LOTR: what did you NOT like in the books?

[Galadriel]

The title says it all.

I for one would have been a lot happier with fuller descriptions of the characters

[Galadriel55]

Humph! What a question!

/kidding.


The first few times I've read it I have been peeved by the Gollum chapters (eg: Passage Through the Marshes) and the Shire chapters (eg: Three is Company). Now - not so much. There are certain priceless moments in every chapter.

[Boo Radley]

I wish they'd been longer.

[Mithalwen]

Tom Bombadil. I know the arguments about the function he serves but the poetry is sub vogon and I find perky irritating.

[Inziladun]

It's a very minor issue, but the way Bill Ferny just ran off into the night without being heard from again always seemed to me like unfinished business. Maybe he could have turned up as a stowaway on Frodo's ship to the West and been thrown overboard by Galadriel.

[Galadriel55]

Originally Posted by Inziladun

It's a very minor issue, but the way Bill Ferny just ran off into the night without being heard from again always seemed to me like unfinished business.

No, no, precious! We need some mystery, some enigma! You don't have to have an explanation for everything in literature!

[Mithalwen]

Inzil, I have excavated this from my early days on the downs. Nice to see I have at least been consistent in my dislike of Bombadil.

http://forum.barrowdowns.com/showthread.php?t=11169

[Galadriel]

Originally Posted by Boo Radley

I wish they'd been longer.

Stressing...what?

[Bêthberry]

I have always found it difficult to read Sam's battle with Shelob without a smirk or two.

[Galadriel]

Originally Posted by Bêthberry

I have always found it difficult to read Sam's battle with Shelob without a smirk or two.

[Boo Radley]

Originally Posted by Bêthberry

I have always found it difficult to read Sam's battle with Shelob without a smirk or two.

Oh, I don't know. Thinking about how much Sam loved Frodo, I could see him getting into a berserkers rage easily enough. Or are you referring to something else.

I've been thinking back about things that bothered me, and I remembered the scene in Fellowship, when the Hobbits are captured by the Barrow Wights and upon being freed, Tom extols them to run around naked.

Excuse me?

You lads go ahead if you want, I'll just stand behind this shrubbery with my eyes averted until someone comes along with a change of clothes, thank you very much.

[Legolas]

Originally Posted by Boo Radley

I wish they'd been longer.

This.

From an immersion angle, I always wanted more characterization, especially conversation; for instance, by way of seemingly irrelevant banter among the Fellowship, or full accounts of meetings between the White Council and private meetings between Gandalf and Radagast/Saruman, or transcripts of all that Bilbo heard from the elves during his stays at Rivendell.

With all that walking about by the Fellowship throughout the months of the main plot, there was so much time to fill. Even with their grave task constantly confronting them, there had to be some joking and storytelling when they stopped to rest.

Which finds me agreeing with the original poster:

Originally Posted by Galadriel

I for one would have been a lot happier with fuller descriptions of the characters

[Lalwendë]

Corny time, but...

The end. As in, the blank space after you've read the last word.

[Galadriel55]

Originally Posted by Lalwendë

The end. As in, the blank space after you've read the last word.

Good one.

I also didn't like the way ents speak. Have you ever tried pronouncing some of those? You run out of breath before you can get to the second half!

The language itself gives us insight into the Ents, but reading individual words is a pain. It's much easier to skip to the next English text.