Will The Hobbit do damage to the books?

[Lalwendë]

Originally Posted by Mithalwen

They did seem easier than those for the ordinary contestants but it didn't help this chap since he still did not recognise it. But it is comforting if it was film because they needed a film question rather than because it has been forgotten that it was a very successfil book first.

I think they've been easier than usual over the whole series, but that's probably because they don't want the celebs' charities to miss out if they end up scoring nil points. They do try and make sure each contestant has a broadly matching 'set' though.

They had a question about the Daphne Du Maurier novel Rebecca tonight, rather than one about the Hitchcock adaptation, so I feel rest assured they were not being overly 'easy' by not asking about books.

Originally Posted by Rhod the Red

One trend in the 1950s and 60's in literary circles, particularly in Britain was opposition to high fantasy. That's why Tolkein's work wasn't as widely accepted at the time as compared to today. JK Rowling got much the same treatment and rejection by the literary community too if I recall correctly; it was only the films for her books that shut the critics up, except maybe the religious nuts.

Do the critics like JK? All I ever hear from critics are sneery comments along the lines of: "Well they have got reluctant readers interested but they are really badly written." Pure. Jealousy.