The Works of JRR Tolkien

[fishman65]

I think you 2 could sign yourselves up for Mastermind with "the Works of JRR Tolkien" as your specialist subject?

Its never too late to read Tolkien Pulisa Assuming you haven't already.

Hmm I'm not sure about the Fellowship all having Dad's more famous than them? Up to a point. OK Boromir/Denethor, Gimli/Gloin, Frodo/Bilbo, Legolas/Thranduil, Merry/Saradoc Brandybuck Master of Buckland, Pippin/Paladin Took Thain of the Shire. But Aragorn? His father Arathorn was a Ranger. Gandalf? Unless they meant Saruman but he was a fellow Istari and only voted in by Elrond et al.

Of course with Aragorn they could be talking about him being descended from Isildur.

OK Margaret Thatcher was pretty hawkish and Liz Truss seems to want to model herself on her. Elizabeth I was a strong woman who saw off the Spanish Armada with the help of Sir Francis Drake. But I'm pretty sure the despots and warmongers of this world are/were men. Hitler, Stalin, Pol Pot, Chairman Mao, Idi Amin, Genghis Khan, Vladimir Putin, Tony Blair etc etc.

[Darksky]

Pity you can't forget which team you support?

Cheeky

Yes Aragorn was linked to Isildur. Don’t think Gandalf was included in the boarding school theory.
Ive ordered a copy of Lord Fouls Bane…only second hand off flea bay. So I’ll see how I get on.

[Darksky]

Two chapters in….it’s powerful stuff Fishman. Hard reading I imagine for a lot of folk, in the same way the Silmarillion is. I admire your 17 year old head for getting into it.

He writes very well, the rage, dispair and self preservation Thomas feels is very palpable.

[fishman65]

You'll meet lots of interesting races/beings along the way Darksky. Yes it's deep and complex, though I won't spoil it by saying too much.

[fishman65]

Actually you can't beat the sound of a sword being drawn. It goes 'Shing!!' And yes I've completely lost the plot at last.

[Darksky]

Is that Anduril you are casting about Fishman? I love a good battle scene. I know it’s all done with green screens but those battle scenes in LOTR were fabulous weren’t they? It only got a bit silly when Legolas started vaulting around on that Oliphant. On the subject of him, I have an opinion that Orlando Bloom is an appalling actor, very wooden. He sort of ruined Legolas for me. You?

[fishman65]

'I would cut off your head, dwarf, if it stood but a little higher from the ground' - Eomer son of Eomund, captain of the 'filthy horseboys'.

'He stands not alone. You would die 'ere your stroke fell' - Legolas Greenleaf, significant Elf from Mirkwood.

I do think Orlando Bloom, despite sounding like one of Monty Don's favourite shrubs, was always rather too much in love with himself. He's in the Hobbit films too. However I didn't think much of that trilogy. It felt like it was 'dumbed down' and the story strung out to a ridiculous length. Perhaps they thought they had more poetic licence?

Oh yes 'Anduril, Flame of the West'. The Sword that was Broken, forged anew in the smithies of Rivendell.

[Darksky]

I think Lee Pace played a better Thranduil. Antisocial and a little unhinged. I guess that’s what you get for locking yourself away in Mirkwood.

[fishman65]

So will you watch the new Tolkien adaptation Darksky? It starts soon. As has been pointed out, this latest effort isn't actually based on a Tolkien work because it's set in a time that's only been alluded to. Mainly in verse and by way of explaining how things came about in LOTR. I'll watch it, we'll learn again how those dead elves and orcs had the opportunity to almost lure Frodo to his own death in 'The Dead Marshes'.

[Darksky]

I reckon I will Fishman, that’s if my son hasn’t cancelled his Amazon prime.

Oh the Dead Marshes , they bothered me no end. The dead elves So tragic, another battle, more Elven deaths. I expect by now you can tell I’m Team Eldar all the way.

But yes I will watch it, so we can compare notes. And disgruntled complaints