rebness | (no subject)

Speaking of Lord of the Rings, I was in an MSN conversation a while back with

therealycats casually talking about various films.

A confession: I've never read the Lord of the Rings books.

*Shock! Horror!*

I just couldn't get into them. I tried, seriously, I did, but the prose style? Not for me. I mean, I recognise that they're very well-written, they have great attention to detail-- but I put the first book down halfway through, and never picked it up again, which is rare for me.

Anyhoo, I did love and appreciate the films. I loved Jackson's dark take on them, and was determined that, no matter what, I would see all of them and Avoid Spoilers at All Costs.

That was until my two friends said something like "oh boy, I can't wait for the third instalment, and to see how they do the bit where [Insert spoiler about Gollum's fate here].

Becky: AIEEEEE! No! You didn't just reveal to me the ending which I had up to this point known absolutely nothing about!

nyalko80 Um... you haven't read it?

Becky: NO! =:-o

therealycats Oh.

nyalko80 Erm...er...well, maybe we knew that, and we were making it up! You don't know for sure if that happens to Gollum.

Becky: *Cries* It so does! You're lying-- I can see it in your smiley's eyes.

Cute RotK. That bit with Gollum happens. Wow, I think, okay, so the second part of it happened, but at least he didn't do that chomping thing. Ha! In your face, spoiler gits.

And then it did happen. Pah!

*crushes their heads a la Lenny*

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You know, waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyy back when, on that old forum place, Brianna or someone posted about the ending to the series, and how it had been spoiled for her. But she wrote about it in detail. And I hardly knew or cared about LOTR then, and almost forgot, until I think I was halfway through reading and wondering just how it was all going to resolve. And then I was annoyed, because there was nary a surprise left for me, but it was nice to know that Frodo was going to live. Hehe.

And maybe it's just me, but I found that a very comic moment in the book. Because Gollum is all "I got the preciousss! It's mine!!!! MINE! ... Oops. :::falls to doom:::"

ROFL!

I was all, "go on, Frodo, push the little bastard over!"

I didn't/haven't/probably won't read LotR either.

Is it just me, or do you feel like an outcast for not having read the books?

I can't force myself to read them. :(

Well, I kind of feel like the more pressure people put on me to read them, the most I don't want to. One thing that does make me feel better is that one of the people I most respect, Storm Constantine, loves the movies (has seen each on like 9 times) but hates Tolkien :)

*Intrigued*

Why does she hate Tolkein? I'm not really au fait with the man himself...

And I hear you on the pressure thing. I was spitting feathers when it was voted The Best Book Ever in the History of the World for the BBC vote.

Obviously, it's all a matter of opinion, but I think there were much more deserving books out there...

LOL Sorry, Becky! :D But ahm, I did leave out a lot though, didn't I? And I just assumed you'd read the books because you're a book person and they're classics... and I dunno. haha Maybe because I love them immensely and have read them all dozens of times (although, I've read TTT a few more times than the rest... because of the Ents, of course!)

*HUGS for you* because I feel bad for accidentally spoiling it.

Since she's such a fan of the films and I also value her opinion on books, I've chatted with her on the topic.

Basically it comes down to her finding Tolkien's writing much too boring (on and on and on and on for page and still they've barely managed to go over one hill) and fusty.

Also, she finds his views on the love (but not physical relationships) of comrades or be stifling and something that detracts from the overall story. Storm's books are full of flesh and blood, either sex or violence or both, on some level, and although she doesn't think all books must include same, she finds the lack of sex in Tolkien just sort of odd.

Storm actually doesn't read all that much fantasy, but what she does like is usually stuff that's more "out there" than Tolkien. I know two of her favorite fantasy authors are Tanith Lee and Jack Vance. I'd also speculated that she'd love Ricardo Pinto's two books if she ever reads them.

LMAO!

No worries, Reb... I just thought it funny because I was watching and waiting for him to do the Biting of the Finger, and it didn't happen... then he re-appeared and was struggling, and I was all, "oh, f*ck, I know what's going to happen..."

LOL!

...on and on and on and on for page and still they've barely managed to go over one hill...

Hahaha!

I know exactly what she means...

Am not really into sci-fi writing myself, but I really do mean to pick up one of her books at some point.

He he, actually Storm's book aren't much sci fi (well, a couple out of 20 are), they're literary fantasy. As stand-alones, as opposed to trilogies, which might be more intimidating, I'd strongly recommend Calenture or Sign for the Sacred. But damn, Wraeththu is really good and the revised editions are out now. Check out www.immanionpress.wox.org.

Spoiler GITS? Ahem. I am not a spoiler git as I have never read LOTR. I've read The Hobbit, and that was 7 years ago, and I remember almost nothing about it. Hmmph.

Lorne waves his shiny green finger at you.

Dude! You were so part of that horrible plot-unveiling...

Is Lorne that green dude? I get Lestat to kick his arse!

Thanks, W... will definitely check it out.

My birthday's coming up soon, anyway... I think it's time to blackmail my family and friends into some book-buying... ;)

I was so not! And I know I wasn't because I haven't read LOTR! I hadn't even seen TTT until after Christmas when I went and bought the DVDs!

Hmm... *suspicious look*

You were at least in the convo. That's good enough for me. :p

Well you obviously have the conversation saved, so why don't you prove I spoiled it if you're so sure. Because I know I didn't :p

Apart from the bit where I don't have it saved. It was on the uni computers, I remember... I was all shrieking in the library. ;)

Oh. I see. Well. You have that for some bizarre reason. And that has to be like...a year old or something. Johnny and I think you're weird :p

Johnny say, "hella, shut up! My mistress is all right and stuff and if you disagree I will come over there and beat you into submission and then..."

Hey, Johnny! Save that for me! >:-o

See! He likes me best! My icon strokes her breasts. Do YOUR icons do that? :p

Hmm... no... but if Johnny/Louis had breasts, that would be the end of my love affair with them. :p

The whole scene is so graphic in the book... I always skipped over it after the first time.

And, admittedly, during the end of the movie I thought... they're gonna leave out the finger part? They can't do that? And I was all set to be very pissed off, but then *CHOMP-ME-DO* tasty Hobbit fingers! haha Although, when Gollum went under I did get a bit sniffly. Poor dude was so consumed by that ring. He's like all those dudes in the trailers you see on those Cops shows. So sad.

Hmmm, I don't think it was Stacy in that convo! I think it may have been Becksy or something. Or maybe KT? Or Joel? I don't remember who it was.

Well obviously...but eyeliner is hot.

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