I've just watched Lord of the Rings for the first time. Wasn't impressed...

[BlackKnightX]

There's some things Tolkein does with his writing that a lot of modern writers don't, and I find them super interesting...

It's called Omniscient POV. Lots of English mainstream novels these days are usually written in third person limited or even deep POV. Omniscient is pretty common in web novels, though (at least the POV is highly flexible here).

 

[Cipiteca396]

Is it really possible to spoil something from 20 years ago? That's like spoiling the bible.

It's possible if someone says, "I'm reading a story for the first time even though I know everyone else has read it already."

 

[Kraken1]

For me I think I love LOTR so much because of the lore. Tolkien wrote a world with thousands of years of detailed lore and even multiple languages. Earlier this year I read The Fall Of Nunenor, its basically a history book detailing Numenorian history from its beginning to end, even geography and what animals and plants there are.

If I remember correctly the main adventure starts in the second half of the first film after they have left Rivendell. Also The Hobbit was originally a children's story.

 

[TheEldritchGod]

Had us going in the first half, not gonna lie.

Tbf, if you stopped halfway through, then you missed out on the Arwen and Eowyn arcs.

However, if you want to watch the Hobbit, then get the 1977 animated one. Literally how my parents introduced me to fantasy. Well, that and Flight of Dragons.

WIZARDS.

Oh. BTW, DO NOT WATCH AMAZONS LORD OF THE RINGS THE RINGS OF POWER.
EVER.
It's a nightmare.
It's a disaster.
It's a nightmare ABOUT a disaster.
It is ANTI-FUN.

 

[SailusGebel]

Bruh.

 

[BlackKnightX]

Bruh.

Too late, princess~

 

[SailusGebel]

Too late, princess~

BRUH - Sound Button

Click here to play the sound!

www.myinstants.com

 

[Corty]

It's hard to get into. I admit. It's pretty daunting at the start, with a lot of poetry, exposition and world building. However of you pass through the first half of the first book, then you won't even notice when you finish the whole damn thing. I'd say after the fellowship forms. The hobbits by themselves can be a little boring. Though that part gave us Tom Bombadil.

I always get reminded of its prologue when I see people complain about prologues but tend to praise lotr like the holy grail of writing. I still think the book didn't age well and was a slog to read. Listening to it was a bit better, but not much. I wouldn't even dare to suggest it to any zoomers. I dropped the physical version when I got to Tom Bombadil's character and dropped the Audiobook when Frodo and co. first met the elves on the road. I just can't.

I find my mind wandering and thinking about other things instead of focusing on the story. What I think many people love is the lore behind lotr which I am also a fan of. But I'm a fan of it because of the movies. I listened to tons of lore vids and learned the lore from them, not from the books. I just don't like the style he went with... and I even prefer some changes that the movies made to the original story even more after learning what was in it originally.

 

[SailusGebel]

I always get reminded of its prologue when I see people complain about prologues but tend to praise lotr like the holy grail of writing. I still think the book didn't age well and was a slog to read. Listening to it was a bit better, but not much. I wouldn't even dare to suggest it to any zoomers. I dropped the physical version when I got to Tom Bombadil's character and dropped the Audiobook when Frodo and co. first met the elves on the road. I just can't.

I find my mind wandering and thinking about other things instead of focusing on the story. What I think many people love is the lore behind lotr which I am also a fan of. But I'm a fan of it because of the movies. I listened to tons of lore vids and learned the lore from them, not from the books. I just don't like the style he went with... and I even prefer some changes that the movies made to the original story even more after learning what was in it originally.

There was this joke about how he wrote a book simply to include the language he made, or was it poetry? Maybe both. Anyway, he was not a writer.

 

[Corty]

There was this joke about how he wrote a book simply to include the language he made, or was it poetry? Maybe both. Anyway, he was not a writer.

It isn't a joke. It is in the foreword itself. He wrote the books because he wanted a setting where he could explore how the language evolves through time. And have a setting for his made-up language. He was a linguistic professor, first and foremost. He wrote the trilogy because people pestered him, wanting more lore about hobbits. That is, the prologue to the first book is nothing but an hour of hobbit lore, for example.

But I'm rambling. You are right.

 

[SailusGebel]

But I'm rambling. You are right.

Spoiler: I am right.

 

[Deleted member 54065]

I've heard the name Lord of the Rings for a long time but hadn't quite gotten to it until yesterday.

Now, a few days before I'd finished all of the Hobbit trilogy. They certainly get a bad rep, and for good reasons. I found myself getting bored most of the time, but there were also moments when my heart pumped in excitement. The ending left me satisfied, and that's good enough for me. Rewatch? Hell, no.

Now, after finishing the Hobbit, it's finally time to start the Fellowship of the Rings. A few minutes in and I'd already seen the difference between the two trilogies. Certainly, I could understand the criticisms of the Hobbit completely from the get go. Though, a quarter of the way in, I decided to take a break. It was a long movie, mind you. (Which is weird, since I love long story.)

That was yesterday. Today, I'd decided to push through and finish it in one go. It didn't quite happen that way. A half way through the movie, and I decided it wasn't for me.

But that got me thinking: why is it that an epic fantasy movie (something I thought I like because of all the anime and novels and video games I've consumed) that is held in such a high regard and enjoyed all over the world for decades doesn't move my heart? While watching both the Hobbit and the LOTR, I found myself constantly thinking the younger me would definitely enjoy this. But why is that? Are the movies childish? By no mean.

So, what, then?

Then the answer came without much effort: yes, indeed, I've grown.

It has no waifus in it.

It means it's not your cup of tea.

 

[CheertheSecond]

So it was true then. What people read changes their way of reading. The feedback loop was evident?

 

[J_Chemist]

You never finished the trilogy's extended version.

Your opinion is moot.

WIZARDS.

Oh. BTW, DO NOT WATCH AMAZONS LORD OF THE RINGS THE RINGS OF POWER.
EVER.
It's a nightmare.
It's a disaster.
It's a nightmare ABOUT a disaster.
It is ANTI-FUN.

I WAS NOT READY FOR THE GAT LMFAOOO

 

[BlackKnightX]

It means it's not your cup of tea.

Yeah. I'd like some milk in it, but there isn't any...

So it was true then. What people read changes their way of reading. The feedback loop was evident?

Taste and preference grow and change, indeed. I admit although I still like lots of kid shows I watched when I was young, I also realize I'm seeing it from an adult perspective now. And most of the fondness comes from nostalgia.

You never finished the trilogy's extended version. Your opinion is moot.

Does the extended version has waifus in it!?

 

[Succubiome]

It's called Omniscient POV. Lots of English mainstream novels these days are usually written in third person limited or even deep POV. Omniscient is pretty common in web novels, though (at least the POV is highly flexible here).

That's one of the things, but I'm pretty used to reading non-webnovel books.

 

[BlackKnightX]

That's one of the things, but I'm pretty used to reading non-webnovel books.

Have you ever read Chinese web novels? They're almost always in omniscient. In English writing community, this style is deemed outdated, that's why you haven't seen much of it now.

 

[Succubiome]

Have you ever read Chinese web novels? They're almost always in omniscient. In English writing community, this style is deemed outdated, that's why you haven't seen much of it now.

I have!

But also: webnovels and very recent writing in general are just a fraction of the literature I have read

I've read enough omniescent writing that it doesn't stand out to me for being omniescent.

 

[BlackKnightX]

I have! But also: webnovels and very recent writing in general are just a fraction of the literature I have read. I've read enough omniescent writing that it doesn't stand out to me for being omniescent.

Exactly. I started my novel reading journey with web novels and light novels, and they're not afraid to be in omniscient mode and describe things outside the character's perspective. I like this style more because it allows for a more cinematic read, as if I'm watching a movie or anime in my head. It makes reading so much fun.

 

[SailusGebel]

Exactly. I started my novel reading journey with web novels and light novels, and they're not afraid to be in omniscient mode and describe things outside the character's perspective. I like this style more because it allows for a more cinematic read, as if I'm watching a movie or anime in my head. It makes reading so much fun.