My J.R.R.Tolkien collection

 

This is my collection of books by J.R.R.Tolkien and his son Christopher.  I Know it’s not very big, but compared to any other author I collect it is and I can proudly say it is only Tolkien I regularly re-read.  It would be a dream to own rare editions but a) they are so expensive and b) I’m not sure if I’d be able to own a high-value book and just let it sit there and not be read!

I read The Hobbit first when I was in primary school, then The Lord of the Rings and then The Silmarillion.   It is probably The Silmarillion which is my favourite owing to the sheer scale of Tolkien’s imagination and mythical grandeur which I think reaches its maximum in this book.  It was a hard read the first time, especially the first few chapters but I simply never get tired of reading the epic tales within it.  My copy of Lord of the Rings is actually in my bedroom as I'm reading it again at the moment.

I enjoyed The Complete History of Middle-Earth, although perhaps there was a lot of repetition of the stories of the First Age.  Still, it is really nice to have the three volumes in hardback although some of the cover designs for the separate paperback parts were very nice.  I also bought The Atlas of Middle-Earth late last year, which is a beautifully presented book especially if you have a keen interest in geography and maps! 

There are a lot of collector’s editions of Tolkien’s works I keep seeing on Amazon, hardback books with a fancy gold emblem on the cover but I prefer the paperbacks with illustrated covers.  although I did treat myself to a collector's edition of Unfinished Tales.  I think the next one to get is The Adventures of Tom Bombadil, probably the most mysterious character in The Lord of the Rings and one which has sparked a whole host of discussions about who or what he really is.    I also recently got a graphic novel version of The Hobbit, which was great to read and something I look forward to reading to my children.

The Hobbit Part 2 - it's that time again!

December is fast approaching which means it’s that time of the year again:  The Hobbit Part 2 is almost out!  Watching Lord of the Rings was a unique cinematic event for me, as I’m sure it was for many others.  Waiting all year for the December release and then watching the trailers months just built-up the excitement.  It was like an early Christmas present, which made the Christmas season even more fantastic.

I did enjoy The Hobbit Part 1.  As a huge fan of Tolkien I was just pleased to be transported back into Middle-Earth.  The opening section with Smaug taking Erebor was mesmerizing and the visual effects of the dwarven stronghold were beautifully recreated.  I also thought the clips of where the dwarves fought against the orcs at Moria was very well done; a much more brutal, gritty battle scene than any in Lord of the Rings.    

However...

Something just wasn’t quite right.  I didn’t have a problem with the higher frame rate, although sometimes it did make my head spin on the panoramic shots.  I thought it was just me but my friend next to me also felt the same spinning effects.  I did have a problem with the tone of the film, in trying to appeal to both children and adults, it failed at both.  A bit like the problem I have with my Super Spud books!  I didn’t find the humour particularly funny, it was trying too hard.  Whereas there are understated, not in-your-face humourous moments in Lord of the Rings which are done very well (the part where Eowyn hands Aragorn soup she made thinking he’d enjoy it, for example).  

Saying this, I think parts 2 and 3 will be much better.  The action will be thick and fast, Legolas is returning (though even he looks weird in the trailer) and there will be some epic scenes involving Smaug, elves, the Necromancer and the wizards kicking ass.  I’ll try and get tickets for the opening night, but if I can’t it won’t be a big deal to wait for the rush to calm down.  I hate packed cinemas anyway, I much prefer to go when the screening is almost empty and there are no idiots on their phones.

If I was scoring, I’d give the Lord of the Rings 10/10 – it was perfection for me; as a fantasy lover and Tolkien-enthusiast.  I could sit and watch the extended edition DVD’s all day. 

But I’d give The Hobbit Part 1 probably 7/10.  It was good, and definitely worth my money but crucially, I won’t be buying the extended DVD edition.  I just don’t think I could be bothered to watch it more than once a year and it could have been shorter.  I don’t have a problem with them making three films, but that doesn’t mean each film has to be a 3-hour epic!