For me i started on the story. I first got into lotr by seeing the two towers with a friend. I didnt understand anything that was going on, so i read the books. But then after reading the silmarillion, the hobbits, and others like unfinished tales, the world Tolkien created was overwhelming. I dont really refer to the books as lotr, because the lord of the rings is juust a part of the Ea created. I would refer to it as Ea or Arda, but few nonreaders understand that. I just think of it as Tolkiens works.
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Fusion (europe)