Epic Tolkien Bookclub: Week One

[sigridhr]

 *smashes a bottle of champagne over the post* And we're off!

Epic Tolkien Bookclub: Week One (The Hobbit)
Chapter I: An Unexpected Party
Chapter II: Roast Mutton

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 barefoot gauntlet walk across a set of lego pieces. 
  
• 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 nerdy. Or too excited. 
• 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 11th January 2013 to Friday 18th January 2013. However, the post will remain open after that point, so you're more than welcome to continue discussions on. 

(I'm cheating a bit, as it's not quite the 11th here yet, but I want to get this up before I go to work tomorrow, and 6am posting is just asking for disaster). Have at it, guys! :) 

Comments

[starliings.livejournal.com]

Wow sorry for being late to the discussion (blame university!)

I love reading all your discussions, I find it really interesting as a relative Tolkien newbie just how MUCH there is to learn about, it's so amazing and exciting and just COOL.

So yeah I love these two chapters, I love the humour of Bilbo just being generally disgruntled at all these dwarves out of nowhere (aka my internal monologue in almost all social situations!).

Also I thought this part was interesting....
'Indeed they hardly know a good bit of work from a bad, though thy usually have a good notion of the current market value; and they can't make a thing for themselves, not even mend a little loose scale in their armour.'

...It just reminded me of Smaug's eventual downfall, how they had to look for the gap in the armour to find his weak spot. Possible foreshadowing??

All in all YAY THE HOBBIT

[sigridhr]

Glad you made it! :)

Hahaha, Bilbo was much kinder than I would have been if a load of Dwarves had turned up on my doorstep. :P

Oooh, good catch. I think you're right about Smaug's armour. It's funny, because there's a similar comparison between the dwarves and the goblins – the goblins can delve just as well, if not better, than the dwarves, and they make many things, but none of them beautiful. Similarly, the dragons covet gold, but don't actually appreciate it, whereas the dwarves covet gold for its craftsmanship and its beauty.