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Does any one else wish to discuss Tolkien's Middle Earth?

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AlexandertheSolitary
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01 Mar 2007, 8:45 pm

As is inscribed above. Well, does anyone wish to join with me in doing this? You will be heartily welcome. Also a mythological thread or forum might be a good idea.


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T-rav20
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01 Mar 2007, 8:48 pm

Discuss how?


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cruimh_shionnachain
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01 Mar 2007, 8:51 pm

An interesting question WOULD be fun to debate.
Any takers?


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01 Mar 2007, 9:59 pm

Sure. I :heart: Middle Earth. :)


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AlexandertheSolitary
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02 Mar 2007, 1:48 am

Any and all suggestions for topics relating to Middle Earth or Tolkien will be welcome here. How about a discussion of the fraught history of relations between Dwarves and Elves?


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Flagg
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02 Mar 2007, 2:05 am

Lord Of The Rings and Narnia represent lowest low of Epic Fantasy. Full of rampant technophobia and poorly written characters it's no more then "Epic Pooh Bear".


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KBABZ
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03 Mar 2007, 8:55 pm

I have noticed during the course of the movies that the Eye of Sauron (which is kick-ass!) changes design. My computers DVD playing program can take screenshots, so here they are:

Fellowship of the Ring
Image

The Two Towers
Image

Return of the King
Image

See what I mean? Personally I like the last one best.


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RainSong
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03 Mar 2007, 9:04 pm

KBABZ wrote:
See what I mean? Personally I like the last one best.


My mother thinks that it's because as the movies progress, Sauron becomes stronger, and so his intensity is more visible. :)


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KBABZ
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03 Mar 2007, 9:15 pm

True true! I think the change from circular to, erm, eye shaped was a good move.

Must be a nightmare if you hate staring avatars!


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KBABZ
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03 Mar 2007, 11:14 pm

Pretty funny pic I took from ROTK and edited a little bit, from the Mumakil charge:

Image


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AlexandertheSolitary
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04 Mar 2007, 3:15 am

Flagg wrote:
Lord Of The Rings and Narnia represent lowest low of Epic Fantasy. Full of rampant technophobia and poorly written characters it's no more then "Epic Pooh Bear".


And the highest in your opinion? Actually there are some more serious issues you could have picked with the works of both authors; but in any case such ideological reductionism appears to me to rather miss the point. Of course there are many valid criticisms that could be made; still, in this context a more detailed critique might be more respected. Lowest of the low indeed! Unmitigated nonsense. Of course you may simply not like them, and are entitled to your own taste in literature, but if so say so. Discussion of Flagg's accusation of "poorly written characters" by others and a clarification from Flagg of what exactly he meant would be greatly appreciated.


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KBABZ
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04 Mar 2007, 3:21 am

I think he can barely get past the first two chapters. I have to admit that they do go pretty slowly, but pick up momentum as the story progresses. By epic Pooh Bear, he's referring to the hobbits and how they become major characters (Frodo and the Ring in particular).

Apparently I write like Tolkien! Personally I think I write like me...


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Flagg
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04 Mar 2007, 4:18 am

AlexandertheSolitary wrote:
Flagg wrote:
Lord Of The Rings and Narnia represent lowest low of Epic Fantasy. Full of rampant technophobia and poorly written characters it's no more then "Epic Pooh Bear".


And the highest in your opinion? Actually there are some more serious issues you could have picked with the works of both authors; but in any case such ideological reductionism appears to me to rather miss the point. Of course there are many valid criticisms that could be made; still, in this context a more detailed critique might be more respected. Lowest of the low indeed! Unmitigated nonsense. Of course you may simply not like them, and are entitled to your own taste in literature, but if so say so. Discussion of Flagg's accusation of "poorly written characters" by others and a clarification from Flagg of what exactly he meant would be greatly appreciated.


Terry Prachett and the Discworld series. More then forty novels with complex, inter-weaving plots is true epic fantasy. Also the Dark Tower series by Stephen King, Roland Deschain and his Ka-Tet are the best of epic fantasy characters.

Prachett is epicness of plot and world. (Outer Epic Fantasy)

King is epicness of character. (Inner Epic Fantasy)

http://www.revolutionsf.com/print.php3?id=953

This short article easily displays all my criticisms of LotR.


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04 Mar 2007, 4:21 am

Flagg wrote:
Lord Of The Rings and Narnia represent lowest low of Epic Fantasy. Full of rampant technophobia and poorly written characters it's no more then "Epic Pooh Bear".


If you don't like it then why the hell don't you just piss off!



Flagg
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04 Mar 2007, 4:30 am

ahayes wrote:
Flagg wrote:
Lord Of The Rings and Narnia represent lowest low of Epic Fantasy. Full of rampant technophobia and poorly written characters it's no more then "Epic Pooh Bear".


If you don't like it then why the hell don't you just piss off!


Because I find it highly disturbing how much the false idol of Tolkien is worshipped. "Wishy-Washy" and "Escapism" are not words that should be used to describe book.

Admittedly all fiction is moderately escapist because it's fiction but it epic fantasy shouldn't read like nursery rhyme! Fiction should challenge your beliefs and make you question things, not shove a moral message down your throat!

Tolkien is the Ayn Rand of Romanticism.


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ahayes
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04 Mar 2007, 4:48 am

Flagg wrote:
ahayes wrote:
Flagg wrote:
Lord Of The Rings and Narnia represent lowest low of Epic Fantasy. Full of rampant technophobia and poorly written characters it's no more then "Epic Pooh Bear".


If you don't like it then why the hell don't you just piss off!


Because I find it highly disturbing how much the false idol of Tolkien is worshipped. "Wishy-Washy" and "Escapism" are not words that should be used to describe book.

Admittedly all fiction is moderately escapist because it's fiction but it epic fantasy shouldn't read like nursery rhyme! Fiction should challenge your beliefs and make you question things, not shove a moral message down your throat!

Tolkien is the Ayn Rand of Romanticism.


I don't know about Narnia, but Tolkein's trilogy does not read like a nursery rime at all. I didn't feel like a moral message was thrown down my throat. The book didn't challenge my beliefs or question things, because my beliefs aren't fully developed, and I'm always questioning things.