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Michaela
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Post RE: How were you.......?
on: March 03, 2007 11:23
My first encounter with Lord of the Rings was at the age of nine, about five years ago (late 2001-early 2002). I was an avid reader and a rabid Harry Potter fan (already) who was sick of waiting for "Order of the Phoenix" to arrive. (I'd have to wait two more years.) This was around the time Fellowship of the Ring came out into theaters...but it had nothing to do with that. My dad had gotten a paperback box-set of the trilogy from his father in the seventies, and now he lent me "Fellowship of the Ring", thinking I might like it. I plowed through "Concerning Hobbits", got bored :twitch:, put down the book in the middle of "A Long-Expected Party", and promptly forgot that "Lord of the Rings" existed.

Encounter Two was a year later (late '02-early '03). I was ten, in sixth grade. FotR was out on video, and we were having a class party. Of course, we had to watch a movie...so, it was FotR. I was still turned off to LotR after the previous year's brush with it, and I paid little to no attention. I read something instead.

Encounter Three was two years after that, in early 2005. I was twelve, and m best friend's dad was reading the trilogy aloud to her and her sisters. Meanwhile, the movies had all been released and our other friends and acquaintances were obsessed with Orlando Bloom. I was sick and tired of listening to talk of characters and events that I didn't understand, so I decided to give Lord of the Rings a chance. I finished it this time around, and, although I liked it, I was very confused. :dizzy:

At Christmas that year, I was talking to a cousin's girlfriend about the books I was reading, and somehow the fact that I'd read Lord of the Rings eight or nine months previously came up. I mentioned how confusing it was and decided to read it again! So the next time I was at the library I picked up a paperbound complete copy and read it. I haven't looked back since. After the second reread, I announced my intention to compare the movies to the books. I remember this very clearly...we went to the library. They only had FotR on VHS, so we checked it out. So we watched the movie and now I have three converts (my two brothers and my dad, none of whom will read the books [although my dad already has]). They're all insane (as evidenced by the fact that one of them was just forced to turn off "Mashed Taters" by another) but none are as LotR-mad as I am! We've seen all three extendeds, but now the question is how to get my dad to buy them for us?? Hmm...

In April (I think) of last year, I meant to read it again, but my dad's 1970s copies were falling apart, literally. I bought a paperback box set of the trilogy and "The Hobbit" off the internet for $12.50, and as soon as they came (which took more than a week) I launched back into the books. Then, in June, I went on a twelve-hour car trip in which I was only allowed to bring a very small bag of reading materials. So I took LotR and drove everyone I was with nuts. I then reread it a fifth time...finishing that up about 3 weeks ago. Some people from (get this) a Harry Potter fansite fanned my obsession and, after that fifth read, I was inspired to track down CoE again. I'd gotten a link to the Elvish name translator ages ago but had never bothered coming back. I'm glad I did!

[Edited on 3/3/2007 by Michaela]

[Edited on 4/3/2007 by Michaela]
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Post RE: How were you.......?
on: March 07, 2007 04:19
In April (I think) of last year, I meant to read it again, but my dad's 1970s copies were falling apart, literally.


I know the dilema! My edition of FotR is laying all over the house, and consequently I haven't been able to read it for over a year. TTT and RotK are not far behind the same fate. I really need to buy some new ones.

My first encounter with LotR was when my extended family all went to a performance of "The Hobbit" at a children's theater in the city. I was about six years old, and I remember staring at the colorful wall poster in the lobby like it was yesterday. "Is that Bilbo, dad?" I asked. "No, but it might be his nephew Frodo," my dad answered. "But Frodo wasn't in the play," I insisted. So then my dad patiently explained that The Hobbit was only the first book of a series by a man named JRR Tolkien, and the three books of the trilogy had to do with Frodo and the ring Bilbo found in the little creepy guy's cave.

I asked if we could start reading when we got home, and my dad said that I'd understand it better when I was older. So that was that. I discovered the books in due time and launched into what will probably be a lifetime of fandom. :heart:
golden_lorien
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Post RE: How were you.......?
on: March 09, 2007 04:16
I think I was either 12 or 13 when I first read The Hobbit. After I read it, I said it was the best book I had ever read. (I have never since said that about any book). Then I read the trilogy, and somewhere along the way I became obsessed. Then I read The Silmarillion, and became even more obsessed, if that's possible. Well, The Sil is an amazing book... and I thought that the Lord of the Ringswas a master piece...!
Elfalas
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Post RE: How were you.......?
on: March 10, 2007 04:50
Well, I became introduced to the whole thing in fifth grade. One of my friends was reading The Fellowship of the Ring and the only reson I remeber is that she was on the page that showed the gates of Moria. I had no clue what they were talking about so I quit asking questions. Then, when the movie came out, all of my friends were talking about seeing and I asked my parents if I could. They said no bacause it was rated PG-13. I was mad, but let it slide, even though my friend's parents offered to take me.

Then, in seventh grade, I saw the movies on tv for the first time. My brain saw the movies and it was hooked, so I started looking for them whenever I caught someone talking about them being on. Then, one year later in Eighth grade(the best year ever in my life of school, mind you) I saw The Lord of the Rings book series in a book fair at my mom's school. I asked if I could have them and as a graduating present from that prison they call school, I got them plus the Hobbit.

That is pretty much it and this site I found looking for more of Tolkien's books.
Dolwen
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Post RE: How were you.......?
on: July 13, 2007 01:35
I thought I had posted here before but I guess not.
Anyway, technically I guess I was introduced to Tolkien when I was a child through the animated Hobbit which I watched many times. I remember being afraid of Gollum. lol. But I really didn't know anything about Tolkien or LotR until Fellowship came out on dvd. I rented it and fell in love. I saw TT in the theaters and then went out and bought a box set of LotR paperbacks and was completely hooked from there.
GOLOTR
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Post RE: How were you.......?
on: July 18, 2007 05:46
I was introduced 2 years ago this time!!! I was actually first introduced by a friend a few years ago who told me i needed to read the books but i thought they sounded stupid (I know GASP!!!! I absolutley dont think that anymore!!) Anywho i saw clips of the movies at camp and then when i got home i checked out all the books at the library and read them all within 5 days. Then i watched the movies - and i have LOVED them ever since!!
darkfey9
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Post RE: How were you.......?
on: August 01, 2007 03:48
I didn't really get into LOTR until FotR came out and a friend told me about it (in her words exactly) "Well there's this guy that finds this ring and he wants to get rid of it because it makes you want to take over the world" :twitch: well we started watching it, and I told my mum who freaked out and made me read the books first because she was convinced that knowing the end would make them less scary. (which they weren't scary anyways but w/e) So I read FotR and half of TTT, then we watched the movies and I did manage to see RotK in theaters ^_^ I've read the books several times over now and read "The Hobbit" at least 45 times lol
frodofan14
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Post RE: How were you.......?
on: October 25, 2007 10:49
i saw half of FOTR on tv in august, then all of TTT and ROTK the next 2 days, then i read the hobbit, then i rented all the movies and watched them 50 (not kidding) times each, then readFOTR, TTT, ROTK, and then the sillmarrilion. then i rented the animated the hobbit.

[Edited on 25/10/2007 by frodofan14]
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