CbC: Silm or TH? - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Son of Númenor · 09-15-2005, 02:59 AM

With the Lord of the Rings Chapter-by-Chapter Discussion being such a hit, there has emerged discussion of the possibility of another CbC some time after this one is wrapped up. This poll is to get a read on which other work of Tolkien's BDers would be most interested in discussing chapter-by-chapter. The two logical choices seem to be The Hobbit and The Silmarillion. I am assuming that HoME, UT, the Letters, etc. should be excluded from this poll, though doubtless there are some of us who would love to disect them page-by-page, letter-by-letter.

So what do you think? Bilbo or Beren? The two pieces are obviously dissimilar, and there are those who feel that neither is to be taken as wholly canonical. Regardless of their merit as pieces of the Legendarium, they both make for a sterling read.

I would not be unhappy with either, and I suspect that the majority of Downers feels the same way. The Silmarillion, however, gets my vote: it has always been my favorite of Tolkien's works, edging out LotR on account of its grand scope and that indescribable hint of the mythic, of old dusty lorebooks and legends washed away by the Sea. (Sorry to wax faux poetic.)

This is by no means the official poll to determine which work we read next, unless the moderators deem it to be. You need not substantiate your vote with a lengthy argument (though we all know prolix debate is welcomed here at the Downs if you wish to engage in it). Just choose whichever work you would have more fun reading and discussing.

I will note that if The Silmarillion is chosen, I would be happy to take over Esty's role as discussion leader -- assuming she wishes to relinquish that power. Apologies if this thread was posted in the wrong place, or if it should not exist at all.

Estelyn Telcontar · 09-15-2005, 03:11 AM

I voted for The Hobbit because of the experience I made with the LotR discussion. Very few members have continued discussing the chapters by now, so that I think a shorter work would have a better chance of getting widespread and hopefully lasting participation. I also think TH would get a bigger audience, as younger members might be more inclined to post there than on a book about which they don't feel as knowledgeable.

The whole idea is to get as many people as possible involved, and I think that could more likely be achieved with a discussion of The Hobbit.

Lalwendë · 09-15-2005, 03:18 AM

I'll vote for The Hobbit, for all the reasons Esty has mentioned! But also because I think it is time we gave some serious thought to the book - and that can include where it does and does not 'fit' into the Legendarium.

I've discovered a lot more about LotR through these CbC discussions, they have added depth to my reading, and I would love to experience that with The Hobbit.

Koobdooga · 09-15-2005, 03:19 AM

I've always loved The Hobbit and would very much like to get in on discussing it.

Anguirel · 09-15-2005, 03:59 AM

I voted for the Silmarillion because I love it more than the rest of Tolkien put together, it has the Sons of Feanor and Maeglin in it, and-most importantly-I have a copy in my room here at school, which is not true of LOTR and the Hobbit...so my comments could actually have a textual basis...

dancing spawn of ungoliant · 09-15-2005, 07:00 AM

If it's possible that we'll eventually go through both the Sil and the Hobbit as CbC, I don't care which book we read first. I'd love to learn more about the Sil but I agree with Esty that the Hobbit might gather more participants than the Sil.

Márcolië Lamen · 09-15-2005, 07:53 AM

I think that it'd work better to start with the Hobbit, though the Sil will eventually be more useful and interesting to those who have read it. The Hobbit would gather more participants for one thing. I also grew up on the hobbit from when I was starting reading chapter books on my own, so I may be biased towards it, but I feel discussing the hobbit would be better to go first between the two.

Of course I think after this Sil should also be done.

Hookbill the Goomba · 09-26-2005, 01:25 AM

I've voted for The Hobbit. The Lord of the Rings was a mammoth task, I think we need a little break, to do something a little less daunting. I think that The Silmarilion should be done, but not just yet. I'd wait till a little later. Doing The Hobbit would be a good way for some who gave up (namely me) to get back into the discussions before we go on to something as huge (not in size, but in stature) as The Silmarillion. Save the best till last. What’s next? The History of Middle Earths? The Letters? Farmer Giles and other Tolkien books?

That’s what I think anyway,

ohtatyaro · 10-19-2005, 08:13 AM

The Hobbit for me

Celebuial · 10-20-2005, 06:02 PM

Although I think discussion would be more in-depth with The Sil; I have to say The Hobbit. Because it is so different from everything else it is certainly the most confusing of Tolkien's works for me. I'm never quite sure what to take seriously: all of it or not? I think that hearing other Downer's views would help me a great deal with deciding what to think about The Hobbit in general too... I've never really been 'into it' as I have LotR and The Sil and such like.

Alphaelin · 11-02-2005, 03:35 AM

Much as I love The Silm , if the idea is to engage more Downers in the discussion, I think The Hobbit is a 'friendlier' choice. It saddened me to think that some people were shy of posting on the LOTR CbC discussion because they thought they wouldn't sound intelligent enough. While well-thought-out posts should always be encouraged, everyone should feel free to comment within the guidelines of civilized discussion, even if it's their first reading of a book. New eyes can give us old-timers interesting perspectives on our favorite books & chapters.

Bother, I've gone off on a rant...but I think I'll leave it.

Holbytlass · 11-11-2005, 01:36 PM

While I have no doubts that certain Down's members will still attain the highest levels of lengthy and annalytical posts equipped with well documented quotes for their debates (look what they did to a simple game of 'werewolf'!

), I have voted for The Hobbit because I myself would be able to dip a toe in the discussions.

11-13-2005, 02:44 PM

Hi
Well... I prefer The Hobbit, I think that is because is the first book I ever read...
Anyway, The Silmarillion can be kind of 'thick' in some parts for me, specially in the beginning when it tells how Iluvatar created the Valars, etc, etc...
The sotry of The Hobbit is such a classical story of fantasy but wiht a lot of little things that give flavour to the tale, I don't know if you can follow my "primitive" english...

Whatever, my votes goes rightly to The Hobbit.

View Poll Results: Which book should be the subject of the next CbC discussion?
The Hobbit	35	60.34%
The Silmarillion	23	39.66%
Voters: 58. You may not vote on this poll

09-15-2005, 02:59 AM	#1
Son of Númenor A Shade of Westernesse Join Date: May 2004 Location: The last wave over Atalantë Posts: 515	CbC: Silm or TH? With the Lord of the Rings Chapter-by-Chapter Discussion being such a hit, there has emerged discussion of the possibility of another CbC some time after this one is wrapped up. This poll is to get a read on which other work of Tolkien's BDers would be most interested in discussing chapter-by-chapter. The two logical choices seem to be The Hobbit and The Silmarillion. I am assuming that HoME, UT, the Letters, etc. should be excluded from this poll, though doubtless there are some of us who would love to disect them page-by-page, letter-by-letter. So what do you think? Bilbo or Beren? The two pieces are obviously dissimilar, and there are those who feel that neither is to be taken as wholly canonical. Regardless of their merit as pieces of the Legendarium, they both make for a sterling read. I would not be unhappy with either, and I suspect that the majority of Downers feels the same way. The Silmarillion, however, gets my vote: it has always been my favorite of Tolkien's works, edging out LotR on account of its grand scope and that indescribable hint of the mythic, of old dusty lorebooks and legends washed away by the Sea. (Sorry to wax faux poetic.) This is by no means the official poll to determine which work we read next, unless the moderators deem it to be. You need not substantiate your vote with a lengthy argument (though we all know prolix debate is welcomed here at the Downs if you wish to engage in it). Just choose whichever work you would have more fun reading and discussing. I will note that if The Silmarillion is chosen, I would be happy to take over Esty's role as discussion leader -- assuming she wishes to relinquish that power. Apologies if this thread was posted in the wrong place, or if it should not exist at all. __________________ "This miserable drizzling afternoon I have been reading up old military lecture-notes again:- and getting bored with them after an hour and a half. I have done some touches to my nonsense fairy language - to its improvement."

09-15-2005, 03:11 AM	#2
Estelyn Telcontar Princess of Skwerlz Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: where the Sea is eastwards (WtR: 6060 miles) Posts: 7,500	Turning over a new leaf! I voted for The Hobbit because of the experience I made with the LotR discussion. Very few members have continued discussing the chapters by now, so that I think a shorter work would have a better chance of getting widespread and hopefully lasting participation. I also think TH would get a bigger audience, as younger members might be more inclined to post there than on a book about which they don't feel as knowledgeable. The whole idea is to get as many people as possible involved, and I think that could more likely be achieved with a discussion of The Hobbit. __________________ 'Mercy!' cried Gandalf. 'If the giving of information is to be the cure of your inquisitiveness, I shall spend all the rest of my days in answering you. What more do you want to know?' 'The whole history of Middle-earth...' Last edited by Estelyn Telcontar; 09-15-2005 at 03:17 AM.

09-15-2005, 03:18 AM	#3
Lalwendë A Mere Boggart Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: under the bed Posts: 4,737	I'll vote for The Hobbit, for all the reasons Esty has mentioned! But also because I think it is time we gave some serious thought to the book - and that can include where it does and does not 'fit' into the Legendarium. I've discovered a lot more about LotR through these CbC discussions, they have added depth to my reading, and I would love to experience that with The Hobbit. __________________ Gordon's alive!

09-15-2005, 03:19 AM	#4
Koobdooga Animated Skeleton Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 33	I've always loved The Hobbit and would very much like to get in on discussing it. __________________ Outside a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside a dog, it's too dark to read. -- Groucho Marx Last edited by Koobdooga; 09-15-2005 at 04:06 AM.

09-15-2005, 03:59 AM	#5
Anguirel Byronic Brand Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: The 1590s Posts: 2,778	I voted for the Silmarillion because I love it more than the rest of Tolkien put together, it has the Sons of Feanor and Maeglin in it, and-most importantly-I have a copy in my room here at school, which is not true of LOTR and the Hobbit...so my comments could actually have a textual basis... __________________ Among the friendly dead, being bad at games did not seem to matter -Il Lupo Fenriso

09-15-2005, 07:00 AM	#6
dancing spawn of ungoliant Mischievous Candle Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: So near to Russia, so far from Japan, quite a long way from Cairo, lots of miles from Vietnam. Posts: 1,234	If it's possible that we'll eventually go through both the Sil and the Hobbit as CbC, I don't care which book we read first. I'd love to learn more about the Sil but I agree with Esty that the Hobbit might gather more participants than the Sil. __________________ Fenris Wolf

09-15-2005, 07:53 AM	#7
Márcolië Lamen Wight Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Nwy, land of the llamas Posts: 109	I think that it'd work better to start with the Hobbit, though the Sil will eventually be more useful and interesting to those who have read it. The Hobbit would gather more participants for one thing. I also grew up on the hobbit from when I was starting reading chapter books on my own, so I may be biased towards it, but I feel discussing the hobbit would be better to go first between the two. Of course I think after this Sil should also be done.

09-26-2005, 01:25 AM	#8
Hookbill the Goomba Alive without breath Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: On A Cold Wind To Valhalla Posts: 5,912	Rats in the Pipe I've voted for The Hobbit. The Lord of the Rings was a mammoth task, I think we need a little break, to do something a little less daunting. I think that The Silmarilion should be done, but not just yet. I'd wait till a little later. Doing The Hobbit would be a good way for some who gave up (namely me) to get back into the discussions before we go on to something as huge (not in size, but in stature) as The Silmarillion. Save the best till last. What’s next? The History of Middle Earths? The Letters? Farmer Giles and other Tolkien books? That’s what I think anyway, __________________ I think that if you want facts, then The Downer Newspaper is probably the place to go. I know! I read it once. THE PHANTOM AND ALIEN: The Legend of the Golden Bus Ticket...

10-19-2005, 08:13 AM	#9
ohtatyaro Wight Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: here, there, everywhere... Posts: 121	The Hobbit for me __________________ Reading this sig costs three Galleons, nine Sickles, and a Knut. Pay up!

10-20-2005, 06:02 PM	#10
Celebuial Wight Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Cardiff during term time/Leicester in the holl's Posts: 129	The Hobbit (ooohhh I have been away too long, now you have pretty green leaves!) Although I think discussion would be more in-depth with The Sil; I have to say The Hobbit. Because it is so different from everything else it is certainly the most confusing of Tolkien's works for me. I'm never quite sure what to take seriously: all of it or not? I think that hearing other Downer's views would help me a great deal with deciding what to think about The Hobbit in general too... I've never really been 'into it' as I have LotR and The Sil and such like. __________________ Ú cilith ‘war. Ú men ‘war. Boe min mebi. Boe min bango.

11-02-2005, 03:35 AM	#11
Alphaelin Wight Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Tottering about in the Wild Posts: 130	Much as I love The Silm , if the idea is to engage more Downers in the discussion, I think The Hobbit is a 'friendlier' choice. It saddened me to think that some people were shy of posting on the LOTR CbC discussion because they thought they wouldn't sound intelligent enough. While well-thought-out posts should always be encouraged, everyone should feel free to comment within the guidelines of civilized discussion, even if it's their first reading of a book. New eyes can give us old-timers interesting perspectives on our favorite books & chapters. Bother, I've gone off on a rant...but I think I'll leave it. __________________ Not all those who wander are lost . . . because some of us know how to read a map.

11-11-2005, 01:36 PM	#12
Holbytlass Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: May 2003 Location: The Party Tree Posts: 1,042	While I have no doubts that certain Down's members will still attain the highest levels of lengthy and annalytical posts equipped with well documented quotes for their debates (look what they did to a simple game of 'werewolf'! ), I have voted for The Hobbit because I myself would be able to dip a toe in the discussions. __________________ Holby is an actual flesh-and-blood person, right? Not, say a sock-puppet of Nilp’s, by any chance? ~Nerwen, WWCIII

11-13-2005, 02:44 PM	#13
Farmgoth Guest Posts: n/a	Hi Well... I prefer The Hobbit, I think that is because is the first book I ever read... Anyway, The Silmarillion can be kind of 'thick' in some parts for me, specially in the beginning when it tells how Iluvatar created the Valars, etc, etc... The sotry of The Hobbit is such a classical story of fantasy but wiht a lot of little things that give flavour to the tale, I don't know if you can follow my "primitive" english... Whatever, my votes goes rightly to The Hobbit.