LoTR: One Book To Rule Them All?

[MerricB]

While I like the Professor, I agree with Turjan that the main reason we even know his name is because he got his book put on the reading syllabus at Oxford University. In all likelihood, had he not been in the position that he was in, we would never even be having this conversation.

Huh?

No, the reason we know about him is because the book became wildly popular during the 60s (somewhat like why we know about the Beatles).

A book doesn't become wildly popular because its on the reading syllabus at a University, no matter how prestigious. Nor does it become so for winning an award. It becomes wildly popular by being read (and being good enough to be so).

The explosion in popularity of The Lord of the Rings during the 1960s at American universities - helped by a cheap paperback copy by Ace Books - helped it to the point where it stays today. At the time, there was nothing to compare it to. These days, there are better fantasy works, but most won't be read by the general public. The Lord of the Rings still has its name recognition.

Cheers!

 

[jonathan swift]

I consider Vance a better writer because I consider him more imaginative than Tolkien - more original: where Tolkien took all the things from existing sources he was interested in and put them in a context appropriate to his worldview, Vance more often let his fancy run free.

I think he's better because his ideas jump off the page where Tolkien's lie calm and collected. I think his use of language was better - he's definitely a superior prose stylist. His pacing is better.

This is based solely on his Dying Earth stories, but then of course I'm comparing them to just the two novels Tolkien wrote.

And this is where separate tastes come in. I've read the Lord of the Rings trilogy something like 6-7 times now, and enjoyed it every time. The words leap off the page and fill my imagination with wonder. Conversely, I've tried to read Vance's stuff on multiple different occasions and get bogged down by page 10 every time. Much like the other pulp writers I've read (Howard mainly), his writing is too terse to engage me. Give me something with meat any day of the week.

 

[replicant2]

While I like the Professor, I agree with Turjan that the main reason we even know his name is because he got his book put on the reading syllabus at Oxford University. In all likelihood, had he not been in the position that he was in, we would never even be having this conversation.

Excellent creator of worlds? Yup.

Excellent writer? Not even remotely.

Dreadfully wrong.

Tolkien made his reputation at Oxford as an outstanding philologist; his essays on Beowulf and Gawain and the Green Knight are considered seminal even today. He kept his work private from most of his colleagues, save for a handful of like-minded fantasists (including C.S. Lewis) who dubbed themselves the Inklings. He was quite embarrassed by the huge wave of attention his works received and his resulting celebrity during the 1960's.

I happen to think he's a terrific writer as well, but that is a matter of opinion. The facts above are not.

 

[hong]

I have a completely off-topic question. The video store you buy your Chinese DVDs from - is that in Dixon Street, near the top set of lion gates?

I'm reminded just because I was thinking of how your collection of movies has quite a few DVDs in it which I think are much better stories than you find in The Lord of the Rings.

You ain't seen the real schlock. HAW HAW!

 

[mhacdebhandia]

Give me something with meat any day of the week.

Ah, well, when it comes to The Lord of the Rings, this is a great analogy - you see, I hate my steak overdone.

 

[mhacdebhandia]

You ain't seen the real schlock. HAW HAW!

True, you never inflicted that Korean swords-and-melodrama movie you were excited about on me.

 

[hong]

True, you never inflicted that Korean swords-and-melodrama movie you were excited about on me.

Sucks to be you, mang. HAW HAW!

 

[Darth Shoju]

Ah, well, when it comes to The Lord of the Rings, this is a great analogy - you see, I hate my steak overdone.

Well I don't see this going anywhere productive. Perhaps we should call it a day gentlemen?

Would a friendly-neighborhood mod be kindly enough to turn off the lights and shut the doors of this thread?

 

[William drake]

No, nor did I claim it to be. All of his stuff from the races to the names he used were borrowed from other myths and legends.

But his work, in turn, heavily influenced other people. That's all I'm saying.

Oh, wasn't speaking to u personaly.

And I agree with the overall statment...Just seeing more and now how he's being breed into the one and only Fantasy author to ever say or do fantasic. And just tired of it. Sorry.

 

[Rel]

Well I don't see this going anywhere productive. Perhaps we should call it a day gentlemen?

Would a friendly-neighborhood mod be kindly enough to turn off the lights and shut the doors of this thread?

Done