# Roverandom



## Forgotten Path (Mar 7, 2002)

*Roverradom*

Has anyone read Roverandom? I ended up reading it when I told my mom to pick up some Tolkien books from the library. She brought it home. It's about the adventures of a pretty unique dog. JRR Tolkien told it to Chris Tokien when he was a little boy(as a bedtime story). It's kinda odd, but that doesn't stop it from being a great book. Why wasn't it on the poll?


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## Treebeard (Mar 8, 2002)

I read it a little while ago. It was ok, I guess, but not exactly my cup of tea.


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## Prince Legolas (Mar 9, 2002)

I loved Roverandom.


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## Forgotten Path (Mar 13, 2002)

Roverrandom is a good book. Its great for when you want to do some quick reading, and not some serious reading.


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## Lillyaundra (Mar 14, 2002)

Yessssssss! A great book for casually reading at 2:00 A.M. when you are trying to figure out why you are not sleepy yet.


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## Forgotten Path (Mar 18, 2002)

Yes, I agree!


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## Hirila (Apr 13, 2002)

Finally someone else mentiones Roverandom! 
I tried to start a thread on it some long time ago. But simply noone would answer to it!

IMHO, Roverandom is one of the best books I´ve ever read. It can`t be compared with LotR but in its own way it`s simply great. Easy knit and eays to read and a real lovely plot. One of the few stories that deserve the attribute "nice".


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## Úlairi (Apr 14, 2002)

Sounds like a good book!


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## Beleg Strongbow (Apr 14, 2002)

Yeah it looks cool.


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## Úlairi (Apr 14, 2002)

And where does one obtain this book?


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## Hirila (Apr 15, 2002)

I think any bookshop all over the world can tell you that! Just ask. And if they don`t have it in store I`m sure they will be happy to order it for you.

("Where do you get books?" Sorry Ulairi, but I heard this question much too often to find it serious any more. I think that`s a real stupid question!)


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## Úlairi (Apr 15, 2002)

Hirila, I was not asking a stupid question, I was looking for possible suggestions because everywhere I go I can only find books connected to LotR, I have never seen a copy of this book in my lifetime as where I live is fairly remote.


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## Hirila (Apr 16, 2002)

Sorry Ulairi, no offense meant, but I DO find this a silly question.

(There is no Smily who shows a face looking both sorry and grinning, but I think you can imagine that.)


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## Úlairi (Apr 16, 2002)

Wherelse are you going to find a book? A bookstore! I already knew that Hirila, but as I have said, LotR is so famous that bookstore keepers have not been bothered to get books that probably won't sell as much as LotR! BtW, no offence taken!


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## Beleg Strongbow (Apr 16, 2002)

Yes i have nevr seen it.


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## Úlairi (Apr 16, 2002)

Thankyou! At least someone agrees with me Hirila!


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## Hirila (Apr 17, 2002)

Perhaps the shops don`t have it in their shelves, but I still think if you ask nicely for it any bookshop will be happy to order the book you want. Even if they never heard about it. What kind of bookshops do you have where you come from?


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## Úlairi (Apr 17, 2002)

Both Beleg Strongbow, shadowfax_g and I live in Australia. Beleg lives in Sydney, and I live in Adelaide. I am unsure of where shadowfax_g lives.


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## Forgotten Path (Apr 17, 2002)

Hi, I'm back. Long time no see! They have Roverandom in the public library right near where I live(Vale, NC, which is kinda near Charlotte, NC). Maybe one of you could find it in a library. It's a shame no one can find it, because it is a really nice book.


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## Ithrynluin (Oct 17, 2002)

Did you ever read J.R.R. Tolkien's "Roverandom" ? It is a children's story and he came up with it to console one of his sons who lost a toy on the beach where they were on holiday.
I read about 1/4 of it but didn't find it really captivating,because I'm really not very patient with fairytales for children anymore 
However,I think I might pick it up again and read the whole book so as to be really sure.Any thoughts on the book?

Cheers


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## Aiwendil2 (Oct 24, 2002)

I rather enjoyed it. Not thrilling reading, but good for a nice quiet afternoon with a cup of tea and a Mozart symphony.


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## Ithrynluin (Oct 24, 2002)

I think I see your point.I'll definitely try it once again.


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## Ice Man (Jan 11, 2003)

I bought it this week, but I still didn't read it.


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## Finduilas (Jan 17, 2003)

I read it and I think that if you try to consider it more carefully there are many surprising facts and 'discovers' that we can make.(like the ones C.T. does )
Anyway,I did enjoy it,I read it within a day.


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## 33Peregrin (Jan 24, 2003)

I had it on hold at the Library, and finally got to read it yesterday. I found it very enjoying. It is a great story. Tolkien has a great sense of humor and enchantment. I love Roverandom. I find it captivating in the same way as the Hobbit, but not nearly as much........ if you take my meaning.... It's a wonderful children's story.


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## 33Peregrin (Feb 2, 2003)

I always thought it would be fun to listen to stuff like that before going to sleep again, like when I was four! Tolkien stories are great bedtime stories. I just got the Roverandom tapes from the library, I can listen to them tonight! He He He!!! This will be so fun!!


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## Finduilas (Feb 3, 2003)

> I always thought it would be fun to listen to stuff like that before going to sleep again, like when I was four! Tolkien stories are great bedtime stories. I just got the Roverandom tapes from the library, I can listen to them tonight! He He He!!! This will be so fun!!



I'm sure it is great fun to listen to it as a bedtime story.However, I do not have the ability to buy it on a cassette .
Nevertheless, I think that we should not only consider it as a 'stupid ' fairy tell, but as a less-related part of an entire history.


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## Niniel (Apr 15, 2003)

I read it last week. It was quite fun to read; I don't really like 'children's stories' but it was intresting to see that there were themes in it that were to emerge later in the Sil and LOTR (as Walter said). As if you really don't like it, it takes about one hour to read, so you don't lose much time over it.


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## FoolOfATook (Jun 8, 2003)

> The Man-in-the-Moon shot the spell up out of a lower window, and hit the dragon splosh on the stomach (where all dragons are peculiarily tender0, and knocked him crank-sideways.



-_Roverandom_, page 35

Perhaps a precursor to Smaug, and his achilles' heel?


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## Elendil3119 (Jun 9, 2003)

I read Roverandom a few weeks ago, and I was impressed once again by Tolkien's literary genius. This book is not simply a childrens' fairytale. Anyone who enjoyed _The Hobbit_ will find this book a delight to read. In fact, I almost like it more than _The Hobbit_. However, _The Hobbit_ is more related to Middle-earth, so I still prefer it over _Roverandom_.


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## Eliot (Jun 19, 2003)

I very much agree with Elendil. It's a great childrens' story. I really liked it. I'm sure, as some you have already said, that it's a great bedtime story for young children. It's a nice little fairy-tale.


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## Arvedui (Jun 23, 2003)

I enjoyed Roverandom a lot.
I don't know which editions all of you have read, but mine is from 2002, edited by Christina Scull and Wayne G. Hammond.
I loved all those little detailes that later turned up in 'The Hobbit.'
And I loved the setting and the mood of the book, especially in the 'Valley of Happy Dreamers.'


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## Eliot (Jun 23, 2003)

> _Originally posted by Arvedui _
> *I don't know which editions all of you have read, but mine is from 2002, edited by Christina Scull and Wayne G. Hammond.*



I also read that edition. I enjoyed it.


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## klugiglugus (Jul 13, 2003)

The book is alot like the Hobbit.


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## Eliot (Jul 13, 2003)

> _Originally posted by klugiglugus _
> *The book is alot like the Hobbit. *



Yeah, I guess in various ways.


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## king theoden (Jul 21, 2003)

I loved it.It is a good book.


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## Morfea (Feb 28, 2004)

I just loved Roverandom..I read it in like one breath..soo interesting..a bit funny and childish, but soo wonderful..the best part was when he went underwater..it is described so real..WOW..and the part when se sees another world..possibly Middle-earth?


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## Aulë (Feb 29, 2004)

No- that was Valinor


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## JeanCat13 (Dec 8, 2004)

I thought this book was great for a little light reading! I hate reading serious books allllll the time. Wouldn't it be great if we all had dads to make as stories when we lost our dog! Don't get me wrong, I have a great dad who loves to read but.....well you know what I mean.

I really have to give props to Tolkien for writing this because it seems as we get older we have less imagination. Our heads are getting packed with so many useless facts and figures that the world has little time for daydreaming. And with so much tv these days we don't always think for ourselves. For example....it can be all cloudy and gray outside but we all know someone who has to turn on the weather channel to see if it is going to rain.......um, duh! Anyway....totally off subject!

GREAT BOOK! PROP TO TOLKIEN


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## Tengai (Dec 8, 2004)

I read it in italian and i'm thinking to buy the original english version.
A little story, a big dream.
I love this book


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## Eledhwen (Dec 15, 2004)

JeanCat13 said:


> Wouldn't it be great if we all had dads to make us stories when we lost our dog! ... GREAT BOOK! PROP TO TOLKIEN


I've often thought so, and he seemed at first to just make it up as he went along. What a gift!

He also wrote The Hobbit as a serial letter to his son, and sent all his children wonderful, illustrated letters from Father Christmas, including the one about the great Goblin attack of 1933. Even LotR was discussed via letters with his son, who was then in the RAF on active service. But I also consider those children blessed whose fathers read good books to them, stimulating their imaginations and fostering a love of books. It boils down to 'love' being spellt t.i.m.e.


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## Nenya Evenstar (Aug 30, 2005)

I have had Roverandom sitting on my shelf for a few years now and finally picked it up to read it. I loved it! I decided immediately that that will be one of the first books I introduce to my kids (though that should be a long time away ). Tolkien's wit and humor is great in this book! I just laughed and laughed.

One of the fascinating things to me about Tolkien's writings is that he connects them all somehow. Even in Roverandom you get a glimpse of "The Bay of Fairyland (as we call it ) beyond the Magic isles; and saw far off in the last West the mountains of elvenhome and the light of Faery upon the waves. Roverandom thought he caught a glimpse of the city of the Elves on the green hill beneath the Mountains. . . ."

Also, the "Dark side" of the moon where the Man on the Moon weaves dreams for children is uncommonly like a similar story (that I only read once) in the Book of Lost Tales I.


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## Mith (Nov 6, 2005)

I've read just the first pages of it, maybe I should translate it in italian, though it is already translated, but I'll do it for my pleasure... but I've read something about it... they say it's a not-ready book to be printed, but you don't seem of the same opinion....


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## Eledhwen (Nov 6, 2005)

Mith said:


> they say it's a not-ready book to be printed, but you don't seem of the same opinion....


"they" also say that Lord of the Rings does not follow proper story structure, major characters are dropped suddenly and storylines not developed. They are right; but these are the flaws that make the diamond shine so brightly.

Roverandom was a story told to a small boy to comfort him on the loss of his toy dog on the beach. I think Tolkien simply told the story again for the rest of us with the same linear plot he used for his small children; and again I believe it works.


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## Mith (Nov 7, 2005)

But however I can't agree with "them" as I've not read all the book yet. Yesterday I read something more... it seems a very nice story, but I'm steel at the very beginning...


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