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09-29-2002, 08:48 PM | #1 |
lord of the ents
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: nc
Posts: 539
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ok am i the only one who........
am i the only one who did not understand the simarillion? everything seemed so complicated to me!
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09-29-2002, 11:35 PM | #2 |
AngAdan
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Boerne, Texas
Posts: 856
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No problem here, but then I also understand Texas politics.
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09-30-2002, 12:57 AM | #3 |
Half-Elven Princess of Rabbit Trails and Harp-Wielding Administrator (beware the Rubber Chicken of Doom!)
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Not where I want to be ...
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Hang in there and give it another try. I found keeping a paper and pencil at hand and jotting some things down as I went was helpful. It REALLY enhanced LoTR for me, so again I would say, stick with it! There's lots of Sil fans here, so you might also want to read through some of the threads, or just ask some more questions here.
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. I should be doing the laundry, but this is MUCH more fun! Ñá ë?* óú éä ïöü Öñ É Þ ð ß ® ç å ™ æ ♪ ?* "How lovely are Thy dwelling places, O Lord of hosts! ... For a day in Thy courts is better than a thousand outside." (from Psalm 84) * * * God rocks! Entmoot : Veni, vidi, velcro - I came, I saw, I got hooked! Ego numquam pronunciare mendacium, sed ego sum homo indomitus! Run the earth and watch the sky ... Auta i lómë! Aurë entuluva! |
09-30-2002, 04:07 AM | #4 |
The Dude
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: at the altar of my ego
Posts: 1,685
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it wasnt so complicated to read but there was just so much info to register that it is hard as. i bought it about 3 weeks ago and i am only finishing Beren and Luthien to put that in to perspective it took me three weeks to read LOTR and the Hobbit. i think one reason for that is the way that it is written. keep with it... i am a bit hipocritical considering i picked up the hobbit last night instead of the sil anyway of what i read it is a great book.
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09-30-2002, 04:57 AM | #5 |
the Shrike
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: San Francisco, CA <3
Posts: 10,647
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Aha! So I wasn't the only one who took notes!
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09-30-2002, 06:40 PM | #6 |
Elf Lord
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Middle Earth (I wish)
Posts: 670
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Just stick with it. You'll get there! It is hard to get into at first.
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09-30-2002, 06:59 PM | #7 |
Elf Lord
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: 2nd star to the left.....
Posts: 566
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The first time I tried (years ago) I gave up and it just sat on the shelf. I'm trying again. Just started this weekend and I've decided to do it in small doses so the info can settle in.
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09-30-2002, 08:50 PM | #8 |
Elven Warrior
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Right here in between yesterday and tomorrow.
Posts: 357
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I didn't get too much of it the first time I read it, either. Parts of it were very clear, and the whole story of Beren and Luthien, but well, looking back on it, I guess it was overwhelming. After a few attempts to get into it, I set it aside for literally years and then wanted to read that beautiful "Ainulindale" again, and this time, for some reason, perhaps because of discussions here at Entmoot, it was easy to just keep going. Keep working at it -- it's wonderful.
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09-30-2002, 09:03 PM | #9 |
Elven Warrior
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: We'd tell you but you're all out to get us.
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Taking note on it makes it sound like a history class, but is still a good idea. I think I'll try that.
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Pharoah "Vires decusque." |
10-01-2002, 01:07 PM | #10 |
Greatest Elven woman of Aman
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Having way too much fun with Fëanor's 7
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Entss89, did you start reading from the beginning? If you did, I suggest you skip Ainulindale and Valaquenta on your first reading and start with Quenta Silmarillion, which I think is somewaht easier to grasp. Don't worry if you don't understand everything, I'm sure you'll get the main points and enjoy reading. You can always go back to the first part of the book later, and then when you've finished Ainulindale and Valaquenta you might want to re-read QS to understand it better.
Taking notes might be a good idea as well, it just wouldn't work for me, I'm not patient enough to write things when I'm reading.
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10-02-2002, 05:30 PM | #11 |
Sapling
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: ny
Posts: 14
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I have 2 friends who recently picked up the Sil, only to get frustrated and quit. I didn't make it through my first time either. My only advice is - don't put to much effort into all the info- all the names and places, lineages, histories, and so on. Just try to absorb some and move through the book. This will be a book you will go back and read again and again, and each time you'll get all the info straightened out a little more. Once you get into some of the actual "stories" or narritives in the book, it should flow a little more. I begged so many of my friends to read the Sil, so I would have someone to talk to about it. It really blows me away on so many levels. Anyway, I very recently got online, and found this site, and it's a little overwhelming. I can't belive some of the intracacies that are discussed here- how in depth some people get with all the info. I thought I was bad-or good-but there are some true lore-masters floating around out there. Sorry to stray of topic- there are tons of books out there that you just have to plow through and hope it all comes together-it will-just stick with it and if you have any questions they can be answered here. I wish I was reading it for the first time-you have alot to look foward to.
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10-02-2002, 06:24 PM | #12 |
The Chocoholic Sea Elf Administrator
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: N?n in Eilph (Belgium)
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Mmm, am I the only one who didn't experience any problem with reading the silmarillion for the first time? :s
Artanis, don't tell people to skip the Ainulindale and Valaquenta! I loved those parts! But that may just be my myth-crazed brain speaking.
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10-02-2002, 06:32 PM | #13 |
the Shrike
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: San Francisco, CA <3
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I think so, Earniel!
I had a lot of trouble reading it the first time. There was a lot of stuff that I had to adjust to: writing style, the amount of information that there is to take in, some of the more complicated themes that aren't necessarily obvious to the first time reader, editorial mistakes - only *just* got my head around Gil-galad's parentage, thanks to having someone on hand to spell it out for me! I haven't read it for the second time yet, as I wish to further read up on HoME before I try to re-read it. All I can say is that it makes it tonnes easier having someone that you can bounce ideas off (even if the person I went to kept teasing me! ). Also helps if you read it slowly the first time through - I read it in three days, and I think I might have missed a lot of important detail.
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"Binary solo! 0000001! 00000011! 0000001! 00000011!" ~ The Humans are Dead, Flight of the Conchords |
10-02-2002, 06:37 PM | #14 | |
Elf Lord
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: minneapolis MN
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Quote:
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Gandalf lives...oh and Frodo too. Haldir Lives!!! |
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10-03-2002, 12:18 PM | #15 | |
Greatest Elven woman of Aman
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Location: Having way too much fun with Fëanor's 7
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Quote:
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10-03-2002, 03:13 PM | #16 | |
Elf Lord
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Israel
Posts: 6,975
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Quote:
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10-03-2002, 04:50 PM | #17 |
AngAdan
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Boerne, Texas
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It is significant to know that the Elves are bound within a framework of fate, but than the Atani are partialy free of it.
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10-04-2002, 07:50 AM | #18 | |
Elven Warrior
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Mississippi
Posts: 123
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family trees are the key
Quote:
Really, the similar-sounding names drove me wild the first few times around. What I need now is to construct a timeline, so I can keep track of what happened in each Age.
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10-06-2002, 09:03 AM | #19 |
lord of the ents
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: nc
Posts: 539
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allright i decided to try and read it again!(gets the book out of the trashcan) ok im taking your advice!it better work!
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10-06-2002, 10:46 AM | #20 | |
Elven Warrior
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Mississippi
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That's the spirit!
Quote:
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"Queen of Sweetness and Light!" - Mordomin |
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