Markreads.net: The Lord of the Rings

[Marileangorifurnimaluim]

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

[Mister Underhill]

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?

[Galadriel55]

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 just glossed that over on my first read)

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.

Originally Posted by Mr. U

How did a self-described geek manage to remain so radically unspoiled about LotR in this day and age?

It's possible. I mean, he knew some things. He makes a list of them. It's like asking me to make a list of what I know about the Twilight series - I'll tell you there are vampires involved and lots of teenagers, but not much beyond that. Sometimes people talk about things and you can't help finding out about the popular stuff, but you can purposely stay away from them.

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.

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

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 ), and I must say it is really refreshing. I mean, the excitement of Mark's when he does not know whether Pippin and Merry will make it out of there alive... he still seems to have thought that even Éomer might have seen the Hobbits and lied to Aragorn! - and all... really, it is good to read this, since we have all forgotten mostly how it is to be "still in the middle of the story" (as Sam Gamgee would say).

Originally Posted by Galadriel55

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.

I have the same principles, in fact, I am very (in)famous for that. Fortunately, when I introduced myself to LotR, I didn't know it was famous Or, it certainly wasn't much known around here, anyway.

[Marileangorifurnimaluim]

Originally Posted by Mister Underhill

Maril! Nice to see an old shade skulking around these parts.

Mr. Underhill! It's great to see you're still here, as reliable as the trees. You're the one who should have the Ent name. I dub thee... Underhilluimorododruinthembalnadre.

...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.

My first memories of reading The Lord of the Rings are sense memories. Falling asleep with the books in my hand. Fixing a folded page. Trying to read while walking home from the bus. The thrum of my chair being kicked by Mr. Teal as I read it during social studies. I don't remember my first experience of the story itself.

How did a self-described geek manage to remain so radically unspoiled about LotR in this day and age?

Effort, apparently. I know I managed to avoid the entire OJ trial, despite total media saturation. I knew it involved:

- OJ Simpson.
- A woman (possibly his wife?).
- A glove.
- And ... a van or SUV?

[Marileangorifurnimaluim]

Originally Posted by Galadriel55

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.

Yes, that's exactly it.

And Mark has been attentive enough to catch Gandalf uncloaking. (I just glossed that over on my first read)

Hee.

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.

His spoiler policies are pretty strict, but discussion of Tolkien's letters, posting fan art, and links to fanfic are all appreciated.

Mark has a particular request for orc fashions.

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Originally Posted by Galadriel55

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.

Postscriptum: He will also join the Barrow-Downs on his own, eventually

Wonder if we should advertise after that...

[Galadriel55]

Originally Posted by Legate of Amon Lanc

Postscriptum: He will also join the Barrow-Downs on his own, eventually

Wonder if we should advertise after that...

How did you know? What? The tone of surprise? Umm...

[Eruhen]

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.

[Lalwendë]

Originally Posted by Mister Underhill

How did a self-described geek manage to remain so radically unspoiled about LotR in this day and age?

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.

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Originally Posted by Lalwendë

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.

Now that is what I call missing something big in your life

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.

[Galadriel55]

Originally Posted by Legate of Amon Lanc

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.

I know the first one - Justin Bieber is a singer, from the States (I heard some of his songs, they are horrible - imho). He used to wear his wear his bangs over his eyes, and so did nearly all the boys in my school. Then he cut them, and so did all the boys in my school. Every other girl I met was obsessed with him about a year ago, and that's how I know all this. Oh the useless stuff one learns from fangirls!

*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!

Originally Posted by Legate

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.

Well said! A story loses its touch once you learn it pretty much by heart. We need to "refresh" our knowledge every once in a while. (And while rereading is awesome, that's not what I mean here - we need to forget our previous Tolkien lore to really be drawn in/surprised by plot twists/etc)


PS: I have no clue what this Alien you're talking about is...

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Originally Posted by Galadriel55

It's really weird that we're all boasting about being ignorant about the popular things of our times!

Yes. We just shouldn't let it go to our heads

PS: I have no clue what this Alien you're talking about is...

Not the one with Phantom This.

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

[Estelyn Telcontar]

*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!

[Galadriel55]

Originally Posted by Legate of Amon Lanc

Interesting. First Pitch links you H.P. Lovecraft, now there comes Alien...

You Downers are slowly cultivating me... I think I'm past Stone Age already! I think I'm leveling up to civilization...


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)

[Formendacil]

Originally Posted by Galadriel55

You Downers are slowly cultivating me... I think I'm past Stone Age already! I think I'm leveling up to civilization...


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)

Click on the titles of the posts--he doesn't always include a blue "read more" link at the bottom.



...yes, I have gone on a Markreads. binge.

[Eönwë]

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!

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Originally Posted by Eönwë

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!

Now that you brought it up, I also had to read what he thinks about Bombadil and haha, he is just brilliant! Totally freaked out, puzzled and all

I really loved this line:

Originally Posted by mark (obviously, soon to be Downer-name ;))

I’m sorry, I know that it’s nice and kind and I won’t ignore that, but if I showed up at a stranger’s house, and he had four bathtubs perfectly set up for me and my three friends, I would leave immediately.

Great. But very true!

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:

Originally Posted by mark again

Frodo vision of the dark tower with a man on top of it reminds me of the one he had earlier, so I’m going to assume it’s important to the story.

Makes you want to wink knowingly at your friends while Mark just stands there, confused...

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...

[Marileangorifurnimaluim]

Originally Posted by Eruhen

Also, did I climb in the WABAC Machine? Mr. U? Maril? I feel like I'm back in 2003.

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?

[Marileangorifurnimaluim]

Originally Posted by Estelyn Telcontar

*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!

Hihihihi! I can't believe I still remembered how to spell it. Logging in took a moment of thought.

[Marileangorifurnimaluim]

Originally Posted by Legate of Amon Lanc

Now that you brought it up, I also had to read what he thinks about Bombadil and haha, he is just brilliant! Totally freaked out, puzzled and all

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.

Yes, exactly, Legate. I worried when he got to Bombadil--because I love Bombadil in all his unexplainable glory, though not everyone does. But lo, it was wonderful. (I should have known from mark's delight at Tolkien switching to the point of view of a passing fox that mark would embrace the Bombadilness.)

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.

[Bom Tombadillo]

Originally Posted by Legate of Amon Lanc

Makes you want to wink knowingly at your friends while Mark just stands there, confused...

. . . We clearly have different personalities. I want to jump up and down and scream out the answer to every little question and explain in great detail the entire plot.

Also, his response to the plot twist in chapter 5 (as far as I've gotten right now) is so adorable.

[Marileangorifurnimaluim]

Originally Posted by Formendacil

...yes, I have gone on a Markreads. binge.

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.

[Eruhen]

Originally Posted by Marileangorifurnimaluim

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?

He pops in from time to time. So do H-I, lindil, and aiwendil.

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.

[Eönwë]

Originally Posted by Legate of Amon Lanc

I have the same principles, in fact, I am very (in)famous for that.

Says the Harry Potter fan...

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Originally Posted by Eönwë

Says the Harry Potter fan...

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. I have read it (the first volume, obviously) before it became famous and at the time when nobody really knew what it was. At least around where I live for about half a year still nobody knew that any Harry Potter existed (I stumbled upon it randomly since my grandmother used to work as a librarian and somehow got her hands on it).

So, no way, Steve. I know very well who I am

[Eönwë]

You know I was joking...