New Members - Introduce Yourself Here

[Estelyn Telcontar]

Welcome to the Downs, malickfan! Links to your own website are allowed within the signature space, so you may set that up on your user CP (upper right of any page).

It's always nice to see lurkers come out of the woodwork and post actively! If you like, you can dig up previous discussions about the Silmarillion and your favourite characters, or you can start new threads with questions you'd like others to consider. And if you'd like to prepare for the first Hobbit movie by rereading the book, do check out our Chapter-by-Chapter discussions. I hope you will enjoy your (after-)life among the dead here in the Barrow!

[radagastly]

Esty:

Links to your own website are allowed within the signature space, so you may set that up on your user CP (upper right of any page).

Do you mean upper left corner? My "User CP" button is on the upper LEFT corner of the screen.

Welcome to the Downs, malickfan!

[Strider09]

Hi this is a new user. I am a fan of pippin and bilbo. The best two hobbits ever!
I also like Aragorn hence the username Strider09. Hi everyone!

[Inziladun]

Welcome, Strider! Enjoy your time here.

[Faramir Jones]

Welcome to the Downs, malickfan and Strider09!

I'd certainly be interested to know what you've come up with about Cirdan the Shipwright, malickfan.

[LordPhillock]

Hello there! I have been aware of this fine establishment for quite a few years already, but never had the courage to muster to registering and interacting with you fine fellows.

Hi, I'm Phil. Stupid username (which I invented over a decade ago for an Arcade Game) aside, I am very surprised to find admirers of Tolkien's work that are actually using their heads when observing the upcoming "Hobbit Trilogy Prequel Films". As I have a rather odd history with the film adaptation (though I am not an insider), and like to consider myself a filmmaker, I would be honored to keep in touch with all of your opinions (though I can't promise to be too vocal) as these weird (in my opinion) movies emerge.

Usually I'm ganged up on by people who would more likely explode in brainless ecstasy rather than rationally analyze the positives and negatives, so I find this a breath of fresh air to see so many with just as much of an intelligent scrutiny of these new films as I claim I have. Good on ya'! Hope to share some Tolkien-centric thoughts and random artwork I sometimes do on this forum in the future! You guys seem like well-spoken folk. Well met!

[Galadriel55]

Welcome to the Downs, Phil! Go ahead and add your voice to the discussions!

[Faramir Jones]

Nice to meet you, LordPhillock! Welcome to the Downs! I won't hold your name against you...

[Brinniel]

I realize it's been a year and half since I last posted. Has it really been that long? Over two years since I actively participated on a regular basis or have even seen another BDer in person. I missed my 10th Deathday (now going on 10 and 1/2), which makes me feel old. Then I realize there are teenagers on this forum who must have been about three to six years old when I first joined, which makes me feel even older. Boy, does time fly these days.

Compared to my last disappearance, it doesn't seem too much has changed. Some old members have disappeared, though many are still here. And of course, new members as well. Let's see if I can manage to stick around (again).

[Mithalwen]

Welcome back Brin and welcome to my world. With the current crop of teenagers I can't console myself with the thought that I am really not old enough to be theiir mother.

[Galadriel55]

Welcome back, Brin!

Originally Posted by Brinniel

Then I realize there are teenagers on this forum who must have been about three to six years old when I first joined, which makes me feel even older. Boy, does time fly these days.

Errr....yeah, I was five.

[Boromir88]

Welcome back Brinn

There may be several others who laugh and scoff at this, since in the grand scheme it is not very old. But do you ever start thinking about "10 years ago" and your mental timeline believes you're thinking about the 90s...only then to realize the 90s decade was more than 10 years ago, wow. That has a tendancy of making me feel old (and as such should be assigned to Mordor).

[Ruscundil]

Hullo there! My username is Ruscundil, and I'm the most recent addition to the Barrow-Downs' list of registered members. I have often visited the forum in passing, thanks to Dr. Google, but I never made it my business to join your household, until now that is.

I'm a medievalist by profession and in my spare time I enjoy playing music, writing poetry, indulging in nature and escaping from reality with Tolkien. At your service!

[Hookbill the Goomba]

Welcome to the Downs! YOU WILL NEVER LEAVE!

[Galadriel55]

Welcome, Ruscundil! I am very much looking forwards to reading your posts!

[Ruscundil]

Thanks guys! Glad to be aboard!

[elvet]

I've been a Tolkien fan for years. I first read LotR, Hobbit and Silmarillion in the 70's and since then have read them many times over. I have also enjoyed the History of Middle-earth series, Unfinished Tales and The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien. My favorite of the bunch is the Silmarillion. It explains so much and sets the groundwork for the other stories. One of my other favorite bits is The Notion Club Papers from Sauron Defeated (HoMe vol. 9). I love the idea of a real connection between modern day and Middle-earth.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Notion_Club_Papers
I've read through some of the threads here and enjoyed the balanced (not too gushy) and knowledgeable comments. I do not profess to be anywhere near as 'up' on Tolkien, but I'd like somewhere to participate in a Tolkien discussion.
Tolkien was my introduction to Fantasy books, of which I am a dedicated reader. I also enjoy some mystery and SF books. For those of you on Goodreads, my user name is elvet. I like to play PC adventure games (like Myst and Riven) and have quite a collection from the 1990s-2000s. They are currently out of favor, so I don't play as much as I used to.

[Galadriel55]

Welcome, elvet! The Sil is my favourite out of the bunch as well, except for the Children of Hurin. But for me it's because they are epic and tragic like nothing else.

And it happens that we're neighbours! So, welcome to the Downs, neighbour!

[AlatarielCalaelen]

Hi, I'm new here so I wanted to introduce myself
My real name is Evelien, 24 years old and I'm from the Netherlands. I stumbled upon this forum and I wanted to sign up immediately! So... here I am

[Inziladun]

Welcome, AlatarielCalaelen! Have fun here!

[Galadriel55]

Seconded! Welcome to the Downs!

[Thurin]

Hullo! I fell into Middle Earth a few years ago, and have yet to crawl back out again. I thought I'd come in and hide behind all the new Hobbit fans. I'm torn between horror and awe of the latest movie, to be honest, but no one I knew in real life understood why I have problems with it...so I came here.

It's amazing to read about other people who enjoy The Children of Hurin. I always thought I was insane to call it my favorite.

[Inziladun]

Originally Posted by Thurin

Hullo! I fell into Middle Earth a few years ago, and have yet to crawl back out again. I thought I'd come in and hide behind all the new Hobbit fans. I'm torn between horror and awe of the latest movie, to be honest, but no one I knew in real life understood why I have problems with it...so I came here.

Welcome, Thurin! I haven't myself seen the new movie, so I can't speak with any authority about it. But there are certainly many here who can.

Originally Posted by Thurin

It's amazing to read about other people who enjoy The Children of Hurin. I always thought I was insane to call it my favorite.

I wouldn't say CoH is my favorite, but as an apparent amalgam of Túrin's story from The Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales it's distinctly readable and interesting.

[Galadriel55]

Welcome to the Downs, Thurin! I seem to share your passion for COH and your attitude for the movie!

[Thurin]

Originally Posted by Inziladun

Welcome, Thurin! I haven't myself seen the new movie, so I can't speak with any authority about it. But there are certainly many here who can.



I wouldn't say CoH is my favorite, but as an apparent amalgam of Túrin's story from The Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales it's distinctly readable and interesting.

Thank you for the welcome! I guess I just love a good tragedy with regards towards CoH. Watching Turin's descent into madness is riveting, especially when I stop and try to decide how much of Turin's suffering can be blamed on himself and how much was a direct result of Morgoth's curse.

Which book is your favorite? (Unless you like them all equally, which is certainly plausible.)

[Aganzir]

Originally Posted by Thurin

I'm torn between horror and awe of the latest movie, to be honest, but no one I knew in real life understood why I have problems with it...so I came here.

We feel your pain - many of us feel the same way. Welcome to the Downs!

My favourite depends on what I'm reading. When I'm reading LOTR, I go 'Omigod this is so good, how can I ever have said the Silmarillion is better?' and when it's the Sil I'm going through, I think 'Yeah this really is the most amazing of them all,' and so forth. I'm now rereading The Hobbit and enjoying it tremendously. Partly because there are dwarves, and dwarves are great.

[Bane Mantra]

Greetings.

I am Bane Mantra. My username is an anagram.

I'm going through my yearly re-read of the most Silmarillion, and am at the point where I switch over to The Children of Hurin once I get to Of Turin Turambar. Then again, I'm also reading Neuromancer and Towers of Midnight as well, but I often read several books at once.

An interesting fact about myself is that I am part titanium.

[Mithalwen]

Welcome. There is an old anagram thread somewhere. I keep meaning to do a systematic reread but I tend to dip into the books these days and now I have a kindle reading several books is made easier.

[Inziladun]

Originally Posted by Thurin

Which book is your favorite? (Unless you like them all equally, which is certainly plausible.)

I'll have to take the cop-out and say I like them equally, with different elements of Tolkien's works having varying appeal depending on my mood.

[Aiwendil]

Originally Posted by Bane Mantra

I am Bane Mantra. My username is an anagram

You're an ant/bear/man hybrid? Astounding!

Welcome to the 'Downs.

[Bane Mantra]

Originally Posted by Aiwendil

You're an ant/bear/man hybrid? Astounding!

You left out "cyborg." That'd make it complete.

But no, I'm not Beorn with antennae. Although I can see that in my mind's eye, and it's frightening.

[Bêthberry]

Another human I know who can claim to be part titanium had surgery on her shoulder and arm bones, so I'm assuming you also have such a plebeian explanation, Bane.

Welcome and I hope you enjoy being dead, as we say here.

[Mithalwen]

That was my guess too.... my sister used to be part titanium after she smashed her elbow but they took the plates out. It was lilac titanium.

[CaptainFaramir13]

Hello, I am new here! I am a big fan of Professor Tolkien's works, I have read The Silmarillion, Unfinished Tales, Children of Húrin, The Hobbit, and all of the Lord of the Rings. I have also seen all of the films and played many of the games. I want to write fantasy and science fiction novels, and Tolkien is one of my major inspirations as a writer. It seems that there is a lot of interesting discussions here. It is nice meeting you all!

[Ardent]

HI, I'm a 'recently deceased' member here. I've read LotR and TH many times, but only read the Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales once and long ago.
I first read tha Hobbit at school but didn't get round to LotR until in my twenties after exhausting all the C.S.Lewis books (not just the Narnia and Out of the Silent Planet series). It was while I was making my first attempt to grasp Hebrew that I discovered JRR's shared love of linguistics, alphabets (I know the Tengwar isn't strictly an alphabet, but it is a phonetic script as opposed to glyphs) and etymology. His explanations of how the books were 'translated from the Red Book' particularly caught my imagination. Such understanding has proved useful in teaching English as a second language (ESOL).

As years have passed I've also come to appreciate more and more the pearls of wisdom stored throughout the work, for example;
trusting to friendship rather than great wisdom (Gandalf) or than the making of vows, which may break the heart instead of strengthening it (Elrond).

I am a fan of the TV series Babylon 5. The parallels between it and LotR are many and obvious ("we stand on the bridge and none may pass").

Beneath the Downs our shaddows lie,
Removed from world that marches on,
And stories tell of battles won
And labours lost in days gone by.

[Inziladun]

Welcome CaptainFaramir13 and Ardent! Have fun here!

[monks]

Hi I'm a new oldie- I had to register again....so twice deceased methinks!

I'm been a fan of Tolkien and Middle-Earth since I was introduced to the books by my friend when I was about
14? We became best friends ever after that and would spend hours talking about all manner of subjects- Feanor was a always a hot topic I remember because my friend was something of a budding pyromaniac at that point (happy to say it petered out) and Feanor was always associated with a firey disposition , Melkor, Tulkas used to pop up again and again like a tag wrestler. Alas my friend has moved on to other worlds but the road goes ever on as big T said, and we must follow if we can.
I enjoyed the films when they came along. I can see the faults and the good things about them. At the end of the day we've always got the books to go read again.
I always thought the board layout here were pretty cool.

monks

[Galadriel55]

Hi monks! Welcome back!

[Bêthberry]

He hasn't posted on this thread but has made some valuable contributions of facts and clearly referenced sources on other threads: Welcome indeed, Troelsfo .

[Mithalwen]

I have a feeling he also gave a really interesting paper at the TS seminar at Roehampton a few years ago...hope he sticks around.