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

[hibari-sensei.livejournal.com]

I love sassy Bilbo too. Just because he's out of his element doesn't mean he'll take crap from whiny dwarves.

The Master (my mind kept jumping to Doctor Who, LOL) comes across as how some of my religious friends see atheists: hardline skeptics who are just overly practical and wordly. Given Tolkein's devoutness, I wonder if this was his jab at non-believers.

[gallifaerie.livejournal.com]

Hmm, that's an interesting take on the Master! He has no faith in the dwarves and he thinks it's all a con to trick the people of Lake-town. But he does come to the same conclusion as Thranduil - that the dwarves are trouble, so just let them get on with it as long as they leave and (hopefully) don't come back.

(Haha, yes, it's impossible for me to hear 'the Master' without thinking of Doctor Who.)