Epic Tolkien Bookclub: Week Two

[sigridhr]

 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:

• 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. 

Discussion on this post will officially run from Friday 18th January 2013 to Friday 25th January 2013. However, the post will remain open after that point, so you're more than welcome to continue discussions on. 

Comments

[(Anonymous)]

The part about the machines jumped out at me too, and it really did pull me into the present, as I automatically thought about the debate over an assault rifle ban that seems to be all over the news lately.

I do find it interesting that in the same paragraph, Tolkien talks about their hatred for "the orderly and prosperous". Goblins are Chaotic Evil and envy taken to the extreme.

[hibari-sensei.livejournal.com]

Oops, forgot to log-in.

Also, anybody find it amusing that goblins have soft shoes for stealth? My friends all got the impression from the movies that they are dumb and attack everything, but clearly this shows that they are tacticians.

[sigridhr]

I sometimes forget that Tolkien was a soldier. I read a great article (though I can't find it again! Dammit) ages ago about the battle tactics in LotR, and how they were actually quite sound.

Yeah, he makes a point of how they're clever, but, as Gallifaerie said, they're clever in ways that only do harm.

[gallifaerie.livejournal.com]

Yes, that's true it still has relevance literally right now (although I suppose, violence always does and sadly always will).

They don't even seem to want an orderly kind of evil, like a regime or anything? A lot of evil forces have distinct plans for who they're going to kill and what they're going to do when they get power, but the goblins literally just seem to abhor anything that's not like them.

[j_quadrifrons]

Hear, hear. (Of course, now I'm thinking about Goblins with gatling guns and that image just doesn't bear contemplating.)