| Re: Is it me or is it Tolkien?
Strangely enough, considering that I'm one who read the books before the movie, then tried again after and didn't enjoy it - that is, one who seems to be being categorised in this thread as someone who likes constant action - I actually really enjoyed the beginning of the books. In fact I was at first a bit disappointed that they rushed through it so quickly in the movie. I love the picturesque description of Hobbiton, I love the party, I love the innocent adventure, Tom Bombadil, the barrow wights, getting to know Merry and Pippin. When it started to get bogged down for me was in Rivendell when Elrond is explaining some of the history.
Thinking about it, I think it's a combination of masses of heavy content that's hard to remember (all those names and such - well it's hard for me anyway) and the fact that I knew how much suffering and torment the main characters had to go through before they were triumphant that meant I didn't finish rereading them.
Cecilia Dart-Thornton's The Iron Tree is often criticised for being slow and having at least one long segment when nothing much happens, but it's one of my favourite books, because of the lavish descriptions of the people and places that really make it real in my mind. So I'm not anti-background/description, just something about the way Tolkien does it doesn't make it worth it for me. |