The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum


Visit The *EVEN NEWER* Barrow-Downs Photo Page

Go Back   The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum > Middle-Earth Discussions > Novices and Newcomers
User Name
Password
Register FAQ Members List Calendar Today's Posts


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 06-03-2003, 03:29 PM   #1
Peregrin Brandybuck
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Tolkien Finished reading tLOTR....now what?

Hi, everyone. I just finished reading ROTK today, and I want to read more of Tolkien's works, but I'm not sure where(if there's a better place over another) to begin. Any help will be greatly appreciated. [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

I hope this is in the right forum. I debated whether or not to post this in the Book forum, but finally decided to post it here. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]
  Reply With Quote
Old 06-03-2003, 03:41 PM   #2
Yavanna228
Shade of Carn Dûm
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: on the wings of the morning
Posts: 394
Yavanna228 has just left Hobbiton.
Tolkien

I would suggest tackling The Silmarillion next, Peregrin. It will give you alot of the history and background referred to in LOTR. After that, Unfinished Tales or the Histories of Middle-Earth. For some 'lighter' reads, try Tolkien's shorter works, such as Leaf by Niggle, Farmer Giles of Ham, or Smith of Wooton Major. Have fun! [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]
Peace
__________________
'Dulaman na Binne Bui, Dulaman Gaelach/ Dulaman na farraige, 's e b'fhearr a bhi in Eirinn!'
Yavanna228 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-03-2003, 05:20 PM   #3
Meela
Denethor's True Love
 
Meela's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Mirkwood. With Thranduil... *swoon*
Posts: 2,049
Meela has just left Hobbiton.
Sting

I would have said the Silmarillion also, as that is what everyone else generally recommends. But everyone also says that it is the hardest book. Personally I prefer Unfinished Tales. It has some great information in there, especially on Galadriel and Celeborn.
__________________
'The Hobbit' 1st impressions: 1. Thorin is hot... Oh god, I fancy a dwarf. 2. Thranduil is hotter. 3. Is that... Figwit! 4. Does Elijah Wood never age?
2nd: It's all about Fili & Kili, really. 3rd: BARD! OMG, Bard.
Meela is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-03-2003, 06:43 PM   #4
Eruanna
Memento Mori
 
Eruanna's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Past The Point Of No Return
Posts: 1,117
Eruanna has just left Hobbiton.
Silmaril

I would echo the above, try to read The Silmarillion. Not only does it give a wonderful description of the creation of Eä, you also get the background to the history of the races of M.E.
If you like the Elves, then you will become immersed in their past deeds (and understand the characters of Galadriel,Elrond and co. much better)
I also like the "family trees" which help keep clear the relationships between the various Elven kindred.
I'm a big fan of the Silm...can you tell?
__________________
"Remember, hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things. And no good thing ever dies."
Eruanna is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-03-2003, 06:50 PM   #5
Sapphire_Flame
Ghost Prince of Cardolan
 
Sapphire_Flame's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: The World That Never Was
Posts: 1,232
Sapphire_Flame has just left Hobbiton.
The Eye

I also recommed Silmarillion, but (and this is just me) I read LotR a few (6) times before starting on Silm. Some of Tolkien's lighter works (Farmer Giles, Adventures of Tom Bombadil) are also good to get into after LotR. Unfinished Tales, which I haven't read much of yet, would be a good post-Silm choice.

PS-- Welcome to the Downs, Peregrin! [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]
__________________
The Hitchhiking Ghost
Sapphire_Flame is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-03-2003, 06:56 PM   #6
elanor50
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Sting

I recently came across a book which works as a companion to the trilogy and could help you get through the Silmarillion which is a difficult read. Guide to Tolkien's World a bestiary David Day Thunder Bay Press www.advantagebooksonline.com
San Diego CA [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]
  Reply With Quote
Old 06-04-2003, 10:12 AM   #7
barandilwen
Animated Skeleton
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 31
barandilwen has just left Hobbiton.
Tolkien

you know what?! you should read the book smith of wooton major/farmer giles of ham and sir gwain and the green night/pearl/sir ofreo... it's really nice [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img] although it's not based on middle earth [img]smilies/frown.gif[/img] [img]smilies/mad.gif[/img] but it's fairly great [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]
__________________
i am barandilwen, also known as bundin snowmallet to the dwarves and robin black of tightfeild to the little ones
barandilwen is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-04-2003, 10:15 AM   #8
barandilwen
Animated Skeleton
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 31
barandilwen has just left Hobbiton.
Tolkien

also the silmarillion.... i guess everyone already told you that.... but if you are not in the mood of reading the books... just read the fanfics [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]
__________________
i am barandilwen, also known as bundin snowmallet to the dwarves and robin black of tightfeild to the little ones
barandilwen is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-04-2003, 12:12 PM   #9
Atariel
Haunting Spirit
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Valimar
Posts: 68
Atariel has just left Hobbiton.
Tolkien

Again, the Silmarillion is good, but the language is a bit dodgy unless you speak fluent Elizabethan (ie it's good but there are loads of Thee and thous
__________________
Nai tiruvantel, ar varyuvantel i valar tielyanna nu vilya
Atariel is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-04-2003, 04:34 PM   #10
elle
Animated Skeleton
 
elle's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Canada, eh?
Posts: 40
elle has just left Hobbiton.
Send a message via AIM to elle Send a message via MSN to elle
Pipe

Also you may want to check out The Lost Tales, there okay. A really great non-Tolkien book is Artemis Fowl, it is about fairies and and evil master mind. It is really neat! And I also recommend The Unfinished Tales and the Silmarllion, but it is a little hard with all the names.
~*Elle*~ [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]
__________________
" Do you think you killed him with that apple, Sam?" - Pippin

~*Stop Deforestation, Start Reforestation*~
~*Save our Future, Save a Tree*~
elle is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-09-2003, 01:21 PM   #11
Daisy Brambleburr
Shade of Carn Dûm
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 334
Daisy Brambleburr has just left Hobbiton.
Sting

What about the Hobbit? If you haven't read the Hobbit I reccomend it! It's brilliant.
__________________
'What news from the South, O sighing wind, do you bring to me at eve?
Where now is Boromir the Fair? He tarries and I grieve.'
Daisy Brambleburr is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-09-2003, 01:33 PM   #12
Sapphire_Flame
Ghost Prince of Cardolan
 
Sapphire_Flame's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: The World That Never Was
Posts: 1,232
Sapphire_Flame has just left Hobbiton.
The Eye

Yes, I forgot; the Hobbit is great too, even if you've read it already. Also, if you want there are numerous fanfics out there that are actually worth reading. Check out mine (pen name SapphireMeriadocTook) and Helka's (pen name Helkahothion) at Fanfiction.net. [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]
__________________
The Hitchhiking Ghost
Sapphire_Flame is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-09-2003, 02:39 PM   #13
Daisy Brambleburr
Shade of Carn Dûm
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 334
Daisy Brambleburr has just left Hobbiton.
Sting

And, of course, fanfiction is always good. I write on fanfiction.net (pen name Daisy Brambleburr). There is quite a lot of rubbish floating around, but if you are willing to sift through them you can find lots of gems here and there. It's a question of finding what you like and finding authors that you think are good. I love fanfiction, it fuels my Tolkien obsession suitably!
__________________
'What news from the South, O sighing wind, do you bring to me at eve?
Where now is Boromir the Fair? He tarries and I grieve.'
Daisy Brambleburr is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-09-2003, 04:14 PM   #14
Lush
Fair and Cold
 
Lush's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: the big onion
Posts: 1,770
Lush is a guest of Tom Bombadil.
Send a message via ICQ to Lush Send a message via AIM to Lush Send a message via Yahoo to Lush
Read the Hobbit and the Sil, and if you're still looking for stuff to do after that, I suggest writing obscene fan-mail to Viggo Mortensen as a worthy way of spending your time.

Hardy har har.

The part about Beren and Lúthien in the Lost Tales is particularly worthy of your time, especially if you like the way Tolkien writes about love.
__________________
~The beginning is the word and the end is silence. And in between are all the stories. This is one of mine~
Lush is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-14-2003, 06:11 PM   #15
Aragost
Wight
 
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Arthedain
Posts: 137
Aragost has just left Hobbiton.
Send a message via AIM to Aragost
Sting

You should read the hobbit before you read the silmirillion ( if you haven't read the Hobbit yet). After the silmirillion it is best to read the unfinished tales then the history of middle earth which includes the lost tales part one and two, the lays of beleriand, the shaping of middle earth, and the lost road and other writings.
__________________
Where there's a whip there's a will
Aragost is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-14-2003, 07:54 PM   #16
QuickSlash
Wight
 
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Not here.
Posts: 121
QuickSlash has just left Hobbiton.
Send a message via AIM to QuickSlash Send a message via Yahoo to QuickSlash
Sting

In my opinion, read the hobbit if you haven't already. Otherwise, after you read all the other complex ME books, you'll wonder how he could do a children's tale. ~_^

After that, I know that the only book I could find was the Sil. I suggest reading it anyway, because it's about the *very* beginning, the way everything was made.

And then after that, you'll have to ask someone else. Prolly start HoME.

Very best.
__________________
We're here and now, but will we ever be again? / 'Cause I have found / All that shimmers in this world is sure to fade, away, again. -Shimmer, Fuel
QuickSlash is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-15-2003, 08:13 PM   #17
hobbit punk
Haunting Spirit
 
hobbit punk's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Canada
Posts: 86
hobbit punk has just left Hobbiton.
Sting

This is how I did it and it worked very well for me: Lord of the Rings, the Hobbit, The Silmarillion, then either the Lost Tales or Unfinished Tales. I tried to read the Lost Tales before the Silm and came to the realization very quickly that it was in my best interest to understand the silm first because the lost tales just explore topics and stories mentioned in the silm. So happy reading; I am sure you will enjoy it no matter which you read next. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]
__________________
"The alphabet does not go "A B C D What? When? How? but it does go "V W X Why? Z."
-Douglas Adams
hobbit punk is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-15-2003, 09:04 PM   #18
Finwe
Deathless Sun
 
Finwe's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: The Royal Suite in the Halls of Mandos
Posts: 2,609
Finwe has just left Hobbiton.
Send a message via AIM to Finwe
Sting

I would highly recommend reading the Silmarillion first, then the Unfinished Tales, and then the History of Middle-earth series. That way, you will gain a better understanding of Middle-earth's history as you go along.
__________________
But Melkor also was there, and he came to the house of Fëanor, and there he slew Finwë King of the Noldor before his doors, and spilled the first blood in the Blessed Realm; for Finwë alone had not fled from the horror of the Dark.
Finwe is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-15-2003, 09:38 PM   #19
Trippo The Hippo
Wight
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: somewhere with hippos that say jolly o and wear spectacles
Posts: 195
Trippo The Hippo has just left Hobbiton.
1420!

I finished RotK a while ago but just finished the appendices. So I started Silm I am trying to read the preface it is like some 15 page letter J.R.R. wrote to some dude
__________________
Shouldn't he be the disco steward?
Trippo The Hippo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-15-2003, 09:41 PM   #20
Finwe
Deathless Sun
 
Finwe's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: The Royal Suite in the Halls of Mandos
Posts: 2,609
Finwe has just left Hobbiton.
Send a message via AIM to Finwe
Sting

I know, most of the letters are quite boring. But once you get to the actual Silmarillin, you'll start enjoying it even more, I can assure you.
__________________
But Melkor also was there, and he came to the house of Fëanor, and there he slew Finwë King of the Noldor before his doors, and spilled the first blood in the Blessed Realm; for Finwë alone had not fled from the horror of the Dark.
Finwe is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-10-2003, 07:26 AM   #21
mrslegolastoyou
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Sting

one of the books has a list of other books about LOTR in the front and in the back
  Reply With Quote
Old 08-24-2003, 02:13 PM   #22
Orc
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
The Eye

I suggest that you read all the books starting with The Silmarillion and go on by the line of time of the Middle- Earth. have fun!! [img]smilies/tongue.gif[/img]
  Reply With Quote
Old 08-24-2003, 03:00 PM   #23
Luthien_ Tinuviel
Ghost Prince of Cardolan
 
Luthien_ Tinuviel's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: A very lovely tree-hut in the Chunnel.
Posts: 804
Luthien_ Tinuviel has just left Hobbiton.
Send a message via AIM to Luthien_ Tinuviel Send a message via MSN to Luthien_ Tinuviel
Sting

Well, I made the LARGE mistake of reading Unfinished Tales before The Silmarillion. Do not do that... I love The Silm., and although everyone else had already recommended it, I will, too. But there are a few other books that I am surprised have not been mentioned yet. Among these are Roverandom, which is an excellent story originally written for Tolkien's son, Letters of JRRT, for those who wish to delve deeper into the Professor's mind, and any of the numerous biologies if you are interested in his life. That, along with everything everyone else has said, should do quite well for a start! [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]
__________________
I am a nineteen-year-old nomad photographer who owns a lemonade stand.

You know what? I love Mip.
Luthien_ Tinuviel is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-12-2003, 02:33 PM   #24
Ainaserkewen
Ghost Prince of Cardolan
 
Ainaserkewen's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: A cosmic waiting room
Posts: 651
Ainaserkewen has just left Hobbiton.
Send a message via MSN to Ainaserkewen
Sting

I asked the same question when I finished the hobbit to the ROTK and for a while I did nothing about it but re-read them countless times, and each time I read them I got more info and it made more sense. So first I suggest re-reading. Next I read the UT but it didn't make any sense to me. I bought the Silm. and read, didn't make sense, so I re-read it till It did. I've also read the letters of Tolkien and that was very useful, now I'm trying the UT again. Also, I'd like to get my hands on some the Chris's other books "The histories of Middle-Earth" or whatever.
__________________
Solus... I'm eating chicken again.
I ate chicken yesterday and the
day before... will I be eating
chicken again tomorrow? Why am I
always eating chicken?
Ainaserkewen is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-20-2003, 03:16 PM   #25
Arvedui24
Animated Skeleton
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 26
Arvedui24 has just left Hobbiton.
Silmaril

hey, like everyone i would recommend the Silmarillion but as i was very young when i first read LOTR i read a few of his works such as Farmer Giles of Ham, Leaf by Niggle. I admit tho that the Unfinished Tales is fantastic if u r not ready for the Silmarillion yet.
Arvedui24 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-21-2003, 12:33 PM   #26
elf-girl-63
Haunting Spirit
 
elf-girl-63's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Osgiliath
Posts: 58
elf-girl-63 has just left Hobbiton.
Tolkien

Don't forget the appendices!!!! LOts of good information relating especially the the books!!!
__________________
~*Nuinyulma*~

All that is gold does not glitter...
elf-girl-63 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 10:36 AM.



Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.