# The Hobbit, LotR, and The Silmarillion



## Confusticated (Jul 18, 2004)

The poll will show who voted for what, so here we can have a record of which books we all like best, if any.


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## Wizard Gandalf (Jul 18, 2004)

I tried twice to get through the Silmarillion, but I never got more than halfway through.

I'd just get so confused and frustrated I'd give up .

I love The Hobbit though, I like how it IS a dangerous journey but the fate of the world doesn't rest on a hobbit's shoulders. It's a pleasant relatively carefree book to me.


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## Amarië (Jul 23, 2004)

I voted for the Sil. I love it!


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## Carcharoth (Jul 27, 2004)

I like the sil the best.
When I first read it i was overwhelmed and confused by all the names and places, but every time i reread it it gets better


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## Turgon (Jul 27, 2004)

I'm torn between The Hobbit and The Silmarillion as an out and out favourite - both stellar books in their own way. The Hobbit being the book that introduced me to Tolkien's work and The Silmarillion being the book that kept me coming back for more.

So I voted for both.


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## baragund (Jul 28, 2004)

I voted for having no single favorite. They are each different kinds of books and they are each appealing in their own way. And here's a tip for those of you who are having a tough time with The Silmarillion: You don't _have_ to read it from start to finish. Even though each chapter is linked to the others, they are more or less independent stories. You can skip around and still get full enjoyment out of the book. Also, it is one of those books that get better each time you read it. The more you read it the more you get out of it.

Finally, as a unsung gem, I'd like to suggest The Lays of Beleriand. That's The History of Middle Earth, vol. 3. There you will find the stories of Turin Turambar and of Beren and Luthien set to poetry, and they are _super_. The poetry somehow brings the characters, settings and plots to life much more so than the narratives.


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## Melian_the_Maya (Jul 29, 2004)

The Silmarillion, definitely, and not because of the contents so much but because of the language. I think the writing in the Silmarillion is completely different from the other two books, more mystical and full of atmosphere and therefore that is my choice out of the three.

However much I regret saying it, I believe that The Hobbit is a book inferior to Tolkien's possibilities language-wise and the only bit I truly like is the Battle of the Five Armies, where I can catch a glimpse of the great Tolkien which appears more in the Lord of the Rings. In many ways the Silmarillion is Tolkien's only free and mature work. The Lord of the Rings was written for the public when they so insisted on it after the Hobbit and the Hobbit itself, although not forced is a junior work compared to the others.

I also have to say that my opinion is that Christopher Tolkien did his fare share of writing in these books, because the style difference between the Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings is too obvious. I believe that the ideas came from J.R.R. Tolkien, but I also believe that the wording is in great share Christopher Tolkien's ... it just seems too different. I personally in that case like more Christopher Tolkien's style of writing than his father's.


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## Confusticated (Jul 29, 2004)

Melian_the_Maya said:


> I also have to say that my opinion is that Christopher Tolkien did his fare share of writing in these books, because the style difference between the Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings is too obvious. I believe that the ideas came from J.R.R. Tolkien, but I also believe that the wording is in great share Christopher Tolkien's ... it just seems too different. I personally in that case like more Christopher Tolkien's style of writing than his father's.



Is style difference the only reason you think that Christopher Tolkien co-authored (secretly) _The Hobbit_ and LotR? Could you give an example of what you take to be the writing of CT?

Is that what you are saying?


Have you read any of the texts published in HoME, even glanced at a single version of _The Silmarillion_ that is published in it, presented by Christopher as the work of his father? A Great majority of _The Silmarillion_ can be found in these texts, but more importantly (if you think the truth about who authored what is kept a secret) it will at least show you some styles of JRRT, if you can believe he did in fact write the texts. It would be just a single tiny evidence of the many available to demonstrate the writing styles and ability of JRRT. I think many writers can work in more than one style, and JRRT damn sure could.

I am a little surprised. I have _never_ heard these allegations before regarding _The Hobbit_ and LotR.


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## Melian_the_Maya (Jul 31, 2004)

You don't have to be so vehement, I was only expressing my opinion and not something I have read or heard somewhere else. It might be that you are right and I am wrong - quite possible in fact. But there's still no reason to jump to my throat on that account. 

I did not say that C.T. co-authored secretly anything, I simply said that he might have contributed to the Silmarillion, Unfinished Tales and some of the other postume works of Tolkien, that was all and that affirmation was based upon only my experience as a writer. As I have said, it might be wrong, it was only an opinion. And since this is after all a DISCUSSION forum, I thought I was entitled to express it without expecting such retalliation. That was all.


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## Confusticated (Jul 31, 2004)

I'm sorry, Melian. Really, this wasn't retalliation at all. As you said Discussion forum, and that is what I was trying to do. But you have mistaken my tone, and I should have worded things gentler. 

In fact I thought you were suggesting that CT wrote parts of _The Hobbit_ and/or LotR (not just the Sil) since you give style difference between those two books as your reason for holding the opinion that CT wrote some things. And since JRRT alone is credited with writing those two stories, any co-authority on the part of CT would have in fact been a secret, I do except that you never used the word secret this was a conclusion of my own... which is why I was asking for clarification. I apologise if I implied you said t was secret.

Again, I apologise! No harm was ment. I hope any bad feelings caused by this can be forgiven, I regret this happened  and hope we can be on friendly terms here.


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## Melian_the_Maya (Jul 31, 2004)

I'd never dream of taking either LOTR or THe Hobbit away from Tolkien, it was clearly his work alone. It was the Sil and Unfinished Tales I refered to. I am sorry in turn if I exaggerated a little bit and of course no hard feelings! Cheers!


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## Niirewen (Aug 5, 2004)

I am the only one who voted for the Hobbit and LOTR.

Well, I've read all three, but these two are my favorite. While I enjoyed the Sil, it was a little overwhelming for me; it was a harder read. I think I simply prefer novels with one storyline and the same characters, otherwise it's easier to get confused or lose interest.


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## Thorondor_ (May 25, 2005)

I definitely choose Silmarillion. One comment on the site put it really well: a book of lost hopes. There is alot of heroism, so much creativity, and yes, the greatest love story of them all, Beren and Luthien.


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## YayGollum (May 25, 2005)

That The Lord Of The Rings book. Because it has the most Gollum in it. It sticks to one story and one set of characters, so I can get a better feel for how everything works in the series. Sure, that The Hobbit book is good, too. Yay for Thorin, Beorn, Gollum, and Smaug, but it's too short to be as much fun. Sure, that The Silmarillion book is nice, too, but there are way too many boring as well as one-dimensional and sickeningly heroic and irredeemable characters. Yay for Mel, Feanor, Eol, Haleth, and Mim, though.


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## Corvis (May 28, 2005)

When I saw the poll results I was shocked by how many people voted for the Sil. I would've thought that people would have thought it too complicated and a bit boring. I voted for LOTR though, I love triolgies and it just seems like the best writing out the three choices.


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## Ingwë (May 30, 2005)

My favourite Tolkien book is the Silmarilion. It is really great! My first Tolkien book was the Lord of the Rings, later I read the Hobbit and then The Silmarilion and more books... However, when I read the Sil I was in extaz. Really great story, epic, dramatic. I have no enough words to explain that book.


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