Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.
Rocket your D&D 5E and Level Up: Advanced 5E games into space! Alpha Star Magazine Is Launching... Right Now!

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="The Serge" data-source="post: 1307650" data-attributes="member: 4049">I'd be interested in this discussion just because I love talking about literary works.  Frankly, I think that Tolkien's power comes from the strength of creating a broad historical canvas for his mythology.  The depth of the material, particularly when considered from the time frame during which he created it, is impressive and the standard upon which most contemporary genre fantasy is based.  It is this material that provides a fantastic foundation for good, but not great, writing and story telling.There are two things that I think Tolkien accomplishes well as a writer:1.  Steady build of tension:  What I love about LotR is that it takes a considerable amount of time before the reader finds out what is as stake in the narrative.  This allows for a sense of drama and anxiety, a good thing for a text that showcases the kind of World Ending apocalypse LotR offers (in this sense, the end of the World of Elves and, if the Fellowship, et al aren't careful, the end of the World of Men).  Although there are many slow portions to the narrative, by the time one makes it to The Return of the King, there's nothing but action, drama, and suspense (which makes sense considering that Tolkien envisioned LotR initially as one text).2.  Internal Depth:  This is where many fantasy novels fail.  Too often, we have the narrator telling the reader about an occurance in the past.  Although this is perfectly fine in a history book, like The Silmarillion, this is bad form in a novel because it does not immerse the readers into the story.  Tolkien effectively handles this by allowing the characters, particularly those who, due to the steady build of tension, the readers' come to trust.  Through stories told by Gandalf and Aragorn, we, like Frodo and Sam, find out the depths of the world outside of The Shire and within the rest of Middle-Earth.  This happens repeatedly throughout the trilogy and provides a sense of integrity for the trilogy.I do not, however, believe that Tolkien is a fantastic writer.  There are many slow areas in the telling that can drive someone who wants more action or at least more evocative language to boredom.  Yes, Tolkien has a powerful command of language; his descriptions of the environments are exemplary.  However, at times he falls short with his descriptions of characters and, more importantly, with what many reading the material knew were key moments, but ended up being glossed over quickly (like certain confrontations in Moria).But, in the end, I don't know if offering some "negative" critiques of anyone's work is a bad thing.  I think it's still possible to recognize the flaws in a Michelangelo sculpture, or inconsistencies in Hamlet.  These factors do not rob a work of art of its power, but offers even more guidance for those who would follow in the footsteps of those who preceded.  Frankly, I think Tolkien's essential reading for anyone interested in writing fantastic, speculative fiction.</blockquote>

Verification