October Suggestions

[Mike Jackson]

If you advise people to read the Silmarillion before the Hobbit and LOTR I can't see them bothering. IMHO the Silmarillion is heavy going and only worth reading as background to LOTR after you have read the books two or three times.

Mike

 

[Dawn]

Whatever you decide is fine with me. I've read LOTR recently but not the Hobbit. I've also read The Dark Tower series (one of my personal favorites) but could reread in anticipation of the 5th book.

I couldn't get into The Shipping News, even though I was the one who suggested it. I read about 6 chapters and put it down. My attention span is short. You have to catch it quick. I have such tremendous guilt over it.

 

[Marie]

Quoting Dawn

I couldn't get into The Shipping News, even though I was the one who suggested it. I read about 6 chapters and put it down. My attention span is short. You have to catch it quick. I have such tremendous guilt over it.

Can't blame you Dawn... You were not the only one struggling with it. I was tempted to give up too

Quoting Prolixic

Can't think of a better way to visit Middle Earth. That way when we go to discuss it we will still be footsore and weary from the road that goes on forever with the hair on our feet badly in need of brushing.

Ok but if we decide to read the 3 volumes of LOTR in one month, then we should maybe consider pursuing the discussion beyond November. Then those who have read LOTR already can start the discussion and the others can join in whenever they're done with the reading and feet's hair brushing

Quoting Mike

If you advise people to read the Silmarillion before the Hobbit and LOTR I can't see them bothering. IMHO the Silmarillion is heavy going and only worth reading as background to LOTR after you have read the books two or three times.

I agree, I've read a couple of reviews on amazon.com and the Silmarillion seems heavy going... It might be off-putting for neophytes (such as me). Whatever is decided here I'll start with The Hobbit, then LOTR and if I can make it to the end then maybe I'll give the Silmarillion a try...

 

[lies]

Originally posted by Mike Jackson
If you advise people to read the Silmarillion before the Hobbit and LOTR I can't see them bothering. IMHO the Silmarillion is heavy going and only worth reading as background to LOTR after you have read the books two or three times.

You do have a point there.

 

[Prolixic]

Marie wrote

I agree, I've read a couple of reviews on amazon.com and the Silmarillion seems heavy going... It might be off-putting for neophytes (such as me). Whatever is decided here I'll start with The Hobbit, then LOTR and if I can make it to the end then maybe I'll give the Silmarillion a try

Marie, in retrospect, I seem to recall finding Silmarillion after I had read LOTR several times and the experience wasn't diminished at all. As for the neophyte part I started reading Fantasy with LOTR--I won't say how long ago.


So how do we decide this anyway?

 

[Darren]

OK, we'll start with The Hobbit in October and then LOTR in November and The Silmarillion in December.

It's been years since I read LOTR, and I re-read The Hobbit earlier this year. I'll probably start LOTR before November to get a head start

Feel free to carry on any of the discussion beyond the month that the book was featured in, or discuss any other books that aren't featured

Darren.