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Epic Tolkien Bookclub: Week Two
Epic Tolkien Bookclub: Week Two (The Hobbit)
Chapter III: A Short Rest
Chapter IV: Over Hill and Under Hill
Rules
I very much doubt we'll require much in the way of formal rules, but just for the sake of formality and clarity:
Chapter III: A Short Rest
Chapter IV: Over Hill and Under Hill
Rules
I very much doubt we'll require much in the way of formal rules, but just for the sake of formality and clarity:
- Discussion is welcome and encouraged, as is disagreement. Name-calling and personal attacks will be punished by a blind date with Gollum at the Mordor Fried Warg Emporium. I highly recommend the Mildewed Troll Innards (a deep, earthy dish, with plenty of flavour), and Boiled Nazgul Backside (light and airy, what it lacks in substance it makes up for in its sharp, stabbing taste that will stay with you long after you've left).
- There is no spoiler policy in place. Although we're reading the Hobbit, please feel free to bring in things from other Tolkien works, any of the films, the History of Middle Earth, the Letters of JRR Tolkien, and, if you should like, other literary sources.
- There is no such thing as too much geekery. Or taking the text too seriously.
- If you have any concerns at any point, I'm the closest thing this gong show has to a mod, so feel free to get in touch. I can be reached either by PM through this site, or directly by email at sigridhr.lokidottir@gmail.com.
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I do understand the decision to simplify, though. The chief complaint I've heard against Tolkien is that there's just too much density (WHICH IS RIDICULOUS. HE MADE DRAWINGS OF THE CARPET PATTERNS IN NUMENOR. NO AMOUNT OF DETAIL IS TOO MUCH), and you can tell the essence of the story without all of the interesting history – it's just not as rich. I do firmly believe that Weta workshop are geeks of the best and highest order, though, with the amount of beautiful work they put in – and I'd agree that I would've liked to see more geeky trivia from PJ & co.
Everytime Richard Armitage gets geeky I pretty much die. I can think of no bigger turn on, tbh, than a man knowing his Silmarillion. :P
My biggest complaint with the film was Azog, actually. I just felt like it was a bit unnecessary – we already have the storyline of the actual Hobbit, and then the White Council storyline (which presumably will include Gandalf ousting Sauron from Dol Goldur - and possibly finding Thráin, because the timelines have been wonkified like whoa). I thought that between the two there was plenty to go on, and the Azog storyline just bogged everything down. The thing about Thorin's angst-o-rama is that there was already loads to go on. He already was on a personal mission to reclaim Erebor if you wanted to talk about motivation (and I loved the expanded emphasis on his motives in the film versus the more simplified 'we want our gold back' motive Bilbo records), and, if they do include the finding of Thráin, there's ample opportunity to throw in a second bundle of angst. PLUS you have him coming into contact with Thranduil who he now also has a Personal Vendetta™ with, so it's all just a bit too much. I get that they wanted a named protagonist for the climax of the film, I suppose, but I wonder if it wouldn't have worked better to split it in two as they'd originally planned, and cut the Azog line altogether. After all, there was Bolg in the book, who could have fulfilled some of the same role, only with more canon.
That said, Bilbo throwing himself at the orc to save Thorin, and then the hug did funny things to my heart, so... :P
I think the Galadhrim are just really xenophobic and insular (as far as elves go). They have a pretty bad rep too – the Rohirrim are all wary of the woods too, aren't they? 'Course the Elven kingdoms of the first age were pretty closed off too – Gondolin being the obvious example of this being taken to extremes. I suspect if a similar situation were to have occurred near Gondolin, Turgon might not have come out to lend aid either.
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