LOTR movie

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Perhaps, but hey I live in Colorado! No one from the mid west other than myself and maybe 40 other people will see that movie, 1/4 of the country is already out! But perhaps in Pittsburgh there are more fans. Maybe in New England aswell. You never know, but that is my estimate.

 

Hey, bear in mind I was like circa 9 years old when I saw Dragonheart. Sean Connery was excellent, but that ginger haired bird minged big style

 

Yeah, okay, SW1 was cheesy, but the effects were awesome. As was Ray Park and the saber fights.

LOTR is much bigger than many people realize. Did you know that there is a tourist business centered on Tolkien's old house? Or that there is an annual trip there by some Fantasy club? My dad has read LOTR 17 times. And that's the whole series. Many people who'll go to the movie will be parents and grandparents, 'cause hey, that was their generations fantasy.

However, I find The Two Towers exceptionally boring and I also think that Robert Jordan and Terry Brooks are just as good if not better than Tolkien.

 

It's not just the previous generation's literature, it is the origin of current-day fantasy, and maybe the only fantasy book that could be called serious literature. Tolkien was a learned dude, in old english languages and myths.
Not that I'm an expert myself, just a kid mindful of the past and with parents who teach english and english literature at university (*sigh*).

 

Tolkien started the Fantasy Genre. Every fantasy book alive today owes a lot to him. He "standardized" dwarves, elves, and the like, and created a world that seemed like a living breathing place that you could almost see, unlike many others who give you the impression that their heroes and those they meet are the only people in the world *cough*Terry Brooks*cough*.

I'm sorry but there is no way Terry Brooks would be able to shine J.R.R's shoes. The first Shannara series was 3 books that had almost the exact same plot, the same story, and the same characters. The second series was pretty good, but it again he just recycled the story from the first 3 books, and streched it out a bit. Dave Eddings does this a lot too.

JV Jones (the Bakers Boy series, A Cavern of Black Ice), is in my opinion the best fantasy writer today. Her plots and characters are intelligent and very well written.

Terry Goodkind's first book (Wizards First Rule) was great, but the rest of the series has not been quite as good.

And that's my $.02

 

I think that currently the best is Piers Anthony. He does a lot of sci-fi, but he dabbles in fantasy, and its pretty good. Although no modern day writer can even compare to the sheer genious of J.R.R. Tolkein.

 

i dont think anyone can be compared to Tolkien because he created a whole world, and everything in his world has a history. if i had to compare any work to Tolkien i would have to go with Frank Herbert and his Dune series, which i rather enjoyed.

 

First of all, Piers Anthony sucks Bilbo's little left toe. He has to use sexual imagery and bad puns to get an audience. That shows bad form.

Second, J.R.R. WAS NOT THE FIRST!!! His characters are merely the consolidation of folk lore. Scottish trolls, Irish Halflings, German demons. Not that I'm saying he's a knock-off-half-arsed-tag-along, but his stories are based on others' as well.

Thirdly, C.S. Lewis and his idol (can't remember his name) had been writing fantasy novels for years before J.R.R. was. Lewis' idol was writing about dwarves, elves, talking animals, and demons on Earth since the 1880s.

Sorry, Egg, but in my book Piers Anthony is the low budget Dr. Seuss of the fantasy world.

 

Eggmen, didn't Piers Anthony write those books about Phase/Proton and the different colored mages? If I remember there were kind of weak. They were fun in a stupid kind of way but no real history or background. I admit I did steal the game matrix idea for a GURPS adventure once, but there are not even in the same league as JRR. There is some good fantasy still being writen but not as much as years ago. Eddings was OK if he stay of the big picture bit. He's OK with people but real bad with gods. And his second series was a TOTAL repeat of the first. Some good fantasy authors are Andre Norton and Ursula Le Guin. Now that's good modern fantasy, not LOTR but still not bad.

[This message has been edited by Voltric (edited August 30, 2000).]

 

Ursula LeGuin is an excellent writer. I think that Wizard of Earthsea is a classic and should be read by all Fantasy Lovers.

 

Wanted to respond to Sapiryl's post about Tolkien not being "the first".

Who was it that said there were only six original stories in the world?
Yes, there were other fantasy writers before Tolkien. King Arthur, Robin Hood, the story of St. George and the Dragon, Norse and Greek mythology, those have all been around for quite a while.

BUT, think about any fantasy book you have ever read. Dwarves are, without exeption, short, muscular, somewhat gruff (but fair), hard working people. They usually live in mountains or caves (but sometimes forests). They work with metal and stone, and are master craftsmen.
Elves are tall, thin, lovers of nature and beauty. They always live in a forest, taking great care to fit in with the environment instead of shaping it to fit them. Elves are almost always long lived, but don't reproduce that often.

I could go on for pages, but my point is, if you say "Dwarf" or "Elf", or "Troll", everyone has pretty much the same picture in thier head. Tolkien created that picture. Yes there were a few (very few) fantasy writers before him, but how many of those who came before (or those after) have created a world so vivid, so intruiging, that 50 years later people still regard it as the standard by which all others are judged?

Without Tolkien, there would be no Dragonlance, no Forgotten Realms, no Terry Brooks, or Dave Eddings, etc.

Special bonus section:
Has anyone ever notice that Terry Brooks used the phrase "with red hair flying" at least 4 times in his Shannara books (about 4 different people). Does this guy have a flying red hair fetish?

 

'Tis true.

All right, lad. Ye've got me there.

But I still stick to my "They-were-there-
before-J.R.R." stint. My great-grandfather, who moved to the U.S.A. from Ireland swore up and down that there were leprechauns(sp?), and elves are very old folk lore. Cinter Clos (Good old Saint Nick) anyone?

But you are right in that J.R.R. did create a lasting image of what he thought elves, dwarves, etc. should be and EVERYONE uses those images now. As well as other copy-cat writers. Oh, but how I do like Robert Jordan's literature.

I'd prefer a tall, fair, bow-wielding elvish maiden to a two foot tall aging toy maker any day.

 

Hey Vermillion, can you include some fat lazy elves and some foppish dwarves in one of your stories? Just because It's never (to my knowledge) been done before.

 

Yes, he did write those. And yes he does use sexual imagery. Still, such books as Fractal Mode, Virtual Mode, Battle Circle, Bio of a Space Tyrant Series, and the ever famous Triple Detente are all quite awesome. But I take back that he is the best fantasy author. I'd say the best is Raymond E. Feist. In terms of fantasy obviously. Piers Anthony is one of the best in sci-fi, but still Poul Anderson is better. So it would seem he is good, but not the best.

 

LOTR is not just a excellent fantasy novel its become one of the littary classic of the 20th century. I think it might do better than the star wars prequels as it has a broader fan base to draw it's audiance from. I wonder if the LOTR movies are a success someone will make a movie based on the Hobbit.

 

I feel the Hobbit is also an important part of the Middle Earth history and would also make a great film. If the first 3 LOTR movies do well I do see it following.
As far as authors go EggMan, I think your opinion is finally getting better. I really like Feist. I am not sure if he's the best but he's a lot better then Peirs. The magician books were great. I guess there still hope for you.


[This message has been edited by Voltric (edited September 15, 2000).]

 

FatEgg, I hate to say this but, I agree with you on Feist. I haven't read all his books (I think I'm lacking Tear of the Gods and one or two newer releases that the libraries around here just haven't bought yet.)

What's your favorite? Mine's the one with Gorath the Dark Elf (can't remember the title, betrayal something or other.)

 

Are you talking abou Krondor: the Betrayal? My favorites are any of the Serpent War books.

 

Yep! That's the one, Egg.

How 'bout your favorite character? Mine's Jimmy the Hand, but hey! Whatever.

 

I have to agree that the serpent war saga are the the best of Feists books to date. My favourite character is Nicholas, from the kings Buccaneer. Has anyone heard anything about his new series of books the conclave of darkness i think its called, its supposed to continue from the serpent war saga. Anyone like Simon R Greens book's his hawk and Fisher books are excellent.