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

[dragonthalyne]

I keep reading on the internet that Galadriel wanted Gandalf to be head of the White Council too, but that Gandalf declined, and Saruman wanted the position because he was proud and such. Did Galadriel and Elrond know that Cirdan the third Elven ring to Gandalf? (Narya? I think?)

Speaking of the Elvish rings, I'm really interested in knowing what their powers were. I sort of wonder if Elrond thought that it his duty to stay around during the crazy things that happened at the end of the Third Age because he was a ringbearer of sorts too.

[anki_koda]

I've been wondering the same thing! What kind of powers do the rings have? I mean for Galadriel to be capable of protecting Lothlorien, for Elrond to perhaps keep Imladris and what about the Dwarven Rings? If I remember correctly Thrór had one of the seven and then gave it to Thráin that lost it to Sauron. But, what it really mean for them to posses the ring. Power? Better at crafting things? Protection?

[sigridhr]

Nenya helped keep Lothlórien unchanged (and timeless). I can't find the quote right now, so I can't give you Tolkien's precise wording, but he does say of the rings that they helped preserve and amplify things that the bearer considered important. So, for the Dwarves, this usually meant that the possession of a ring enabled them to create wealth and accumulate it, and build great halls and whatnot.

For Galadriel and Elrond, it was the preservation of their realms, providing safety, security and general 'goodness', I suppose.

And I think Elrond stuck around to see Elros' kin back on the throne as well. He didn't foster the Dúnedain for naught.