The Hobbit and the LotR books are the only ones I've read through. I've read part of the Silmirillion and Children of Hurin.

Dam said:

because the hobbits hadnt evolved in sil right?

 A-F, and H for me. Silmarillion wins no problem for the best one. The stories about the elves fighting Morgoth always seemed so wonderfully epic!

thanks for voting

rich

richsabre said:

That is a positive, even though Eriador is mentioned.

However, Silmarillion is much more EPIC than LotR. Bigger and badder baddie, not some sissy who in Silmarillion gets bitch-slapped by a girl and a dog . Baddie who at least comes out to fight someone (even if only once). Battles are grander, not just orcs, orcs, a troll and more orcs, everything is turned to the 10th power, highs and lows. That silly ring in LotR? Trinket among others in terms of scale for Silmarillion's goodies. Rise and fall of greats (and the infamous) vs who, Saruman in LotR?

Dam said:

that is true- though it is the adventure like qualities of lotr that make me love it so much….epic is great, and silmarillion is great of course…it just covers too much ground too quickly for me

 A of them except the Histories…so I?

LOTR is still my fav.

thanks for voting

rich

A B C D E F H…reading Tolkien lore just makes me want more

thanks for voting golden nightingale

rich

A the silmarillion

B the hobbit

C the fellowship of the ring

D the two towers

E the return of the king

F the unfinished tales

G any of the history series (eg the return of the shadow)

H the children of hurin

I the adventures of tom bombadil

So everything and some that are not mentioned in the list :-) If I have to pick one, the Fellowship of the ring is my favorite.

If you want to read something different try to find out fan fiction "The last ring bearer" it is guite nice ;-)

Hannibal_pjv said:

thanks for voting. which ones do you mean? i have famer giles, leaf by etc but wanted to keep the list just middle earth

i also have some non fiction middle earth books, but theres just so many the list could go on and on :)

rich

richsabre said:

Agreed to both.  The part of me that loves history (I was born about 100 years too late) just loves the Sil for what it is…  the larger story that defines every little detail in The Hobbit and LOTR cycle.

I love them all, but realistically, The Hobbit is truly kid's material and just a snapshot in time of a singular (albeit influential) event.  The LOTR is obviously a bit larger in scale, but still a very specific story about a few important relationships more than anything else.  The Sil… well, the way I explain the comparisons between the LOTR and the Sil for those who have only read (or watched… sorry, Rich) the LOTR cycle is one very simple comparison (which usually goes something like this):

"You know that Balrog that was wicked awesome in Moria?  That seemed indestructable?  That took down Gandalf?  That was more ferocious than anything else in the books/movies save Sauron himself (and let's face it, Sauron didn't really DO anything other than stare really menacingly with a giant eyeball) or maybe the Witch King??  Yeah, well the bad guy in the Silmarillion (Melkor/Morgoth) has a whole bunch of those things he kept around him as his personal bodyguards…  and Sauron was just his right-hand guy."

Also, Sauron was a vampiric creature at one point who was bested by a girl and a dog.  This sounds much too similar to the characters in the Twilight series, so it's hard for me to think of Sauron as a real badass…. 

benhanses said:

I like how ppl often say they are sorry to Rich when refrencing the movies. It keeps things polite.

 I loved the Peter Jackson take on the Lord of the Rings (IN YOUR FACE MR.  SABRE!!…errr…I mean…sorry Rich…). Without PJ our Balrogs might not have wings! Wings are WWWAAAAAYYYY better. (I'm trolling?…………………………………….sorry Rich.)

@ Ben, HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!! You should take up poetry…in Swahili.

Its a myth!!!!!!  i actually love the films………

seriously i do, i even have the cast's autographs.

i just think theyre poor adaptions, so feel free people to reference whatever you like, no need to feel sorry for me….you can even (gasp) reference saruman falling off the top of orthanc if you like haha

on a related note im reading john howes artbook, and aparently (must have missed this) minas tirith's walls were made of black stone ….not white!

whats happening to my universe?!! how many other things am i mis remembering? perhaps i should start a 'things i think are true but arent' thread