Yeah, I just started reading "The Hobbit". Of all things I could write about this week, I'm going with possibly one of the greatest fantasy novels ever written. This piece of work inspired most (if not all) of modern day fantasy writing and so far, it's easy to see why. But before we get there lets start at the top. I'm surprised it's taken me this long to read it, considering how famous this particular book is and especially after the Lord of the Rings movies and the unveiling of The Hobbit movie development. Needless to say I'm reading it now to prepare for the upcoming trilogy (We'll get to this later). I haven't read the LotR books yet but they're my next targets after finishing The Hobbit. Okay, let's jam.
So when I first started reading it I noticed a couple things, first and foremost the way it's written. It's put quite strangely, I don't think I've read anything like it before...or I've just gotten used to the Noir style of The Dresden Files (Book 14 out soon, woop) and so it seems kinda unusual. Then I noticed that I was reading it in Sir Ian McKellan's voice....which is both strange and awesome in equal parts. I think I know why I'm reading it like that though, even though the story isn't written from Gandalf's point of view. I think it's because when you watch the LotR movies, Ian McKellan does a little narrator-y part at the beginning and that's kinda stuck somewhere in my head and so now I'm reading it in his voice. Like I said, strange but awesome. Then I noticed something I wasn't quite expecting to see.
Poems. Well....they're meant to be songs but they read more like poems. They're everywhere. Seriously everywhere. I'm not really complaining about them, they're well written and make sense (unlike some) and I think make quite a nice story telling device, but I wouldn't like to see them used more often in books. I think they work well in this book because of the setting, could you imagine a modern day book written with poems in every chapter while our Heroes go off on an adventure around the world? Okay....maybe you could but my point is that they wouldn't really fit. Here they do and like I said they're well written and make sense so overall I'm not complaining.
Like I said earlier, it's not hard to see how this book has inspired so many authors. Even though it's written in quite an odd way (or at least to me...) it's amazing how well Tolkien sets the scene and manages to help you really imagine the events that are going on. I mean the scene where Bilbo is trading riddles with Gollum? Brilliant. I could imagine the scene quite clearly with the two of them on the subterranean lake shore.
All in all The Hobbit is a fantastic piece of story telling and I'm not even halfway through! It's clear how easily it could be adapted into a movie and I'm sure Jackson will do a fantastic job....but I can't help but wonder how he's going to make it into 3 movies? It's only 300 or so pages long...the LotR books are huge and it shows in the 12hrs of movie they went on to become! I'm sure he'll manage to do it and probably turn out another 3 epic movies. I mean there are alot of opportunities to expand on some of the stuff written in the book but even so I find it hard to see a trilogy in it. Although I am expecting them to follow suit and be 3hrs long (possibly 4 with extended cuts) again. I'm sure when they're out then they'll be spectacular!
I don't use the word "epic" often when describing things but the LotR film trilogy were truly epic movies. They are 3 of the few movies I would describe as "epic". Others include Toy Story 1 and 3, Saving Private Ryan, Band of Brothers (Not a movie but....) and a couple others. There are good movies, great movies and the truly epic movies, movies done on such a scale and to such an awesome quality that it's hard to think of any other term that applies.
Well that's pretty much it for now, I'm gunna go back to reading.
Catch ya later folks
PS. Well done Team GB on your most successful Olympic Games to date.
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