Epic Tolkien Bookclub: Week Five

[sigridhr]

 Epic Tolkien Bookclub: Week Five (The Hobbit)
Chapter IX: Barrels out of Bond
Chapter X: A Warm Welcome

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 forcing you to read Evil!Thranduil Badfic for the rest of eternity. 
  
• 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 8th February 2013 to Friday 15th February 2013. However, the post will remain open after that point, so you're more than welcome to continue discussions on. 

Comments

[gallifaerie.livejournal.com]

I like that you pointed out the difference between the life spans of the dwarves and the men - the tale of Smaug and the King under the mountain all feels a lot like folklore and legend to the men, whereas the dwarves (and the elves) take it all a lot more seriously because they can actually remember it. That might be why the dwarves get a much better reception in Lake-town than in Thranduil's cave.

Ooh, your notes on luck sound interesting! It is a pretty important theme of the book.

[j_quadrifrons]

Oooh, good point - as far as the men of Lake-town are concerned, the Dwarves coming back is a great mythological event, the fulfillment of prophecies out of legend; it's hard not to be at least a little impressed by that. Whereas Thranduil...yeah, not so impressed with them.

Comments on luck below, as multiple people have asked.