Disclaimer: this is not a review. This is a ramble. I am just going to ramble about my thoughts and opinions about the book. Also, spoilers of course.

Fun fact: I wrote this last year and was shocked to find today (08/03/24) that I never posted it… aha

I have finally done it, I’ve started reading the Lord of the Rings (LoTR)! I have said I wanted to read this series since forever, since I fell in love with the movies. I was always discouraged from reading them as people would tell me that the books were long winded and boring, and that Tolkien spent an age describing a tree.

It turns out, I like that.

Maybe Tolkien and I are kindred spirits (me and the thousands of other fans).

I loved the book from the moment I started reading it, the moment! He captured my attention start away!

It is so interesting, I love the lore and I love how deep he gets with it. “What’s that? You want to tell me the history of hobbits? Go ahead, I’m eating this up, there are three types you say?!”

Plus, the whole build up before Frodo freaking leaves the Shire, omd! I think that’s the only time I was impatient. Not because I was bored but because I was anxious. The darkness was coming, the Black Riders nipping at their heels and they were still in Hobbiton!

Frodo and Gandalf really took their sweet time.

The movie really sped things up because in the movie things happen pretty much straight away. However, in the books Frodo finds the ring at the age of 33 and Gandalf comes back from his investigation into the ring when he’s 50… 50! Even after he tells Frodo he will need to leave, Frodo does not leave straight away. However, that part made sense as he had to sell the house.

Gandalf tells us the story of Smeagol and how he got the ring, I can’t remember if we found out all the details in the beginning of the movies or at the end however I swear we saw the scene with Smeagol’s brother at the end of Return of the King. Don’t quote me it’s been a while since my last rewatch.

Anyway, isn’t it mad? Smeagol is like it was a present, it was my birthday and Gandalf is like… “why the f*** you lying?” In his head.

I find it funny that ring was lost for so long because no one paid attention to the hobbits like… they keep to themselves so well they weren’t even on Sauron’s radar.

It was so nice meeting the characters in the books again. Sam truly does work for Frodo. I know he does in the movies too but somehow they felt equal but in the books I was like oh, yeah he is his gardener. I still love him though. When I first watched the movies Legolas was my favourite but on rewatches I fell in love with Samwise. He is just the perfect man.

It’s nice to see how much he grows even in just this first half of The Fellowship. You can see the difference in how he was when he first met the elves and when he meets them again in Rivendell.

The one who shocked me the most though was Merry. He was so smart, so big brain, the entire first half of the book when they’re leaving the Shire. I’ve always loved Merry and how he came into himself throughout the movies. But in the book it’s really showcased that he was always smart and always the strategist of the friend group. He was always brave too.

Sometimes, however, he was too brave. That part when he followed the Black Rider… alone! That was both brave and foolish. However, was he lured? Was he enticed?

I liked Brandybuck, the place Frodo moved to. The hobbits there were nicer. They were also really brave. Man really looked at a Black Rider and his only thought was that it talked funny. They’re built different. It’s probably because they live right next to the forest.

I have to ask though, how is the book scarier or more sinister than the movie? I guess because they left out the journey through the Old Forest and the hasty exit of Brandybuck but still!

The Black Riders (a.k.a.: Ringwraiths) were scary! At first, they’re annoying but their creepiness builds and builds the closer they get to the hobbits.

They are so creepy. Why were they crawling on the ground?! Man got down on all fours!

Perhaps, it’s because I have an active imagination.

I thought they were creepiest beings in the book, until I got to the barrow wights. That was nightmare fuel. Omd, I thought they were gone (despite knowing how the story ends) I thought that was it, but thank goodness for Tom Bombadil.

Ah Tom, he’s introduced in the Old Forest section before they reach Bree. His whole arc was completely cut out of the movies much to the chagrin of some fans. I also heard fans were hoping he’d be included in Rings of Power.

I can see why now that I’ve read the book. He’s light personified, and he’s really old. He existed before the elves and Sauron step foot on Middle Earth. Sometimes, the way they describe him it’s like he is the spirit of Middle Earth, like a nature spirit.

I find it fitting that he’s with Goldberry, the daughter of the river.

Plus, the ring doesn’t affect him at all. It doesn’t make him disappear and he could see Frodo whilst he was invisible. He also has no fear within him. I feel like they should have studied Tom more to understand the true way to defeat the ring. I mean before the plot of LoTR, because within the plot of LoTR they really have no time.

I’d like to be like Tom. Deadass, I would find it very hard to leave his cottage if I was the one going on the ring quest.

Back to the Old Forest episode, that Old Willow was out for blood! Tolkien really knows how to build suspense and dread because I again, I really thought that was it for them. At least for Pippin and Merry who were swallowed. Those trees had serious beef with people, especially Old Willow. I get that its mad their forest has been drastically cut down and how destructive people are. However, the hobbits ain’t done nothing. Ignore the part where the Brandybuck people burnt the forest because the forest was attacking them at that time.

He wasn’t an Ent, I was lowkey disappointed. I know there’s another species of sentient tree that is super violent. However, I pictured them differently than Old Willow. Old Willow doesn’t attack violently and quickly but slow and gently.

Anyway, moving on. The ring’s personality is more easily shown in the books. It’s a little bitch. Frodo was having a good old time dancing on a table and it thought, “I’m about to ruin this guy’s whole career” like chill!

But it wants to go back to Sauron. But it was perfectly fine with Smeagol?

Sus

Or maybe it was crying out and trying to escape Smeagol but as man was in the caves…

We meet Aragorn, of course, and he was super nice. He was so gentle. He looks a little different from movie Aragorn but that is to be expected. He carries himself with such authority. I like that we get a little more information on the Rangers.

It was also interesting to find out that Aragorn was protecting Hobbiton that whole time since they found out about the ring. It makes sense because danger stays out of Hobbiton for a rather long time. I thought it was due to them not caring about hobbits as mentioned before but no, it was due to the efforts of Aragorn and Gandalf.

Obscure LoTR Facts guy mentioned that the land in Middle Earth during LoTR is in ruin. It is not the same as it was before as almost all was destroyed by the darkness of Sauron and the battles. I can see that in the books. In the movies we can see it too but honestly I just assumed they liked all that green around. I thought it was a part of the aesthetic. However, in the books it’s like aww, this place used to be like this… men used to live here like this. You really get the sense that man is on the decline, that everyone is on the decline.

I never truly understood why the elves were leaving Middle Earth but looking at it, it makes sense. Sauron really sucked the land dry, look at the Old Forest, a fraction of what it was.

Speaking of elves we got to meet more of them. We got to meet Gildor who was the realest mofo. He really helped them out! He sent them Tom and the help of other elves. He was just *chefs kiss*. He also showed up at a crucial moment… wait, was this when the black rider was on fours?

Then there was also Glordindel, our golden hero. He is an elf lord. I feel like most fans know him though as he was famously replaced by Arwen in the movies. He really ran up on the Ringwraiths. He looked them dead in the face and made sure they knew he wasn’t scared. He says he is not scared of darkness because he comes from a place of light.

*throws self at Glorfindel* take me!

Although, even in the books it was not him who made the flood that took out the Ringwraiths, that was Elrond. Gandalf added spice making them look like horses with white riders. So really, it was a team effort.

Thus, a lot happens from the beginning of the book to the moment they reach Rivendell. I thought the first part of the journey was going to be so simple. I had heard it was longer than the movie but I thought it would be chill. They really went through it! Even the guys in Brandybuck who were covering for Frodo went through it after he left.

I was on the edge of my seat the entire time waiting for them to make it to Elrond. Wow.

I wonder what the Ringwraiths feel. When Frodo was stabbed he started to feel cold at the stab wound. It’s sad. However, sadness went out the window when they laughed at Frodo, bastards. (Shout out to Glorfindel’s horse, he really came through). They really became that for the rings.

Also, can you imagine the land back in the time when they had more kings? When the dwarf kingdoms were thriving? When the elves were not depressed and ready to go home? Even the rocks remembered that time of happiness, the calm before the storm.

That’s what I enjoy the most about Rings of Power. You can see the darkness creeping in but it’s cool to see the land in splendour. Rings of Power perfectly captured Sauron’s character too. As you know there is no giant eye in the books but it always feels like something is watching. Sauron pretending to be some average joe guy fits because he tricked sooo many people it is insane. I know the elves are wise but the fact that only they clocked and no one else… that’s saying something.

There are also calls to The Hobbit book with the trolls that turned to stone that they pass at one point of their journey.

Honestly, it was so good and I read it during winter of 2022 (don’t ask why this post is late). I have yet to finish part two of The Fellowship of the Ring because procrastination hit me like a truck. Oh, and I got more books so I’ve been juggling reading them and procrastination.

I have read the council of Elrond chapter, the first one of part two. That chapter was rife with information. Saruman is funnier in the books, or at least funny to me. How is man going to have a multicoloured cloak. How did no one clock that he’d gone to the dark side? Trust your instincts people, also actions speak louder than words! That whole interaction between Gandalf and him tickled me. He’s so extra!

I’m kind of sad he didn’t get iridescent clothes in the movies now (but Christopher Lee did a fantastic job either way).

Also, hearing about the whole Isildur saga pissed me off. I thought they dramatized it for the movie but this was done faithfully from the book. Elrond really just watched Isildur put that damn ring on! It’s made worse when it happens right after his father, Elendil, and Gil Galad fought Sauron to their death! They sacrificed themselves and Isildur was able to cut off the ring and man wore it!

I would slap him. I would yeet him into the fire (yes Obscure LoTR facts guy again, he has many gems).

I’ve just stopped at the part where they are about to set out as the official fellowship. It kills me how in the movies it’s all sentimental like, “We’ll help you out little buddy” “You can have my axe!” (I’m paraphrasing). Whereas, in the books it is carefully planned by Elrond. He picked the absolute best people for the trek to get Frodo to Orodruin as fast and as efficiently as possible. The last two spots on the squad were meant for more experienced people but Pippin twisted Elrond’s arm (whined) to he let him go with Frodo.

So fascinating. Other interesting things, or at least I found them interesting. Frodo can speak elvish to intermediate level thanks to Bilbo. The dragons could destroy all rings but the one ring. They stayed in Rivendell longer than in the movies to let Frodo heal and also to explore and figure out their next step. The Mirkwood elves were nice to Smeagol because they felt sorry for him but he tricked them and that’s how he escaped.

I was side eyeing Frodo the whole time Legolas was telling his story because I know what is coming next. Were you not listening Frodo?!

Also, the dwarf and elf beef wasn’t as intense and Gloin was there.

All in all a great start, I just need to carry on.