A little post about elves...

Okay, so not so little.

I just realized it's Tolkien's birthday! I was going so save this post for later, but in honor of the great author, I'm going to speak a bit about his elves. Be warned, this is a fan-girl post. If you've heard some of this before, forgive me, I lose track of my gushing. It contains some spoilers for The Silmarillion...

I'm a big, big fan of elves. The elves in The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit movies are probably who started me on my fandom. But then of course, I read Tolkien's work, and to be honest, I found the most interesting elf in Lord of the Rings to be the little recognized Glorfindel (who I recently discovered to be even more awesome than I'd imagined).

But then I read The Silmarillion. Elves. Everywhere. Complicated, incredibly powerful elves.

Feanor threatens his half-brother, Fingolfin

 So as it is, my favorite literary elves can be found in that history volume that only dedicated geeks dare finish. In a way, I think they might be my favorites because Tolkien left so many of them to the imagination. He recounts their stories with a very distant touch, leaving the reader to discover more in their own mind.

Finrod Felagund

Finrod Felagund. Ever heard of him? He was the brother of Galadriel, and Tolkien called him "the fairest and most beloved of the house of Finwe." In case you didn't know, the house of Finwe had some of the fairest and most beloved elves in it ever. Tolkien giving this elf that title is pretty big stuff. And I daresay he deserves it.

Finrod was the first elf to discover mankind, and his friendship with them later saved his life when a man named Barahir rescued him on the battlefield. He gave Barahir his ring as a token of their friendship. This ring...two serpents with emerald eyes, one devouring the other, crowned in golden flowers. That's right...it's that ring...Aragorn's ring.

 This guy also held unusual power. He actually disguised himself and his friends as orcs and tried to hold onto that disguise in a contest of power with Sauron. (Mmhm, that Sauron.) Sadly, he lost when Sauron brought to mind one of the elves's greatest sins, and Finrod and his friends were thrown into a dungeon to be eaten by a werewolf, though Finrod was going to be spared for further torture. Here Finrod claims my favorite death by Tolkien. First off, he dies well. Self-sacrifice and all that. Further more he kills the werewolf with his own hands and teeth! Hard-core. Mortally wounded, he dies in a friend's arms. But Tolkien didn't just leave us there. I will forever be grateful and indebted to Tolkien for showing us a little scene of Finrod back in his heavenly home, reunited with his father and also (so I've heard is written somewhere) his long lost sweetheart. *sniff, sniff* So happy ending, all that!

Maedhros

Of course, The Silmrallion is not really famed for happy endings. Let me introduce to you Maedhros, champion heart-breaker. Eldest son of Feanor, he inherited no small portion of his father's reckless fire. But besides carrying on his mother's red hair, he also had more of her noble spirit. Sadly, the fire of his father prompted him to take part of the oath that cursed his entire family...and he was doomed from then on. Naturally, Tolkien figured that now since he was doomed, it was time for the readers to get attached to him. Throughout his life, Maedhros stood up against his father and his brother's hot-headed ways in an effort to maintain peace among his kindred. In fact, he even determined to set up his family's kingdom farther away from most of the elves to prevent strife and to be the first line of defense against the evil Morgoth. Maedhros gladly built his fortress on Morgoth's porch, so to speak.

You see, at one time Maedhros was captured and tortured by Morgoth. Thus we come to one of my favorite stories by Tolkien. Though Maedhro's own brothers didn't dare try to rescue him, Fingon--cousin and former best friend to Maedhros--put aside their family feud and set out alone into the bad guy's very own demesne to save his friend.  Good ol' Fingon, this moment of glory rocketed him up to one of my favorites too. Eventually he found Maedhros hanging by his right hand on a unscalable wall, but before he was forced to shoot Maedhros as an act of mercy, one of the great angelic beings had mercy and sent one of his eagles to bear Fingon up to Maedhros.

Fingon rescues Maedhros

Fingon needed to cut off Maedhros's hand to free him, but Maedhros recovered and lived to wield his left hand more dangerously than ever before.

Tragically, that ol' family curse later resurrected to drive Maedhros mad and turn into him into a villain until he finally fulfilled the oath, recognized what a monster he'd become, and threw himself into a firey chasm in despair. Yeah. Thanks for that, Tolkien. :/ We don't ever get to know if he was forgiven for his deeds and released back to Valinor....come on...

Yep, so there you have it, my top two favorite literary elves!

Did you notice something? Elves, imprisonment, torture... and DEATH!!! Really, one of the worst is the elf who actually escapes and gets back home, only to have his sweetheart fall in love with someone else, and then he dies on the battlefield. Tolkien, I love ya and you're a genius, but you are depressing.

That got me thinking you see...what if an elf went through all that and actually had a happy ending? Mind-blowing, right? Thing is, what would it take to realize that happy ending? Could it even be possible?

And that's where Moonscript started. ;)

Illustrations copyright: Hannah Williams 2015

"In Death, My Love..."

"In death, my love, I loved you best." --The Monster in the Hollows, by Andrew Peterson

Thus says the great hero with his last breath.

The death of a good character in a story is very difficult to me, in both reading and writing. Indeed, one death poorly executed or highly unwanted is enough to ruin an otherwise decent book. But when it is done right, when the author writes it with complete purpose and beauty, then--ah!--then it might elevate the novel to one of my very favorites.

"That's all well and good for a story," a realist might say. "But that's not how it works in the real world. When people are killed it's not often in a heroic manner, and they very less often have the chance to something really punchy, especially in the presence of their loved ones or worst enemy." They'd be right. That doesn't happen in this world very often.

I once read a book, a very interesting and well-written book, in which there was a young man, handsome and kind, with a bright future ahead of him, even if he didn't know what he wanted to do yet. He was just a side character, but hey, he was fun, and I could envision a great friendship between him and the hero. He was wounded when they went off on their perilous mission, and I was anxious for him--but I did not expect the heroes to round a corner and find him on the floor, shot to death. I was kind of stunned. Angry. It ruined the book. I was in a grey cloud the rest of the day. It wasn't fair, he didn't even have a chance, it was just cut off, no warning, no nothing! His life was ended. That was it. Well, I thought grudgingly. Kudos to the author for writing reality. Cause that sort of thing is more real.

Or is it?

Could it be that epic, fantastical deaths might display a better understanding of death than our limited mortal knowledge? Is death really just a cut-off of life? Or is it a door into Beyond? According to my belief in the Bible, it is either an entrance into eternal life or eternal death. Death was a result of sin, and for the sinner it means the final sundering from God and everything good. But with the sacrifice of Christ, for the believer in Him it means a doorway to something more beautiful and perfect than we can ever imagine. It is interesting to note that Tolkien wrote death as a gift to mankind, whereas the elves had both the curse and blessing to linger until the End. For the believer, it is the release from the "reality" of this fallen world.

Even so, death remains a hard, difficult thing to understand. Someone is losing someone. That loss should be felt in a story as well, and deeply. But when one is writing literature, I think it is best to make death meaningful--the bittersweet beauty of it for the hero and the sorrowful hopelessness or justifiable satisfaction at the villain's. Granted, there are those poor red shirts who just die without a thought (unless of course, you're like Anne Elisabeth Stengl and like to make the reader ache for some random bad guy because you remind us he was once a child and such). ;)

Writing death with meaning and conviction is first and foremost important to the reader. Remind them of the severity and sorrow, but also hope of that which is beyond. Please, don't ever just kill a character cause you don't know what to do with them (like Diana Barry) . That's not how the Author of the world works, so we shouldn't either.

Personally, when it comes to the death of a hero, I prefer it to be a courageous act of self-sacrifice, a moment that reveals their greatest nature in a final celebration of their life. It is fitting, because the most pivotal and important death in our history was the Ultimate Sacrifice. There's something that swells our heart about the hero finding peace at the end, knowing that it isn't the end for him. And what really scores high for me as a reader is when we have a slight glimpse or hint of them afterwards--as shown by C. S. Lewis, J. R. R. Tolkien, and Anne Elisabeth Stengl.

For me, the best heroic deaths in literature can be found in these books.

"Can you forgive me?" --Dragonwitch by Anne Elisabeth Stengl

"I love you." The Warden and the Wolf King by Andrew Peterson

"I go now to my long rest in the timeless halls beyond the seas and the Mountains of Aman. It will be long ere I am seen among the Noldor again; and it may be that we shall not meet a second time in death or life, for the fates of our kindreds are apart. Farewell!" --The Silmarillion (Tolkien is notorious for final death speeches. They always have so much to say.)

"In death, my love, I loved you best." The Monster In the Hollows by Andrew Peterson.

And the all-famous--"It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go than I have ever known." A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

You get a pat on the back if you know who says each of these! But don't say who actually says them--that would be spoiling. Except for the Simarillion one. If you know that, shout it out! And please share the books you think have the best heroic deaths in them...just don't say who dies, cause once again--spoilers! ;)

Literary Blog Party--Faith and Fantasy

I'm participating in Joy's blog party! Today she asks us questions about Fantasy and Faith. And my answers are super long, so hang tight! Here we go!

1. Taken from a Christian perspective, what are your thoughts and feelings on the fantasy genre in general? Do you hold to any convictions or guidelines on things like magic, sorcery, fantastical elements or allegory in fantasy books?

I love fantasy, but I am picky about what sort I read or watch. Much depends on what world it takes place in. In a fantastic world of the author's imagination, I accept that there are different physical rules. Personally, I prefer magical powers to be born or given, not learned or consumed which is just too much like the drugs and sorcery of this world. When the author connects their fantasy to THIS world, my guard goes up ten times, because now they're involving the place I live in and changing the rules to what I believe. This is the world my God created and it lives under His law. Though great Christian fantasy authors have entwined fantasy into this world, like Lewis, Tolkien, and Ashlee Willis, this is the reason I won't ready fantasy such as Harry Potter. 

 

2. Who are some of your favourite fantasy/fairy-tale authors? (you can name up to three.)

Anne Elisabeth Stengl

J. R. R. Tolkien

Lloyd Alexander

3. Have you read The Chronicles of Narnia books, or watched any of the movies? Which, if so, are your three favourite books?

The Horse and His Boy, The Magician's Nephew, and The Last Battle (Is there any better ending to a fantasy series than in Heaven?)

4. How many books by J.R.R. Tolkien have you read and enjoyed so far? Can you choose a favourite book (The Lord of the Rings can be considered one book ;)?

The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, The Simarillion, The Tolkien Reader (including many of his short stories, poems, and essay), and good chunks of The Lays of Beleriand and The Unfinished Tales.

As much as I love his Lord of the Rings, I probably love The Hobbit more because it's so FUNNY. And I have Tolkien's World From A to Z: The Complete Guide to Middle-Earth by Robert Foster, that tells me pretty much anything I want to know. :)

5. Uhm. . . since, C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien were friends, I will not risk causing further estrangement to the history of their friendship by pitting them against each other! However, being the mastermind of mischief that I am, I will toss this question your way: which of the two are you most fond of in sense of storytelling, characters, themes and what personally touches/inspires you the most: The Lord of the Rings, or The Chronicles of Narnia?

C.S. Lewis definitely came up some amazing ideas and brought the truth of our God to the fantasy world as few have ever done. I read his books in childhood constantly. But when I discovered Lord of the Rings I discovered an entire other world that has inspired me for my own stories again and again!

6. Are there other books and movies of the fantasy/fairy-tale/legend genre that have you read and loved, especially from modern authors? Please tell us a little bit about them.

The Tales of Goldstone Wood by Anne Elisabeth Stengl completely astonished me. I picked up the first book at the library without any idea that I was picking up the most genius fantasy series I've ever read (I like it even better than Lewis or Tolkien)! Her messages of God's undeserved grace given to real people in a complicated world of fae and mortals absolutely enchants me. 

I also enjoyed Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson though his story was a bit heavier than I'm used to (lots of violence) and his worldview was Morman, but still, his crafting of worlds, magic, and characters was flawless and his action scenes were the best I've read. I've only read the first book, but his writing kind of inspired me.

I also enjoy (don't laugh) the TV series, Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra. Now the world view is definitely Eastern philosophy, which is a bit more prevalent and bothersome in season 2 of Legend of Korra. But when grounded in Christian faith, I think it is good to be aware of where other people are coming from in their beliefs. This show (it takes a few episodes to get used to the animation) is so packed with the themes of good vs. evil, sacrificial love, the importance of family, courage in the face of impossibilities, and wonderful characters who can seem so REAL at times....well, I really enjoy it. :)

7. Have you read any Christian allegories, such as Pilgrim's Progress, Holy War or Hinds Feet on High Places? 

Yes, I have read Pilgrim's Progress! And I have yet to read Hinds Feet on High Places, though I've heard many wonderful things about it!

8. Share some of your most well-loved heroines from fantasy tales in literature (books, movies, modern and classics), and why you love them so much! What virtues/traits in them would you like to have yourself?

Though I haven't read Chronicles of Narnia recently, Lucy is always an inspiration in her steadfast faith in Aslan!
For the more tough heroine, I love Harry from The Blue Sword. She's so normal (or she thinks she is), but her training to be a warrior and hero is believable and her ability to take it all in stride is admirable!
Also, Imraldera from Tales of Goldstone Wood encourages me to love even my enemies!
Eowyn's courage in the Lord of the Rings (especially the movie) is awesome. Go girl!

9. Which land would you rather go, dwell in, or be a part of: Middle-Earth, or Narnia? (or maybe some other fantasy-land, you share!)

Middle-Earth. Take me to the elves!
 

10. What kind of fantasy are you most fond of? Fantastical and "fairy-tale-ish" like Alice in Wonderland, Beauty and the Beast or Cinderella, or rather the mythological, high-epic-fantasies such as Tolkien's?

The high epic fantasy of Tolkien really appeals to me, but it depends upon the author. I can also enjoy the more innocent, creative fairy tales, so long as they don't get too bizarre, because I like beautiful, not bizarre.

11. Which is your favourite fairy-tale?

Of the classics, probably Beauty and the Beast. However, when reading others, I really was intrigued by the potential of retellings in The Golden Branch and Prunella.

12. List some of your most well-loved movie adaptions of fantasy tales (this does not include Disney fairy-tale animations). 

The Lord of the Rings! I am so, so, so in love with those movies! And the Narnia movies are really well done too, even if they're departing a bit from the books. And I was super impressed with the re-visioning of the Sleeping Beauty tale in Maleficent.
 

13. Who are your favourite heroes from fantasy books? (you may list as many as you like!) Tell us a little bit about why you love them so much :).

Oh...heheh...I have too many to mention, heheheh, but here goes:

Eanrin (Tales of Goldstone Wood)--Bard, knight, faerie, cat, man...Eanrin is many things, and though he shields himself with a selfish exterior, he is one of the noblest heroes of all!
Eugenides (The Queen's Thief)--The most cunning and clever hero I've ever encountered, never failing to surprise the reader with his wit and nobility! Now, I admit, The Queen's Thief is more mythical than fantastical. But it works, right?
Etanun (Tales of Goldstone Wood)--Like the classic knights of lore, Etanun had stood as the figure of courage, strength, and goodness before his own sin shamed him...leaving him with a better understanding of grace and true love than many...
Zuko (Avatar: The Last Airbender)--Okay, so he's also in graphic novels (those count as books, right?) Watching his growth from a tormented young villain to a self-sacrificing leader of heroes...it's cool.
Finrod Felagund (The Simarillion)--He's not in many stories, but his courageous death in the tale of Beren and Luthian made me look everything else up about him and he's one of my favorite literary elves!
Corlath (The Blue Sword)--How exactly do I describe this guy? He's cool. Just cool. Really cool.
Nock (The Door Within Trilogy)--Personally, I enjoyed Nock better than Legolas in the literary world! He was kind of more like the Legolas of the movies (if this was a movie list, Legolas would be at the top).
Aragorn (The Lord of the Rings)--In the book and in the movie, he's a great hero!

14. Saddest moment in any fantasy tale you've either watched or read?

The Battle of Tears in The Simarillion! WHHHAAAAAAA! My Fingon was killed by balrogs, and I blame this battle on Maedhros's beginning collapse under his curse and eventual madness and suicide. Plus, like everything else that could have went wrong in that battle happened. Tolkien might be one of my favorites, but he sure knew how to rip out my heart. Grrrrrrr....

Watched? I got pretty teary-eyed in the climatic duel between Zuko and his sister in Avatar: The Last Airbender. I mean, it was an epic and awesome fight (one of the best), but it was really sad to see her mental breakdown. :(

15. How did you get into The Lord of the Rings and Middle-Earth books/movies? (If you're not into LOTR than you can talk about how you got into Narnia instead).

Well, it was a pretty big thing when it came out, but I was too young to watch it at first. After I learned the storyline from my big brother (Star Wars was good and Lord of the Rings was evil until my brother switched sides, so thus did I), my parents decided I could watch a heavily edited version of the movies, closing my eyes during all the violent and ugly parts. I had the cues on where to stop looking memorized better than my parents! Now, of course, I can watch the whole movie, but I've still chosen to not watch a few certain scenes. And after I became an avid lover of Middle-Earth, I had to read the books! 
 

16. Give a list (preferably with pictures!) of your favourite fantasy/medieval costumes/armor/gowns and from which movie/character they come from.

I'm kind of uncertain about the whole rules of which sites will allow you to share their pictures or not, so I'm going to not use pictures. But hopefully they should be pretty familiar!

Susan's farewell gown from Prince Caspian. It's sooooooo pretty. :)

Pretty much any kind of elven attire is great. 

And a few of my favorites come from my OWN stories...these two belong to bad guys, but still...I adore their armor. *sigh*

17. Which fantasy/fairy-tale has inspired and influenced you the most?

The Tales of Goldstone Wood. Reading this series has opened up my eyes in new ways for a epic worlds and characters to be revealed on the page. It begins like a beautiful picture, then unfolds into a tapestry and is still unfolding! It also has really taught me how to create real characters and reflect my beliefs in a fantasy setting.

18. Favourite character in Tolkien's Lord of the Rings/Hobbit universe? Favourite character in The Chronicles of Narnia? (Choose 1 each)

Does this count movies? If so, Legolas. If not, maybe Bilbo Baggins, because my brother's version when he was reading aloud is just too cute. The movie version of him is pretty delightful as well.
Aravis from The Horse and His Boy. She was just awesome, and I always thought she should be played by one of my cousins, though that cousin is too old now. :(

19. Favourite friendship in a fantasy book/movie/series?

Legolas and Gimli! They are so much fun! And if you didn't have enough of them, a similar and just as enjoyable friendship can be found in Nock and Mallik in the Door Within Trilogy.
 

20. Which villain of fantasy strikes the most dread and loathing in you? Which foe strikes the most pity?

Do Melkor and Sauron count as one? I probably loathe them the most when they kill some awesome elf I love (which covers about every elf). Curse them! Ungoliant was loathsome. Ooog.

As for pity...hmmmm...I guess I pity the Dragonwitch from Tales of Goldstone Wood the most. But at the same time, I don't, because she completely let herself collapse under the sorrow she went through and let her life being ruined by jealousy and bitterness. I was just so, so, so sad when she refused to let herself be redeemed.

I truly pity Murtagh from The Inheritance Cycle, even though I mostly read about what happened to him, not actually read it. Some will argue that he wasn't a villain, because he was literally forced and tortured by the extreme into becoming a bad guy...(Spoiler)...which he overcame by the end. But man...that guy had nothing going for him. He was just so hopeless....(another reason Christian Fantasy should be some of the best out there...it has hope.)

21. Share some of your most well-loved quotes from fantasy books/movies :). 

 "Thus does poet's work progress! Do please withhold all judgment until further notice!"-Bard Eanrin, Starflower

"That still counts as one!" Gimli to Legolas upon the elf's defeat of an entire oliphant and crew (The Return of the King movie)

"I love you."--Etanun, Dragonwitch (You'll have to read the book to understand why I burst into tears at this moment.)

"Eragon."
"Do you know any other word than my name?"
"No." --Eragon and Sapphira, Eragon

"What is that, an awl?"
"No, Your Majesty, no, as you can see, it is a very fine needle."
"It does feel like a needle--it feels like you're spent too much time working on people who don't pay you and you should--ow! Ow! Ow!" --Eugenides vs his physician, The King of Attolia. He's the whiniest hero I've ever encountered, and how we love him for it. :)

22. Favourite battle in a fantasy book or movie?

The Battle of the Pelanor Fields in the movie! Oh...Eowyn and the Witch-king...and best of all...Legolas and the oliphant. :D

Oh. But I just remembered the climatic battle in Avatar: The Last Airbender--Sozin's Comet. Hm. After three seasons it was something else to see brother and sister clash, and rarely, rarely have I seen the hero with such deadly control and power over the outcome as the Avatar chasing down Ozai. It was kind of awesome to see the villain on the terrified side of things. :D

23. Tell us which romance couple you love best in any of the fantasy stories you know about.

Eanrin and Imraldera. Though technically they haven't started an official romance, because of some big complications. So if we're going with an actual romance...Eugenides and Irene from The Queen's Thief. Wow, they are so unlikely and so wonderful together!!!!

24. Elves or dwarves? Gondor or Rohan? Aragorn or King Tirian?

 Elves. Hands down. Rohan. They're all about horses. Aragorn. I didn't even know who King Tirian was....oh wait, now I remember! He was awesome too...but Aragorn.

25. Who is your favourite side-kick (secondary character) in books/movies of this genre? (you are welcome to choose more than one ;). 

 In the movie Maleficent, Diaval simply charmed my socks off. He was so sweet and noble! And I suppose Legolas could be counted as a side-kick. If so, then definitely him! He saved so many members of the Fellowship (Gandalf, Aragorn, Bormier, Gimli)!

In books, I'm reminded of Flewfduer Flam from The Chronicles of Prydain. He had me laughing all throughout the series and crying in the last book!

26. List five fantasy novels you are especially looking forward and eager to read in the near future.

Golden Daughter by Anne Elisabeth Stengl
Storm Siren by Mary Weber

Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier
East by Edith Pattou
Ebon by Robin McKinley (actually, who knows when this one is coming out!)
 

27. Which fantasy work struck you with the most sense and depth of faith and the author's perception of morality, ethics, the distinction and battle between good and evil, and the Christian walk? Can you share a little bit about it?

Once again, I would have to say the Tales of Goldstone Wood. With an understanding heart, the author reveals the desires, strengths, and weaknesses of the human heart (even if fay) and the ultimate failure to save ourselves. She shows how we are in need of a savior and undeserved grace and that it is not by our strength that we can become heroes. Though only the first book is a clear allegory (the love story of the us and Christ), the rest of the series creates characters as real as someone next to you and leads you on their journey to redemption through the love of the Prince of the Farthest Shore. It's really beautifully done.

28. What was the first fantasy novel you ever read and how did it strike you?

I don't know! I imagine it was the Chronicles of Narnia. They were the prevalent and pretty much only fantasy in my childhood, so they definitely started me on my love of the genre!

29. What would inspire you to pick up a work of fantasy literature or watch a fantasy film? 

What do you believe are both the benefits, negatives and overall effects of enjoying this genre?

A good cover is usually the first thing to catch my attention! I'm drawn to beautiful things, not strange, as aforesaid, and too dark of a cover can be intriguing, but I'll need some assurance of light. I rarely pick up any story or movie without first having it recommended from a trusted source and often researched by myself. 

As a character in fantasy says, "You'll rarely find more truth than in fairy tales." Authors of old and now new ones are bringing forth stories that parallel our own. Oh, we not have special powers or a quest to destroy an evil ring. We may not meet elves or ever have to fight goblins. But there is evil in this world and fantasy reminds us of the more supernatural things at stake when it is easy to get caught up in the material humdrums of life. There is a dark lord, there is a war, temptations ensnare us, and we fight battles of our own. Granted, some fantasy will teach improper truths, as is the case in most genres. People might become more caught up in the fantasy than the real world and might even become attracted to magic, which in this world will get them into darkness, not light. But for those who measure their fantasy by the truth of God, they will see heroes struggle, yet have victory, and they will be reminded that there is a happily ever after. 

Movie Review-The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

Image shared from
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Finally, Part Three of The Hobbit has arrived! What did I think of it? In a sentence, there was a whole lot more to like in here than the first part, but also a lot more to get used to. You see, Peter Jackson decided to take many liberties from the original material, introducing characters and story-lines that never existed. Is this a bad thing? For Tolkien purists, yeah, they'll be riled up. But if you're willing to accept the movie for what it is, it is FANTASTIC.

Warning: If you have been trying to know as little about the movie as possible, read no further. If however, you've been watching the trailers and hearing news about it, I don't think I'll surprise you with new information. 

Things I Had Trouble With

As I am a big Tolkien fan and absolutely adore, I was full of mixed feelings and complaints after first leaving the theater. The story had so much added and changed content! So as a book retelling, its pretty independent.

I would have loved to see more of Beorn's House and the Elven King's halls. Only glimpses of these were seen, though very pretty glimpses.

One thing that took major getting used to was how they portrayed the Elven King. I won't give away spoilers, but I will say they gave him some background that gives him a very interesting personality. My opinion on this depends entirely on the condition that they reveal the noble guy he is in Part Three.

Also, this isn't something I'm having a major problem with now, but it is probably the main sore spot for critics. Tauriel, a elf-maiden warrioress, has been entirely created for the movie. And despite what Peter Jackson said, she and Legolas obviously are interested in each other. When I first heard of Tauriel, I rebelled against the idea and snarled that she better not be a romantic interest for Legolas. Now I say that since we knew zero about Legolas's private life as prince, it's not unreasonable that he falls in love. And if he's going to fall in love, Tauriel is the girl for him. I actually really like her, despite the cheesy way in which she often enters the screen. Despite being a gutsy warrior, she's sweet and compassionate. However, things aren't going smoothly for my favorite cinematic elf prince. His dad disapproves of the girl (lower-class, you see), and plus Tauriel seems to be developing feelings for a certain cute dwarf (rather they're romantic feelings or not is as yet undecipherable) causing Legolas to get a bit jealous (but not jealous enough to be a jerk, thank heavens).

Things I Absolutely Loved!

Smaug.

Smaug was the Chiefest and Greatest of Calamities (meant in the best possible way). O Smaug the Mighty. The unassessably wealthy. The Impenetrable. Dazzlingly marvelous! Perfect! Flawless! Stunning!

I. Loved. Smaug. All I'm going to say. I won't spoil anything for you.

Also, the events within Dol Golder with a certain Necromancer is fantastically done with creepy good effects. Once again, I can't spoil too much, but it was awesome. And a certain quote from Azog in reply to a certain someone made my mouth drop open. "We are legion." Direct quote from the demon who answered Jesus. I'm pretty sure that was intentional.

Bard the Bowman was wonderful. He quickly escalated to one my favorite characters in the movie. Plus, making him a caring father added such a warmth and realness to the movie, despite that this wasn't shown in the book. I adored having his kids as characters.

And the battle scenes with the elves were really cool. We even get to see a bit of elf/orc hand to hand combat, which was surprising and also kind of fun.

Things Viewers Might Like To Know

There's violence. I've heard it argued that its the most violent one yet. I'm not sure about that, but there was some gross orc beheadings that happened smack-dab in front of you, close enough to feel blood splatter. :P Plenty of orcs are skewered by elf arrows. But here's the reason why I don't have a problem with that. Orcs being skewered by elves. Much better than the other way around, yes? I probably flinched the most when an arrow is violently snapped off while in a hero's leg. Looked really painful.

Also, there's a large scene with spiders everywhere. Kind of freaky, even for someone who isn't terrified of spiders. My dad absolutely hates them, but he handled the scene pretty well.

Final Thoughts

Did I love it? Yes, I did. And after just finishing it the second time, I love it even more! I can hardly wait for The Hobbit: There and Back Again. That will be one intense movie, considering where this one leaves off. Wait, where does this one leave off? I guess you'll have to watch it, heh, heh, heh.

Favorite Book #3--The Lord of the Rings

If you are a fantasy writer, The Lord of the Rings is on your Favorite Books list.

Okay, okay, this rule doesn't apply to everyone, but it does apply to me. I was introduced to this books series through the wonderful movie versions of them. I was a little girl at that point, the faithful follower of my big brother, and our family was one of the few in our church who actually had not watched The Lord of the Rings. My brother was a Star Wars fan, so of course so was I. But then Mom and Dad watched the movies, and then they let my brother watch the movies, and then I got so see the part with the Shire.

Taken from Amazon.com

And then I was hooked. I finally got to watch the movies, closing my eyes at every battle scene or whenever an orc appeared. I had that movie memorized and I knew where to close my eyes, sure enough! Now, I watch the entire movie, minus a few unsavory parts.

But about now you're going, "I thought this post was about the books, not your movie-watching experience!" Well, yes, it is. The movies is what led me to the books. I think I've read them through twice, and I've waited long enough to start a third. I fell in love.

I do not believe any book can compare to Tolkien's masterpiece. There might be similar story-lines, but I haven't read anything like Tolkien's writing. For one, most don't write like the classics anymore. Not all, but most. A popular rule for writing a best-selling book now  is "Throw your character into action from the very first sentence and keep him there till the end of the book." The epic The Lord of the Rings starts with an everyday event of selling a house. Yep. And the action isn't always electrifying. At points it feels that the story will never move on. But there is a charm, a beauty, to Tolkien's work that none can copy. He blends humor into grim situations, and fills his extensive world with varying cultures, unforgettable characters, dark history, and brilliant messages.

This is an amazing, beautiful, epic that deserves to be read and read again. For a fantasy writer, this is a classic series that one can learn so much from. If you haven't yet read it, I strongly encourage you to
open the pages and immerse yourself into the world of Middle-Earth.

For those of you LOTR fans out there, which book is your favorite? Any favorite characters or scenes? Quotes? Or is it just too hard to pick?

Favorite Book #4--The Hobbit

"In a hole, in the ground, there lived a hobbit."

And thus begins one of the most beloved fantasy classics of all time. It is a famous line, one that sticks with you forever, but I love the next sentence just as much.

"Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit hole, and that means comfort."

Image taken from Amazon.com

The book then goes on to describe how wonderful a hobbit hole is; it is a place you would never want to leave. But of course, Bilbo Baggins, the respectable owner of the said hobbit hole, is scooted out the door by a wizard named Gandalf, and is sent forth on a most uncomfortable adventure. Although it is most discomfiting, he will become very proud of it, especially of the battle at the end which he was "most fond of recalling long afterwards, although he was quite unimportant in it."


Bilbo is completely loveable. All he wants to be is quiet and respectable, and then he is facing trolls, escaping goblins, outwitting a slimy creature, quite a few elves, and a terrible dragon.

Above all, though it is a seemingly random event in the story, he finds a magic gold ring.

And of course, this sets the stage for the greatest fantasy epic of our time, The Lord of the Rings. 

The Hobbit, the prequel to LOTR, is far more whimsical then its successor, and in some ways I like it better. Mostly because it is so funny! There are very few books more charming then this one. I've heard many people say they can't get through the first chapter, but I find the first chapter delightful!
J.R.R. Tolkien was a incredible author, and he went on to publish many stunning, brilliant, but often dark stories and histories.

For me, The Hobbit, will be the one of the most beloved of his works. However, The Lord of the Rings, had a more profound effect on me, so it is one place ahead of the Hobbit in my listings, as you will see.

By the way, readers, what did you think of the movie The Hobbit: There and Back Again? I was  pleased with it, overall. I have a few qualms, but nothing serious. I cannot wait for the second installment! Because, well, I'm crazy over elves, over one in particular, and there are a lot of elves coming up!