[ellisk]

Council of Elrond is having a poll right now that asks, "What fascinates you most about Tolkien's works? The languages; the history; the different races; the characters; everything seems so real...etc.

I was curious what the results would be here in this group. So I'm asking, "What do you like most about Tolkien? Do you like the books most? Which one? The movies most? What about Tolkien made you so interested in it that you wanted to write in his world?

I'm just curious to see what interests people here most.

For me, I love the fact that he created a whole history and world that was so complete and real. I mean think about it. He made geography, races, cultures, history, languages, wars and alliances. And it is all so detailed. It's amazing. And I guess the fun part for me is that he left just enough out to tempt the imagination and make me want to fill it in.

I guess if I had to say, I'd say my favorite characters are the elves, but really I have come to be fascinated with the histories of all the different races.

And as a former language teacher, I must admit it amazes me that Tolkien made up languages with lexicon and grammar and all that jazz.

It's just such a rich world, that the poll at Council of Elrond made me pause. I couldn't pick one thing to vote for.

I wonder what people here think?

[SecretKeeper]

Personally I'm interested in the history and the magic.

[Viv]

I agree with Ellisk: JRR was an incredible world-builder. I've never read his equal.

[SpaceWeavil]

I can't decide between the history and the languages.

On the history side, I'm siding with Ellisk and Viv. The intricacy of the world he created was just so impressive, and it gives Middle Earth such a feeling of being real, which I've always thought was also helped by the way he added elements from real mythologies and legends into the story.

But languages have been my hobby since I was 8 and started learning French with my uncle, and in particular I've always been fascinated by the workings of languages and the similarities between them. I'm one of those sad nerds who gets really excited when she starts to see the similar grammar in Welsh and the Gaelic, (like when I realised 'yn' was pronounced about the same as 'an' in Gaelic and means the same thing...) And when I wrote original fantasy (which started I think when I was 11 or 12, I had my own made up language just like Elvish (or so I thought). Mine was rubbish.

So I don't know. But the fact that when I watch the animated film or the movie or listen to the soundtrack I can still remember the first time I sat and started to read the books (in a windswept hotel on Hogmanay when I was 11) shows that it must have made some impact.

[ellisk]

[SecretKeeper]

Magic is all around us and Tolkein just captured a bit of it. He wrote it down with the languages he created, weaving something totally original and organic. That was what got me hooked on his books. All my friends think I'm crazy obsessive about stuff dealing with the books and what I learned from the Movies. Jeeze...

[inglor]

Tried to delete, see below.

Inglor

[inglor]

[Eruanna]

I think I have to concur on the intricacy and scope of the worlds Tolkien created: cultures, languages and a long, long history.

Oh, and the MOVIES, in particular? Ai, Elbereth! The hot, studly elves!

What else can I say?

--Eruanna

[RobinKa]

I just want to add: overwhelming sadness, especially in Silmarillion. It thrills me every time I read Silm.

[Eruanna]

[RobinKa]

[Shanalir]

I think I love just about everything about the Trilogy. Especially the depth of the characters, and the richness of the emotion. The way he could create such detail, while giving you so little detail, if you understand me....