous point because of the fact the above 4.
2016-12-13 17:47:55 · answer #2 · answered by mateo 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I am a HUGE fan of fantasy literature and I have to say Tolkien is one of my least favourite authors.
The Hobbit was probably his best work and definately the most readable.
As for the Lord of the Rings (LotR) trilogy, well, I suggest sticking with the movie. The movie was a far better representation of Tolkiens drivel.
Things I found annoying about the LotR books:
*Tolkien's unholy obsession with Hobbits - one can only endure so much "they ate then they slept then they ate and then they slept.." type scenes.
*The mind-numbing length of the time it took for Frodo to actually get going on his journey. 'Procrastination' is an understatement.
*The annoying scenes with Tom Bombadil and his need to SING everything.
*The lack of adjectives. Ok, so Tolkien tells us there is a battlement, but I'd like to know a bit more. Like is it big, old, grey, worn-down.. what? Description is a reader's friend!
*The writing style (as touched on in the above point) is worse than dry, it is empty. So he's got a great story, too bad about the way it was written.
Something else that annoys me about Tolkien, and I may as well let rip while I'm at it, is the automatic assumption that Tolkien was the forefather of Fantasy fiction and was the creator of elves and ents and so forth. And that his story was original.
It wasn't.
The LotR storyline was a direct rip off of Icelandic and Finnish mythologies. Take a look at the Eddas and the Kalevala and you'll see just how close to the written letter Tolkien based his characters and storyline.
But, that said, everyone should form their own opinion on things. Read the books, especially The Hobbit, and make up your own mind. Personally, I'd just stick to borrowing them from a library rather than forking out the cash.
2006-11-30 15:12:45 · answer #3 · answered by Mara 2 · 0⤊ 3⤋
If you or the person you are planning to give them to liked the movies and likes to read, then it is definitely a good buy. A LOT was left out of the movies (of course, the movies were long enough without the cut content, I don't imagine many people would sit through three 9 hour movies). The book has a lot of detail and background that is interesting.
2006-11-30 16:03:51 · answer #4 · answered by Crystal 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Tolkien books are fantastic. However, be warned, if you're not a big reader, or if the intended receiver isn't, then they will lay abandoned before too long. They are very wordy books and they take some perseverance, but they are fantastic. There is a lot to get your head around in them.
2006-11-30 16:04:04 · answer #5 · answered by tony w 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Tolkien basically created the fantasy genre, so if anyone on your Christmas list is into fantasy they definitely will enjoy it!
One thing to watch for with Tolkien is that he tends to go into a ton of detail on stuff, especially scenery and landscape. So make sure whoever you buy it for is into reading and can stand a few chapters of description, because it's definitely worth it with these books! ^_^
2006-11-30 17:33:40 · answer #6 · answered by uberrachen 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would buy them as it would be cheaper than if you bought the book individually. I found reading the hobbit made it easier to understand the lord of the rings.
It depends who you were buying the books for and whether they like Tolkien.
2006-11-30 15:08:43 · answer #7 · answered by fredofrogs 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Are they any good? Please tell me you're kidding and you've read them all. The Tolkien books are wonderful. I haven't read a book in a long time that captivated me as much as Lord of the Rings did. The movies aren't nearly as good as the books. LOTR is a must for anyone that hasn't read them. I've read them to my niece who's 8 and she loves them too. This is a really good set of books for anyone.
2006-12-01 03:53:27 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is, but it has to be for a teen reader. They are hard to understand at points, with all of the detail put into them. But in the end, all of the hours you spent decyphering the odd wordings and the rich settings is worth it for the plot is incredible.
2006-12-01 01:16:32 · answer #9 · answered by Rainsfriend 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, Tolkien's books are awesome...and worth buying...if you are interested in fantasy...and if you aren't, you will be...after reading them...i think they would make a great gift..
2006-11-30 15:50:46 · answer #10 · answered by jinxedcradle 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋