The Library (or 'Now reading...')

[Gilrond-i-Virdan]

To avoid off-topic in another thread, answering here.

I guess we'll have to continue to disagree, because I distinguish (and stand by this distinction) between a dramatis persona who is written in a manner that is abstract and not quite realistic, for the purpose of promoting epic themes or stories, and one who is written in a manner that engages the reader in a way that promotes empathy and stimulates the reader's interest in following the personal history of that character.

Actually I was always quite interested in Tolkien's characters, even in secondary ones in the Lord of The Rings, especially if they were intentionally portrayed in mysterious manner. I don't think that such portrayal is intended to reduce reader's interest in the character, it's just the nature of the heroic style. On the contrary, such style actually stimulates looking deeper, beyond the superficial narrative level. That's normal for such type of literature.

Also, as @Kudos said, many characters in the Lord of The Rings are given minor roles because their background is well explained elsewhere, and they simply aren't given enough room in the book to trace character development and so on.

 

[GuyNwah]

Maybe it's just me, but I'm used to a different priority in literature, even epic forms: where the story of persons carries the epic. The characters in Tolkien don't impress me as deep or mysterious at all. At best (Bilbo in The Hobbit, Sam Gamgee and Eowyn in LotR, nobody at all in The Silmarillion), they are straightforward persons (hobbits, elves, whatever) caught up in events they must rise to; this, not treatises on what some elves did long ago without any sense there were actual recognizable emotions expressed by any of the personalities involved, is true characterization.

To my thinking, epics fit for dramatization are exemplified by Gilgamesh, Homer (at least in part), War and Peace, Anna Karenina, and their kin. Peter Jackson's efforts at dramatizing The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings are high, wide, and handsome, but they are hampered by their source material, which makes little effort to present characters anyone would give more than passing thought to, or learn from and emulate. Thus the need to expand on roles such as Sam Gamgee or Eowyn, or add characters foreign to the tale, like Tauriel.

In short, Tolkien had priorities other than deeply written characters, and while I respect his works for that, it means they take effort to translate into worthwhile drama, and that effort is sometimes criticized as detracting from the original when in fact it is the necessary way to make his work presentable as drama.

This is what I value in the Witcher books and games. They are not epics of warring kingdoms; they are the story of a man who, in passing through these wars, is in danger of losing his humanity.

 

[Lanfear]

I (finally) finished "The Blade Itself" - Joe Abercrombie. I found it engrossing, i like that the story is told from several character's points of view, especially i appreciated Glokta! I can't wait to start "Before They are hanged" *.*

I also read "The ice princess" - Camilla Läckberg. The basic plot is interesting enough but every few pages the action stops while one or another of the characters examines his or her emotional state, and that after a while starts to get boring! But it was a very enjoyable read

 

[Sephira]

I (finally) finished "The Blade Itself" - Joe Abercrombie. I found it engrossing, i like that the story is told from several character's points of view, especially i appreciated Glokta! I can't wait to start "Before They are hanged" *.*

I knew you'd like Glokta, definitely my favourite one in the trilogy!
Yes, the book is more or less a prologue, setting up the story that will go on in a very interesting way, expecially from our friend the Inquisitor

the action stops while one or another of the characters examines his or her emotional state

This seems interesting!

 

[Lanfear]

This seems interesting!

It's a good read! As I said, there's this "problem": the protagonists investigate, discover something, think about their emotions and so on every few pages...at last this scheme become a bit boring! But the story is interesting so I recommend you to read it!

 

[Djembe]

I've been reading a lot of Stephen King. Dead Zone, the Stand, Christine, Under the Dome... I'm currently reading Firestarter. I've got a few more of his to read once I'm finished with that. I'm almost done with the Time of Contempt. A measly chapter left... I have this tendency to drag out a book as long as I can if I don't have the next book I want to read yet. I don't like the feeling of abandonment! I should have Baptism of Fire any day now.

:look:

 

[Sephira]

It's a good read! As I said, there's this "problem": the protagonists investigate, discover something, think about their emotions and so on every few pages...at last this scheme become a bit boring! But the story is interesting so I recommend you to read it!

Very well, new book added to the "to read" neverending list

 

[Djembe]

Necroing +5

How the heck did this end up 5 pages behind?? Not actually sure if this post belongs here or not, but books!!

I have a Hardback copy of The Hobbit over on my shelf there, inside is an inscription from my brother on my 4th birthday. The Hobbit is an important book for me, I wish they had done it justice.

I feel ya, man. Something about that book really evoked a sense of adventure in me when I read it. I'm not good at analyzing literature, I leave that to the real writers out there, but it evoked a feeling no other book has. Well, all good books register a certain way, and they're all different, but that one... I don't know. I'll never forget that book. Seeing the movies they made from it... No where near the same experience.

 

[Aes Sídhe]

Well it was 1977 when I read it, and there was really nothing else like it at the time. More people would've read Lewis' Narnia... which I instantly didn't like. My memory says Tolkien was largely frowned upon by society at large then, certainly all through my school years I could count the number of kids who knew who Gandalf was on my fingers. Later on D&D was the same, about ~12 was the maximum we ever got in the club, there were more in the Chess club, but even fewer in the computer club... oh how things have changed in so short a time

I've got my Hobbit here: 3rd edition, 9th impression 1974, hardback with the Profs own cover design, with the beautiful 2 colour maps front & back inside covers, and interspersed with 13 plates of Tolkiens own illustrations. A beautiful book entirely, everything a young person needs. I was already hooked on reading & fantasy through myths, but in all likelihood i'd be a completely different person if i'd never read that book early, and the worse for it too i'd wager.

When my bro got me FoTR for my 5th, I still distinctly recall the disappointment the moment I realised Bilbo wasn't going to be the hero !

btw: Necroing is indeed the proper way, I believe it's appreciated right across the board here.

 

[Blothulfur]

Aye as a kid the Hobbit is a wonderful tale of derring do and adventure, though i'd stick LeGuin's a Wizard of Earthsea in for a little un to add a bit of depth and some H. Rider Haggard to build dreams of foreign places and far off lands. Along with a good deal of non fiction.

Currently reading Sterling Hayden's biography, interesting bloke.

 

[Aes Sídhe]

I hope you've got some pure grain alcohol handy

 

[AutumnalWanderer]

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And this will be arrives soon, and I will be reading this too:
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I've waited so long ago, but I cannot order it in the local shop, so I ordered it from a webshop, I hope that they have in store.

 

[shinobi2u]

Haven't read anything new in a while. I recently re-read the entire Black Company series....

...and now I've gone back to re-reading Strands of Starlight.
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[Djembe]

Now reading
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Next will be
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I've been on a bit of a binge...

 

[Sephira]

I'm reading

One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Spoiler

A Storm of Swords by G.R.R. Martin

Spoiler

 

[Fandango9641]

I picked up the new James Patterson yesterday and - having recently discovered a terrific little comic store in Peterborough - picked up issue #1 of the new Thor, book #1 of Fables and book #1 of Saga by the outstanding Brian K Vaughan. I started with Fables yesterday afternoon and would already recommend to fellow fans of fabulous fiction.

 

[AutumnalWanderer]

I almost finished this:
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The title means: Deadly Zone

Next up I will pick up this:
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And I reading sometimes the Metro 2033 as well, for the second time.

 

[Ljesnjanin]

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Not in english, though

 

[Lanfear]

I just finished "one hundred years of solitude" by Marquez

Spoiler

now i start to read "Before They are hanged" by Abercrombie and "The World of Ice and Fire" by Martin, Garcia, Antonssen

Spoiler

 

[Ljesnjanin]

now i start to read "Before They are hanged" by Abercrombie

Abercrombie is fantastic choice if I might add :thumbup: