Which of the three TLotR books is your favorite????????

[thewichtking]

of the three tlotr book's witch one is your favorite??????

[CSteefel]

Originally Posted by thewichtking

of the three tlotr book's witch is one your favorite??????

I would have to say that The Fellowship of the Ring is still my favorite, with the brilliant way in which the history of the Ring is revealed (in contrast to the movie), the surreal terror makes its way into the Shire, the flight through the wild lands east of Bree, the Council of Elrond, and then the journey through Moria. The focus is on a smaller group of characters large and small (in stature as well as "importance"), while the other books shift over to a focus on the actions of royalty and their grand battles. Even in the second and third books I value the scenes most with the lesser folk, probably sections of the book that others might ignore (the part where Frodo and Sam negotiate the Morgai)...

[thewichtking]

what does no one like the lord of the rings? apparently because no one is posting witch is there favorite tlotr book!


________________________________________________

something, something, something Musiiiiiiic and strike a pose!
"Count Oloff"

[radagastly]

Originally posted by thewichtking:

what does no one like the lord of the rings? apparently because no one is posting witch is there favorite tlotr book!

I think the problem here is that Tolkien originally wrote this as a single volume, and, times being what they were (just barely post WWII, paper unavailable) he was forced by his publisher to split it into three volumes. They did not have the resources to publish the entire book as a single volume and still make a profit. The only reason it's a Trilogy is practical, not artistic. It was meant to be read as a single, continuous narrative, not a trilogy. It's hard to choose one volume when the story is clearly only one volume to begin with.

That said, I still must say that "Fellowship" is my favorite. I've always preferred Act I to Act III. Set-up is far more difficult than the final pay-off. If you write ten chapters that are great, the last three pretty much write themselves. Not entirely, but rather effectively.

It must be difficult to write a climax, THE DESTRUCTION OF THE RING, when other adventures, the marriage of Aragorn, the Coronation of the King, the journey back to the Shire with Saruman and all the other encounters were still to come.

"The Scouring of the Shire" is the climax of the story as far as Tolkien is concerned. Same for most of it's readers (though, not necessarily it's movie fans.)

As far as "Favorites" are concerned, I still go back to "Fellowship." Set-up is far more challenging. I stand by it!

[Ibrîniðilpathânezel]

To me, they are all one book. It was only for the convenience of publication that LotR was split into three volumes, and I don't even own a three-volume version of it anymore. If I had to pick, though, I would probably weigh it by which volume had the most of my favorite chapters. By that method of choosing, The Two Towers would just barely edge out The Return of the King. I know that when I wrote my symphonies based on LotR, I had to make the one for TTT a suite because it had so many elements that inspired me, I had far too many movements for an even vaguely traditional symphony. I suppose that's a fair indicator of which I liked the most.

[radagastly]

Originaly posted by Ibrîniðilpathânezel:

By that method of choosing, The Two Towers would just barely edge out The Return of the King. I know that when I wrote my symphonies based on LotR, I had to make the one for TTT a suite because it had so many elements that inspired me, I had far too many movements for an even vaguely traditional symphony. I suppose that's a fair indicator of which I liked the most.

Clearly, you chose the most challenging parts for your symphony. (By the way, I wish I could hear it! It's exactly what Tolkien wanted! Other works inspired by his work. Exactly what he was after.)

In the meantime, I stand by my choice of "The Fellowship of the Ring" as my favorite. Can't really tell you why, except what I've already said.