Tolkien Talk: Jon of Scott Reads It

 

As part of our Tolkien Reading Celebration, we’ll be interviewing a different blogger each day about their love for Tolkien and what makes his works so special for them.  Today, we’re featuring Jon of Scott Reads It.

1.) When and how were you first introduced to Tolkien?  What did you read first?

I first attempted to read The Hobbit in elementary school because I heard Tolkien’s books were similar to The Chronicles Of Narnia. I didn’t make it too far into The Hobbit when I realized that this book was beyond me, there was something about it that I didn’t get and I just found it incredibly dull. Later on in high school, I decided to give The Fellowship of the Ring a chance and I instantly became addicted.

2.) What attracts you to Tolkien’s writing?

Tolkien’s writing, while extremely verbose, has this magical quality to it that easily allows readers to be transported to magical realms. Tolkien writes some of the most vivid prose and he always manages to wow readers with his in-depth description. Because of Tolkien’s prose, Hobbiton doesn’t feel like a fictional world, it’s a home to millions of readers.

3.) What would you say to those who haven’t read any of Tolkien’s books yet?

I would definitely recommend Tolkien’s books to those who love the Game Of Thrones TV Show and The Song Of Fire And Ice Novels; just like G.R.R. Martin’s books, Tolkien’s books are extremely slow-moving, but extremely rewarding in the end.

4.) What is your favorite Tolkien book?  What makes it special?

 My favorite Tolkien book is definitely The Two Towers because there’s something so incredible about this book. Usually 2nd books in a trilogy suffer from “middle-book” syndrome, but The Two Towers is even more intense and exhilarating than The Fellowship of the Ring. I absolutely love The Two Towers and it definitely can’t hurt that my favorite character, Gollum, plays a key role in this book.

5.) Can you share one of your favorite Tolkien quotes with us?

Call me cliche, but I love the classic, mainstream Tolkien ones that everyone seems to know.

“All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”

“Not all those who wander are lost.”

“There is some good in this world, and it’s worth fighting for.”

“If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.”

I could go on and on, but you get the point. Tolkien’s books are always filled with such wisdom and even though Tolkien is no longer with us, his clever books will continue to perpetuate his legacy.