![]() |
![]() |
Visit The *EVEN NEWER* Barrow-Downs Photo Page |
![]() |
#1 |
Eerie Forest Spectre
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Buried in scrolls of fanfiction
Posts: 798
![]() |
Markreads.net: The Lord of the Rings
I have a bit of fun to offer my old friends at the Barrow-downs. I failed to find a thread about this already (though that may be my failing rather than a lack of a thread).
At any rate, markreads.net has been tackling The Lord of the Rings. Imagine someone who's resisted reading The Lord of the Rings for years. He reads (and eviscerates online) Twilight, chapter by chapter. Then tries other fan favorites, and finds ... he's impressed. He reviews The Hobbit and is absolutely tickled by the story. Now he's finally reading and reviewing the Lord of the Rings, one chapter a day. Watching a newbie be stunned, delighted, frightened, and furious at The Lord of the Rings is not only fun, it brings back to what it was like to read the books for the first time. Remember when Eowyn facing The Witch King was a surprise? When you thought it was game over as Gandalf fell in Moria? For your reading pleasure, if you so choose: Mark reads The Lord of the Rings. - Maril
__________________
Deserves death! I daresay he does... And some die that deserve life. Can you give it to them? |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#2 |
Dread Horseman
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Behind you!
Posts: 2,743
![]() |
Maril! Nice to see an old shade skulking around these parts.
Thanks for the link. I've read the first few entries, and it is fun to watch a complete noob experiencing LotR for the first time. I was very struck by his (her?) experience of the strange behavior of Bilbo in the first chapter, his reluctance to give up the Ring, which is only explained later when Gandalf tells Frodo about the Ring's true nature. It's hard to remember the story being that completely fresh. How did a self-described geek manage to remain so radically unspoiled about LotR in this day and age? |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#3 | |
Blossom of Dwimordene
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: The realm of forgotten words
Posts: 10,360
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
I've read the first chapter. My, I'm taking so many things for granted! I forgot how to be confused about these things. I'm so used to knowing why the Ring does strange things and etc that it's like a nice breeze on the face reading comments from someone who doesn't. And Mark has been attentive enough to catch Gandalf uncloaking.
![]() I often felt the urge of posting a reply with all the explanations and references, as I would have on the Downs. I had to keep reminding myself that this is not the Downs and that Mark is on his first read, so I have to be patient: he'll find everything out on his own. Quote:
I can relate to Mark, because generally I stay away from popular things as well. Just on principle. I guess I'm lucky that when I was introduced to LOTR I didn't have such a principle yet. ![]()
__________________
You passed from under darkened dome, you enter now the secret land. - Take me to Finrod's fabled home!... ~ Finrod: The Rock Opera |
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#4 | |
A Voice That Gainsayeth
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: In that far land beyond the Sea
Posts: 7,431
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Ah yes, this actually is really interesting! I have read just about one chapter (I had to find the Uruk-hai - as that is possibly my favourite chapter of all
![]() Quote:
![]()
__________________
"Should the story say 'he ate bread,' the dramatic producer can only show 'a piece of bread' according to his taste or fancy, but the hearer of the story will think of bread in general and picture it in some form of his own." -On Fairy-Stories |
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#5 | |||
Eerie Forest Spectre
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Buried in scrolls of fanfiction
Posts: 798
![]() |
Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
- OJ Simpson. - A woman (possibly his wife?). - A glove. - And ... a van or SUV?
__________________
Deserves death! I daresay he does... And some die that deserve life. Can you give it to them? |
|||
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#6 | |||
Eerie Forest Spectre
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Buried in scrolls of fanfiction
Posts: 798
![]() |
Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
Mark has a particular request for orc fashions.
__________________
Deserves death! I daresay he does... And some die that deserve life. Can you give it to them? |
|||
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#7 | |
A Voice That Gainsayeth
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: In that far land beyond the Sea
Posts: 7,431
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Quote:
![]() Wonder if we should advertise after that...
__________________
"Should the story say 'he ate bread,' the dramatic producer can only show 'a piece of bread' according to his taste or fancy, but the hearer of the story will think of bread in general and picture it in some form of his own." -On Fairy-Stories |
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#8 | |
Blossom of Dwimordene
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: The realm of forgotten words
Posts: 10,360
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Quote:
![]() ![]() ![]()
__________________
You passed from under darkened dome, you enter now the secret land. - Take me to Finrod's fabled home!... ~ Finrod: The Rock Opera |
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#9 |
Shade of Carn Dûm
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: At the Mountains of Madness
Posts: 399
![]() |
So, I've seen this going around my friends list on FB and on the 'Downs, so I thought I'd take a look. This is something else! It's great to see someone with the same excitement I had the first time I read the books. I also am tempted to post a comment with an ad for the 'Downs after he finishes.
Also, did I climb in the WABAC Machine? Mr. U? Maril? I feel like I'm back in 2003.
__________________
Agannâlô burôda nênud; zâira nênud.
Adûn izindi batân tâidô ayadda: îdô kâtha batîna lôkhî. Êphalak îdôn Yôzâyan. Êphal êphalak îdôn hi-Akallabêth. |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#10 |
A Mere Boggart
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: under the bed
Posts: 4,737
![]() ![]() |
I only saw Alien for the first time two years ago. It just didn't appeal. davem made me watch it and I found it funny. Aliens made me feel a bit sick though. For different reasons, I've only heard Justin Bieber/Olly Murs/Susan Boyle sing the once, and that was enough.
__________________
Gordon's alive!
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#11 | |
A Voice That Gainsayeth
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: In that far land beyond the Sea
Posts: 7,431
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Quote:
![]() ![]() ![]() But interesting - I would have expected it to be the other way around... And I have, for instance, no idea who are the three people you are talking about. Okay, the first name I have vague idea (because of youtube adverts) and the last one sounds like I might have heard it somewhere, but no clue. If you told me they are members of British government, I would have believed you. But in a way, I think it is nice that one can remain "unspoiled" by stuff in such a way. Because once you then really start, for example, reading LotR, you still have all the plot twists uncovered and you really have no idea what is going to happen. You might not even know the most "basic" things - like what happens to the Ring, who survives (if anyone), etc. Reminds me of the time when my aunt started reading the books for the first time, she was borrowing them from me (me being around maybe 14-15 at that time), and she was absolutely terrified at the end of the second book, wishing to borrow RotK immediately because she had no idea what was going to happen to Sam or Frodo. (And yet she had to wait for it through the whole Pelennor stuff...) I think we who have read the books and discussed them through and through sometimes really should confront ourselves with some Mark who will open our eyes again to the "naive reading" of it.
__________________
"Should the story say 'he ate bread,' the dramatic producer can only show 'a piece of bread' according to his taste or fancy, but the hearer of the story will think of bread in general and picture it in some form of his own." -On Fairy-Stories |
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#12 | ||
Blossom of Dwimordene
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: The realm of forgotten words
Posts: 10,360
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Quote:
*imagines one of her acquaintances saying "that's how I know about this Tolkien guy - oh the useless stuff one learns from fangirls!"* ![]() It's really weird that we're all boasting about being ignorant about the popular things of our times! Quote:
PS: I have no clue what this Alien you're talking about is...
__________________
You passed from under darkened dome, you enter now the secret land. - Take me to Finrod's fabled home!... ~ Finrod: The Rock Opera |
||
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#13 | ||
A Voice That Gainsayeth
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: In that far land beyond the Sea
Posts: 7,431
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Quote:
![]() Quote:
![]() Interesting. First Pitch links you H.P. Lovecraft, now there comes Alien... But yea, I would also add the warning, watch on your own risk. But it's a nice piece of art. Anyway, we should stay at the topic ![]()
__________________
"Should the story say 'he ate bread,' the dramatic producer can only show 'a piece of bread' according to his taste or fancy, but the hearer of the story will think of bread in general and picture it in some form of his own." -On Fairy-Stories |
||
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#14 |
Princess of Skwerlz
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: where the Sea is eastwards (WtR: 6060 miles)
Posts: 7,500
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
*Esty tackle hugs Maril, whose full name she could still type without resorting to copy and paste! (Well, I think so...) How nice to see you around again! And thanks for this fun reading - it's great to follow Mark's reactions, in such detail too!
__________________
'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...' |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#15 | |
Blossom of Dwimordene
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: The realm of forgotten words
Posts: 10,360
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Quote:
![]() Back on topic, Mark has the chapter titles posted up to ROTK Book 2 Chap. 6, but only has links until chap. 3. Did he not read/not have time to type up the rest of them? (I'd assume the latter's the case)
__________________
You passed from under darkened dome, you enter now the secret land. - Take me to Finrod's fabled home!... ~ Finrod: The Rock Opera |
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#16 | |
Dead Serious
|
Quote:
...yes, I have gone on a Markreads. binge.
__________________
I prefer history, true or feigned.
|
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#17 |
Flame Imperishable
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Right here
Posts: 3,928
![]() ![]() ![]() |
This is absolutely brilliant. I've just read a ridiculous number of them (i.e. the whole hobbit and about half LOTR). It's interesting to see how someone sees it the first time, especially when their ideas are fully-formed in general (as an adult, I mean). I also approve of his attitude towards Tom Bombadil, which was mine when I first read it, and still is. I am also pretty impressed at the whole uncloaking thing too. He definitely has the makings of a Barrow-Downer!
![]()
__________________
Welcome to the Barrow Do-owns Forum / Such a lovely place
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#18 | |||
A Voice That Gainsayeth
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: In that far land beyond the Sea
Posts: 7,431
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Quote:
![]() I really loved this line: Quote:
![]() ![]() And it's fun as the description and conclusion gradually develops to "no! And he did this! And he did that!" - I started to anticipate that at certain point, the next line would be: "THERE IS NO OTHER WAY! TOM IS A WOLF!!! ++BOMBADIL!!!" And I also like observations like this: Quote:
What I really loved, though - and that is in line with what I have said in one of the posts above about "reviving the reading for us" - was the description of how Mark felt about the end of the sixth chapter. Somehow I really started thinking about it again as if I had just read it for the first time. Sort of reminded me of the beauty of the story and, heck, now I want to reread LotR... as if I didn't have many different things I want to read on schedule already...
__________________
"Should the story say 'he ate bread,' the dramatic producer can only show 'a piece of bread' according to his taste or fancy, but the hearer of the story will think of bread in general and picture it in some form of his own." -On Fairy-Stories |
|||
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#19 |
Eerie Forest Spectre
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Buried in scrolls of fanfiction
Posts: 798
![]() |
Isn't this amazing? I didn't expect any familiar names (save the Wight, of course) -- and here you all are. Esty! Mr. U! Eruhen! Is Mithadan still about?
__________________
Deserves death! I daresay he does... And some die that deserve life. Can you give it to them? |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#20 |
Eerie Forest Spectre
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Buried in scrolls of fanfiction
Posts: 798
![]() |
Hihihihi! I can't believe I still remembered how to spell it. Logging in took a moment of thought.
__________________
Deserves death! I daresay he does... And some die that deserve life. Can you give it to them? Last edited by Marileangorifurnimaluim; 03-16-2012 at 03:31 PM. Reason: tyop |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#21 | |
Eerie Forest Spectre
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Buried in scrolls of fanfiction
Posts: 798
![]() |
Quote:
Wait to get to where Frodo climbs Orodruin. Mark had assumed that the climax of the story would be near the end of the book. Surprise! And as of today, mark said: "I don't want it to end." Me neither, mark, me neither.
__________________
Deserves death! I daresay he does... And some die that deserve life. Can you give it to them? |
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#22 | |
Wight
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Behind you . . . . BOO!
Posts: 222
![]() |
Quote:
Also, his response to the plot twist in chapter 5 (as far as I've gotten right now) is so adorable. ![]() |
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#23 |
Eerie Forest Spectre
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Buried in scrolls of fanfiction
Posts: 798
![]() |
Oh, me too.
I wish he'd done chapter by chapter reviews of Martin's Song of Ice and Fire series, because by the second or third book the violence women against got to me. Yet I still want to know how it turns out for the characters. Alas, he did "whole book" reviews, which left me more confused than before.
__________________
Deserves death! I daresay he does... And some die that deserve life. Can you give it to them? Last edited by Marileangorifurnimaluim; 03-19-2012 at 01:25 PM. Reason: left out a word |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#24 | |
Shade of Carn Dûm
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: At the Mountains of Madness
Posts: 399
![]() |
Quote:
And, I just got back from a 1200-mile road trip, so it's time to go on a Markreads bender. And figure out the spread on how long it will take him to join the Downs.
__________________
Agannâlô burôda nênud; zâira nênud.
Adûn izindi batân tâidô ayadda: îdô kâtha batîna lôkhî. Êphalak îdôn Yôzâyan. Êphal êphalak îdôn hi-Akallabêth. |
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#25 | |
Flame Imperishable
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Right here
Posts: 3,928
![]() ![]() ![]() |
Quote:
![]()
__________________
Welcome to the Barrow Do-owns Forum / Such a lovely place
|
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#26 |
A Voice That Gainsayeth
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: In that far land beyond the Sea
Posts: 7,431
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
First, "Harry Potter fan" is hardly a word I would use for myself. I wouldn't include it in the list of my top favourite books or anything. These places are reserved for others (with LotR on the prominent place).
Second, Harry Potter is in fact a very good example, because it is one of the cases of me going before the flow. ![]() So, no way, Steve. I know very well who I am ![]()
__________________
"Should the story say 'he ate bread,' the dramatic producer can only show 'a piece of bread' according to his taste or fancy, but the hearer of the story will think of bread in general and picture it in some form of his own." -On Fairy-Stories |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#27 |
Flame Imperishable
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Right here
Posts: 3,928
![]() ![]() ![]() |
You know I was joking...
![]()
__________________
Welcome to the Barrow Do-owns Forum / Such a lovely place
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
|
|
![]() |