What is the best Tolkien work? (showing 1-17 of 17)

[Danny]

Though I like the Silmarillion and The Children of Hurin, for me it comes down to The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings with The Lord of the Rings managing to win.

[Rob]

I consider it all one singular work that happens to be spread out over a series of printed books. Considering LOTR alone took more than a decade to write, and only grew out of the idea of The Hobbit, I find it extremely difficult to separate the various books from each other.

[Danny]

I can see your point, but the tone and writing of the two books is different enough to consider them seperate.

[Rob]

Granted, but that has more to do with the fact The Hobbit was written as a bedtime story for his kids, and LOTR was a more scholarly approach, roping in many of the nordic legends that he'd devoted his academic career. If pushed I would actually have to say The Silmarillion is my favorite, but only because of the greater context it places the events of LOTR.
If you want read more about it check out tolkienprofessor.com, the guy has killer podcasts(free) on the whole body of Tolkien's work and a book coming out later this year on The Hobbit.

[Danny]

My favourite thing about the Silmarillion is the epic scale. It reads like a modern prose epic.

[Christine]

Danny wrote: "My favourite thing about the Silmarillion is the epic scale. It reads like a modern prose epic."

I've tried to read the Silmarillion, but it's too biblical for me. LOTR is by far my favorite, although I love the The Hobbit as well - enough that I've read the whole thing aloud to both of my children at different times. It's an incredibly fun book to read aloud, although I skipped most of the singing.

[Danny]

Mayhem wrote: "Danny wrote: "My favourite thing about the Silmarillion is the epic scale. It reads like a modern prose epic."

I've tried to read the Silmarillion, but it's too biblical for me. LOTR is by far my..."

The songs are the best part, lol. Haven't you seen the trailer for the movie.

[Rob]

Mayhem wrote: "Danny wrote: "My favourite thing about the Silmarillion is the epic scale. It reads like a modern prose epic."

I've tried to read the Silmarillion, but it's too biblical for me. LOTR is by far my..."

The Silmarillion is the creation myth of all of middle earth, it adds an even greater grandeur to LOTR, and completes the scope of Tolkien's work. Thats why his is considered the single most complete creation in all of literary history. I know it can tedious for some, but do your best to push through it

[Brad]

I'd have to say The Hobbit. I may get flayed alive for this, but I think Mr. Tolkien could have used a different editor for Lord of the Rings. It wasn't a tight or concise story at all.

[Micaela]

I would have to say The Hobbit. It just draws you in right away (or at least it did for me) and then it really just stays exciting thoughout the rest of the book.

[Danny]

Brad wrote: "I'd have to say The Hobbit. I may get flayed alive for this, but I think Mr. Tolkien could have used a different editor for Lord of the Rings. It wasn't a tight or concise story at all."

Respectfully, I don't know how you could say that about The Lord of the Rings. If it was written today, it would probably be ten 300,000 word books long and be filled wth useless characters.

[Brad]

I can't argue with you there Danny. I actually haven't had the time to go change a lot of my gradings on most of the books I've read. I am currently enjoying more books that aren't part of a series at all. I don't think I can read another page of the Malazan series right now. The only reason I'll buy the next Wheel of Time book is because it's supposed to be the last one, and Brandon Sanderson seems to be a pretty good guy.

[Ruth]

I'd have to say the trilogy as I've read them so many times but I also appreciate The Silmarillion for the grand vision of the "creation myth" and consider it to be Tolkien's masterpiece.

[Beatriz]

The Lord of the Rings or The Silmarillion.

[Libbie]

The Father Christmas Letters

[Chris]

Libbie wrote: "The Father Christmas Letters"

This was fun, wasn't it! But I wouldn't say it was the best Tolkien work. I've read LOTR three times since the 60s, and will probably give it a couple more gos before I pop my clogs, not a challenge I would do for the Letters.

I'd like to put a word in for the collection of essays The Monster and the Critics, but that may be a little nerdy of me.

[Sherri]

The Lord of the Rings, with The Return of the King being the best. And the publisher should have left the original title Tolkein wanted, which was The War for Middle Earth.