Beschreibung

Biblo Beutlin lebt in seiner behaglichen Hobbithöhle im Auenland und verbringt sein Leben äußerst zufrieden und gemächlich, bis der Zauberer Gandalf mit einer Horde Zwerge im Schlepptau auftaucht, und den bescheidenen Hobbit zu einer abenteuerlichen Reise einlädt.

Trotz einiger Bedenken willigt Bilbo ein, lässt sein beschauliches Leben hinter sich und geht mit der Zwergengemeinschaft auf die Reise. Ziel der Unternehmung ist es die Heimat der Zwerge einschließlich ihrer Reichtümer von dem gefährlichen Drachen Smaug zurück zu fordern.

Meine Meinung

„Der Hobbit“ von J. R. R. Tolkien zählt wahrlich zu den Klassikern im Bereich der Fantasyliteratur. Eigentlich handelt es sich bei dem Roman um eine Geschichte für Jugendliche, doch die Erzählung über den Hobbit Bilbo Beutlin und seine Abenteuer mit den Zwergen und dem Zauberer Gandlaf begeistert durchaus auch erwachsene Leser.

Tolkien entführt den Leser in eine phantastische Welt und lässt uns an einer spannenden Reise vor märchenhafter Kulisse teil haben. Dabei lernt man nicht nur das Wesen der Hobbits besser kennen, sondern auch die einzelnen Zwerge. Man begegnet neckischen Elben, furchteinflößenden Orks, Riesenspinnen und schließlich trifft Bilbo tief in einer Höhle auf Gollum. Nach all diesen Strapazen steht nur noch die Bekanntschaft mit dem Drachen Smaug aus.

Ich liebe Tolkiens märchenhaften Schreibstil der so detailliert Wesen und Landschaften beschreibt, dass man das Gefühl hat tatsächlich vor Ort zu sein und gemeinsam mit den Helden der Geschichte die Abenteuer zu bestehen.

Diese wunderschöne Ausgabe von „Der Hobbit“ des Klett-Cotta Verlags kann zudem mit fantasievollen Illustrationen des Künstlers Alan Lee aufwarten. Seine ganzseitigen bunten Zeichnungen unterstreichen dezent einzelnen Szenen aus dem Buch. Außerdem half Alan Lee bereits dem Regisseuer Peter Jackson bei der filmischen Umsetzung der Geschichte.

Über den Autor

J. R. R. (John Ronald Reuel) Tolkien wurde am 3. Januar 1892 in Bloemfontein (Südafrika) geboren. Er wuchs in England in der Nähe von Birmingham auf. Schon als Kind interessierte sich Tolkien für Sprache und Mythen. Seine Karriere begann er schließlich im Jahr 1925, als er zum Professor für Angelsächsisch in Oxford gewählt wurde. Schon bald erlangte Tolkien großes Ansehen als einer der besten Philologen weit und breit. Als seine besondere Vorliebe galten die alten nordischen Sprachen.

Im Jahr 1937 erschien sein erstes Werk »Der Hobbit«, dass sich wider Erwarten schnell zu einem beliebten Jugendbuch etablierte. Aufgrund des großen Erfolges wurde rasch nach einer Fortsetzung verlangt, die mit »Der Herr der Ringe« in den Jahren 1954/1955 erschien. J. R. R. Tolkien prägt mit seinen Geschichten um die Ereignisse in Mittelerde die Fantasyliteratur wie kein anderer. Mit 81 Jahren verstarb der Autor nach kurzer Krankheit.

Fazit

Ein Fantasy-Klassiker der durch seine fantasievollen Gestalten und eine traumhafte Kulisse immer wieder begeistert!

So finally getting around to reading the LOTR series. I've also booked tickets to go and see all extended editions back to back at the cinema in London in a week. 12 and a half hours in total. I hope I have the stamina to make it through, it's been interesting as someone who was a huge fan of the films to finally read the books and see the similarities/differences. I expected it to be wildly different, but I thought as far as book to film usually goes, Jackson and co stayed quite true to the books with slight alterations here and there. I'd wager it's probably to enhance the drama as the ideas moved to screen.

But anyway, back to the books. My favourite section of the whole book is the council of Elrond. I am for better or worse a political animal and I think the discussions over the ring and strategy most likely engaged that part of me. I thought it was the most tastefully written section of dramatic consequence in the book. The back and forth between Aragorn and Boromir and the stern nature of Elrond blend quite nicely to make the dialogue riveting. 

The lore in particular is important. That is what the films struggled with at times, I never felt that the rings of power and their significance was properly fleshed out, although I'm aware the beginning sequence of the fellowship is dedicated to the rings of power and their story. With the books you see Celebrimbor brought into the fold, albeit briefly, as the forger of the Elven rings which he deceived Sauron with, thus hiding them from the rings pull and protecting the Elven elites from becoming wraiths like the kings of men. Then there is this interesting section I think in Lothlorien with Galadriel where she explains that if the one ring is destroyed, the power of the Elven rings will either be freed or wilt with the one ring. Should it be the latter the Elves culture will regress and so they must leave middle earth. It may have been Elrond thinking about it who details this properly, but I'm sure the lady of the wood has her piece on it.

This all goes some way to explaining why the powerful, elegant race of Elves who seem so wise and able are in fact declining and not in a better position to help the others defend middle Earth from the shadow.

One of the other things I noticed in the fellowship was the observations on human character portrayed through the different races. When the company is being led to Lothlorien by the Elves and they insist on blindfolding Gimli because he's a dwarf, at a time when there is an evil lord with the upper hand seeking dominion over all peoples creeping closer to all places of goodness. I just thought that was typical of the short sighted, tribal instincts that we tend to see in our own characters. People willing to forsake the easy, rational choice and the greater good for their own pride and political point scoring. Relishing in petty squabbling and stubborn, blatantly biased view points. 

It's a good lesson on the dangers of division of good people in the face of encroaching danger and the folly of allowing petty, selfish grievances to get in the way of bonds. Further to this never admitting fault or blame, only seeking to look outwards when something goes wrong and point the finger and the division and resentment this causes. All based in a lack of wisdom, reason, empathy and humility.

I think the great strength of this book is its recurring theme. This idea that no matter how bleak things look and how marginalised the purity of the world is there are always things to cling to that can help change the tide. There is always hope no matter how unbelievable the odds seem to be. It doesn’t matter if you’re a minuscule hobbit constantly overlooked and underestimated. There are strengths that aren’t always considered or apparent that can tip the scales in a big way.

This also then leads on to the touching of philosophy and how Tolkien sort of alludes several times to the idea that very slight variations of action or chance would throw the entire fate of middle earth one way. Gandalf says that Frodo was meant to have the ring and that bodes well for the fate of middle earth, suggesting there's a pulling of the strings behind the scenes, but then there are times when it is suggested that if the person's character does not stand up to the test and they do not act the appropriate way to a challenge that will change the outcome of the war between good and evil. There are some spiritual ideas in play. I think as well this is what attracts me to LOTR ahead of A song of Ice and Fire. I find Martin's analysis of humanity to just be profoundly depressing and cynical and I have enough cynicism about the real world to want my fantasy escapism to be filled with the same. 

I have thoroughly enjoyed the fellowship and I look forward to the two towers. Enjoy your weekend my tragically estranged (because I barely use BL anymore like a fool) BL companions.

(reblogged from ILoveHalloween)

Take a peek at these 10 incredible displays of fiery dragon realness, brought to you by our fluffy cloud friends. Whether you're a total dragon fan like us or just think of them as big scary lizards, you're in for a visual feast.

 

1. Whispy Wonder

I mean, the whole head is there. This is surely a sign from the almighty Dragon God that us mortals are doing well with our masterful TV interpretation of Game of Thrones.

 

2. Winged Traveler

If that cloud doesn't look just like a dragon in flight then I don't know what does... Definitely not this.

 

3. Peaceful Guardian

Christina Yen

If Gandalf ever had a friendly dragon friend, this would be it.

 

  See the rest of the post here.  

Just your average pic of Gandalf emerging from the forests of Middle Earth to start his journey for candy.

This child better be glad I've been maintaining a low-carb diet for the last four months, LOL.  His candy bucket is only barely whispering my name from across the room.

"J.R.R. Tolkien may have been the epitome of the tweed-wearing, pipe-smoking Oxford don, but his books have inspired a lot of heavy metal over the decades, from Megadeth’s “This Day We Fight!” to Blind Guardian’s Nightfall in Middle Earth. This is not only because The Lord of the Rings is the preeminent fantasy of our time, but also because a lot of people die in Tolkien’s stories, and a lot of the times when they die it’s metal as hell. This is your definitive guide to the hardest trips to Mandos in all three ages."

this article  lists the Ten Most Metal Deaths, suitable for epic poems, romantic ballads or heavy metal music.

i copied Gandalf's because it's my favorite.

"Gandalf the Grey, like Glorfindel, wrestled a Balrog into an abyss. What makes Gandalf even more metal than Glorfindel is that Gandalf did not stop there. After grappling the demon down a seemingly bottomless pit, Gandalf fought the demon in a subterranean lake, through a lightless labyrinth populated by unspeakable monsters, up the tallest staircase ever, and finally on a mountain peak. Gandalf died after he, “Threw down my enemy… and broke the mountain-side where he smote it in his ruin,” which is the most metal line in the entire trilogy, and possibly all of English literature. Gandalf’s death was so metal he came back to life a different fucking color."

Follow the link to read the rest of the article and discover the other most epic ME deaths.