[Gorwingel]

These posts are so beautiful. I applaud everyone on their wonderful writing skills.

Right now I am far too young to have such an experience with the book. Though it has touched me in many ways very similar to what all of you have discribed. For me it has always been (or for the last 2 years since I first finished it) much more than a simple adventure story. That is actually one reason I am very drawn too it. I have not really changed ideas about who I think is the hero of the story, mainly because of too few readings. But I do hope my ideas change and develop in the future.

I hope to hear many more stores from other Barrow-Downs "elders" on this thread.

(Elders are people (for me) who have over a decade of consistant reading or interest in Tolkien's works. They don't exactly have to be people older than me, just people with much more experience [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] )