it's the small things that make something perfect.
I'm sure everyone of us has got that certain things that he/she kept in mind after reading Tolkien's books, small details, maybe of little worth to the story, but something remarkable that you never forget. Why not share them?
As an example, I remember reading The Hobbit for the first time and smiling about those dwarves wearing pointy hats. I've got this lovely picture in mind with them all hanging in Bilbo's entrace hall. It's just so wonderful how Tolkien took a stereotypical dwarf and made an absolutely fascinating creature out of it. If I think of The Hobbit I always get the dwarves' hats in mind and I can't help finding them sweet...
Thread: Nice details
What a nice thread Ithil 
Cant think of anything rigth now, coz there are so many details..sorry
Cant think of anything rigth now, coz there are so many details..sorry
I had always assumed that Gandalf's fire weapon was red; however it is white. Today I found that even PJ had known better and had done it correctly. That detail in the book can be found in 'The Seige of Gondor' in Book 5, of The Return of the King, when Gandalf rides to the succour of Faramir's rearguard on their retreat from Osgiliath:
Quote:
Like thunder they broke upon the enemy on either flank of the retreat; but one rider outran them all, swift as the wind in the grass: Shadowfax bore him, shining, unveiled once more, a light starting from his upraised hand.
The Nazg’l screeched and swept away, for their Captain was not yet come to challenge the white fire of his foe.
Like thunder they broke upon the enemy on either flank of the retreat; but one rider outran them all, swift as the wind in the grass: Shadowfax bore him, shining, unveiled once more, a light starting from his upraised hand.
The Nazg’l screeched and swept away, for their Captain was not yet come to challenge the white fire of his foe.
Something i always found remarkable, was that even the flies in Mordor had a Red Eye on their backs.
It must've been quite an arduous task for Sauron to gather every insect in Mordor and mark them with his trademark. Talk about perfectionism.
It must've been quite an arduous task for Sauron to gather every insect in Mordor and mark them with his trademark. Talk about perfectionism.
That reminds me so much of Laura...
Anyways, just rereading over the books shows so many things that I didn't understand my first read! Like everything about the star of Earendil and such. :P I'm also rereading the Hobbit, so I'm catching a bunch of humor (at least in the first part) that was somehow over my head when I read it at first. "struck by lightning! Struck by lightning!"
Anyways, just rereading over the books shows so many things that I didn't understand my first read! Like everything about the star of Earendil and such. :P I'm also rereading the Hobbit, so I'm catching a bunch of humor (at least in the first part) that was somehow over my head when I read it at first. "struck by lightning! Struck by lightning!"
I always like it when I recognize a line they used in the movies.
Another detail I liked was that Denethor still wore his armour under his clothes, I think it's because suddenly he's not the old man i thaught him to be.
Another image I like is when all the heroes are standing on a small hill in pelennor fields. I don't really know why I like that part but I just do.
P.S. if I make spelling mistakes feel free to correct me
Another detail I liked was that Denethor still wore his armour under his clothes, I think it's because suddenly he's not the old man i thaught him to be.
Another image I like is when all the heroes are standing on a small hill in pelennor fields. I don't really know why I like that part but I just do.
P.S. if I make spelling mistakes feel free to correct me
You know what I love? When I'm reading a Living with Danger and I find a direct Lord of the Rings quote. It's so cool, because no one else notices them, but I do. Anne, the author, used something that Eowyn said to the nazgul at Pelennor fields, for her character Aletha to say to a dementor. Now, this story has been up since April, and I'm the first person to point it out.one thing I'll never forget about reading lotr for the first time (in german) was legolas' first sentence at the council of elrond. in the new german translation he said, "weh oh weh" (in english it's alas, which is not perfectly the same), and that's rather what a nice granny would say finding out that her lovely grandson has got stains on his new trousers, and it somehow didn't quite fit in there... it sounded strange, and a noble elf saying it was kinda grotesque...
another very remarkable legolas quote was in book two - chapter III: the ring goes south when they're on snowy caradhras and try to get back. he said,
and then it goes on with his springing forth nimbly, running past the two men and waving to them and vanishing round a corner.
Reading these paragraphs I had to laugh, because I have this picture of this situation in mind and it looks gorgeous...
another very remarkable legolas quote was in book two - chapter III: the ring goes south when they're on snowy caradhras and try to get back. he said,
Quote:
The strongest must seek a way, say you? But I say: let a ploughman plough, but choose an otter for swimming, and for running light over grass and leaf, or over snow - an Elf.
The strongest must seek a way, say you? But I say: let a ploughman plough, but choose an otter for swimming, and for running light over grass and leaf, or over snow - an Elf.
and then it goes on with his springing forth nimbly, running past the two men and waving to them and vanishing round a corner.
Reading these paragraphs I had to laugh, because I have this picture of this situation in mind and it looks gorgeous...
Quote:
and then it goes on with his springing forth nimbly, running past the two men and waving to them and vanishing round a corner.
Yes, that is a much more authentic vision than Legolas surfing down the stairs at Helm's Deep or down an Oliphaunt's trunk in the midst of a major battle. and then it goes on with his springing forth nimbly, running past the two men and waving to them and vanishing round a corner.
In The Hobbit I got a very distinct image of Thorin when he was hunting for the arkenstone. I don't know why, but I could just feel his anguish when he couldn't find it.
Also, during the narrative part of Shelob's lair I got a very clear image when they talkedf how Shelob was the last child of Ungoliant and how all of her offspring were just lesser scum. Despite her being a villan, I could jsut feel the pride in her ancestry.
Also, during the narrative part of Shelob's lair I got a very clear image when they talkedf how Shelob was the last child of Ungoliant and how all of her offspring were just lesser scum. Despite her being a villan, I could jsut feel the pride in her ancestry.
Quote:
Yes, that is a much more authentic vision than Legolas surfing down the stairs at Helm's Deep or down an Oliphaunt's trunk in the midst of a major battle.
Yes, that is a much more authentic vision than Legolas surfing down the stairs at Helm's Deep or down an Oliphaunt's trunk in the midst of a major battle.
yeah, really... the book-legolas is so much more graceful than the movie-legolas... he's really cool. I like him a lot better than that little show-off in the movies......Last night while reading 'The Ring Goes South' (Chapter III, Book 2, FotR, I picked up on what may have been a precursor of the airborn Nazgul, between the apperance of the crebain and blizard on Caradhras:
Quote:
It was the cold chill hour before the first stir of dawn, and the moon was low. Frodo looked up at the sky. Suddenly he saw or felt a shadow pass over the high stars, as if for a moment they faded and then flashed out again. He shivered.
'Did you see anything pass over?' he whispered to Gandalf, who was just ahead.
'No, but I felt it, whatever it was,' he answered. 'It may be nothing, only a wisp of cloud.'
'It was moving fast then, muttered Aragorn, 'and not with the wind.'
Do you suppose Sauron sent one of the flying Nazgul back into Eriador in hopes of picking up some sign of the Ring, or maybe to retrieve a missing Nazgul who had failed to make it back to Mordor on his own? It was the cold chill hour before the first stir of dawn, and the moon was low. Frodo looked up at the sky. Suddenly he saw or felt a shadow pass over the high stars, as if for a moment they faded and then flashed out again. He shivered.
'Did you see anything pass over?' he whispered to Gandalf, who was just ahead.
'No, but I felt it, whatever it was,' he answered. 'It may be nothing, only a wisp of cloud.'
'It was moving fast then, muttered Aragorn, 'and not with the wind.'
Quote:
Do you suppose Sauron sent one of the flying Nazgul back into Eriador in hopes of picking up some sign of the Ring, or maybe to retrieve a missing Nazgul who had failed to make it back to Mordor on his own?
Do you suppose Sauron sent one of the flying Nazgul back into Eriador in hopes of picking up some sign of the Ring, or maybe to retrieve a missing Nazgul who had failed to make it back to Mordor on his own?
Maybe it was just an airplane.
Seriously, it was either one of the Great Eagles, or one of the Nazg’l's pterodactyls. Considering that Frodo nearly wet his pants, i take it was a pterodactyl + Nazg’l.
I don't think it was a nazgul, because I remember something from the two towers, where an orc from mordor says that the nazgul aren't allowed to cross the great river yet. I'd look it up if it wasn't so late.
But of course almost everyone likes book Legolas better than the movie version! I mean, the book version is the real thing while the movie version is an imitation. :P
But don't you know? Legolas got his name from a tree-surfing competition among the Elves.* The prize was the famed "Green Leaf", which was awarded to the winner much like the laurel wreathes were to the Greeks in the Olympics. The Elves had loin clothes though, don't worry.
Anyways, Elves surf the trees like Tarzan. It is a little known, refined art that takes years to perfect, and is best executed in Lothlorien (Where they hold the competition), though Mirkwood is a close second. The dwarf watermelon seed spitting competition is a little known and refined art as well.
*Of course all of you fine people know that the tree surfing contest is a load of hogwash I cooked up to satisfy an inquiring mind one day in May. He wanted to know why Legolas was surfing on the oliphant's trunk in the movie...
Quote:
Yes, that is a much more authentic vision than Legolas surfing down the stairs at Helm's Deep or down an Oliphaunt's trunk in the midst of a major battle.
Yes, that is a much more authentic vision than Legolas surfing down the stairs at Helm's Deep or down an Oliphaunt's trunk in the midst of a major battle.
But don't you know? Legolas got his name from a tree-surfing competition among the Elves.* The prize was the famed "Green Leaf", which was awarded to the winner much like the laurel wreathes were to the Greeks in the Olympics. The Elves had loin clothes though, don't worry.
Anyways, Elves surf the trees like Tarzan. It is a little known, refined art that takes years to perfect, and is best executed in Lothlorien (Where they hold the competition), though Mirkwood is a close second. The dwarf watermelon seed spitting competition is a little known and refined art as well.
*Of course all of you fine people know that the tree surfing contest is a load of hogwash I cooked up to satisfy an inquiring mind one day in May. He wanted to know why Legolas was surfing on the oliphant's trunk in the movie...
Gandalf has a Blue hat! and his eybrows are Bigger than the rim of his hat! grrr
I think the one image I always recall from Tolkien's writing is from UT where Tuor is following the edge of an underground stream. I'd picked up UT from a friend's coffee table while I was waiting for them to get dressed, and that passage was my very first contact with Tolkien. I can still feel, hear and see the image that description gave me.
I always remember this detail about Galadriel being no less tall than Celeborn. It was always something I've remembered even though I've probably only read that passage a few times. Somehow that makes me feel a lot better about Galadriel. Cuz she's just as tall as Celeborn...
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Somehow that makes me feel a lot better about Galadriel. Cuz she's just as tall as Celeborn...
Somehow that makes me feel a lot better about Galadriel. Cuz she's just as tall as Celeborn...
She wasn't, actually. JRRT actually revealed in one of his letters that Galadriel was standing on a box when meeting the Fellowship.
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She wasn't, actually. JRRT actually revealed in one of his letters that Galadriel was standing on a box when meeting the Fellowship.
She wasn't, actually. JRRT actually revealed in one of his letters that Galadriel was standing on a box when meeting the Fellowship.
Should I describe it to you or would you like me to get you a box?
There exists a very funny variant of russian LOTR translation, where can be found such pearls as:
"They could hear Sam's lawn-mower working in the garden" or "Aragorn waved his hand and a bright green star glittered above him. That was a sun ray, reflected from a Palantir" and many others..
"They could hear Sam's lawn-mower working in the garden" or "Aragorn waved his hand and a bright green star glittered above him. That was a sun ray, reflected from a Palantir" and many others..
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"Aragorn waved his hand and a bright green star glittered above him. That was a sun ray, reflected from a Palantir"
That is funny, I wouldn't think he'd carry his bowling ball size stone with him; and we all know the reflected ray came from his green elfstone as he waved bye-bye to the other members of the Fellowship."Aragorn waved his hand and a bright green star glittered above him. That was a sun ray, reflected from a Palantir"
Oh, in Russia only one variant of translation among many is made correctly. And there are so many other such "jokes".. Like this:
"This is Legolas. He's from the Golden Wood. The Lady of Lorien has sent him with us"
or
"Gandalf noticed that Saruman was wearing a ring. "One of the nine" thought Gandalf"...
The translators are sometimes too creative.
"This is Legolas. He's from the Golden Wood. The Lady of Lorien has sent him with us"
or
"Gandalf noticed that Saruman was wearing a ring. "One of the nine" thought Gandalf"...
The translators are sometimes too creative.
relly funny... 
I found similar examples being subtitles of the movies. things like:
and the sauron took the ring instead of and isildur took the ring
or
we have a cave trouble instead of they have a cave troll
or
follow you fools / frodo you fool instead of flee you fools
toast me instead of toss me
I'm arogon son of alfred instead of I'm aragorn son of arathorn
it's really amusing reading things like that.
concerning translations of the book: there are two german translations: the original one by M. Carroux (if I'm right now), and one from 2000, I think, by W. Krege. and this Krege guy thought he had to make the story more modern (!!!), more the way tolkien would write it if he lived today and wrote it today (!!!!!!) and did horrible things like chancing the polite mister frodo sam always uses referring to frodo into boss. reading this somehow hurts, it doesn't sound like tolkien, it's lost all its grace.... *arghhh*
I found similar examples being subtitles of the movies. things like:
and the sauron took the ring instead of and isildur took the ring
or
we have a cave trouble instead of they have a cave troll
or
follow you fools / frodo you fool instead of flee you fools
toast me instead of toss me
I'm arogon son of alfred instead of I'm aragorn son of arathorn
it's really amusing reading things like that.
concerning translations of the book: there are two german translations: the original one by M. Carroux (if I'm right now), and one from 2000, I think, by W. Krege. and this Krege guy thought he had to make the story more modern (!!!), more the way tolkien would write it if he lived today and wrote it today (!!!!!!) and did horrible things like chancing the polite mister frodo sam always uses referring to frodo into boss. reading this somehow hurts, it doesn't sound like tolkien, it's lost all its grace.... *arghhh*
Then it's a real epidemic! There's a writer, Perumov, who wrote a sequel to LOTR, which is called "The Ring of Shadow" and is absolutely horrible!! If anyone wished to make it a film, he would have to invite Van Damm or Shwarznegger for hobbits, really. I imagine this...
And in films there are tons of "pearls"....Denethor says:"Go away, Piligrim Took"
and a dialog between Eowyn and the Witchking:
W: You can't kill me, stupid woman.
E: I' m not a human
No comments
And in films there are tons of "pearls"....Denethor says:"Go away, Piligrim Took"
and a dialog between Eowyn and the Witchking:
W: You can't kill me, stupid woman.
E: I' m not a human
No comments
That reminds me of one time when I was watching the Fairly Odd Parents (a TV show, saturated in stupidity). They were having a film contest and they had Arnold "Schwartzengerman" as Hamlet, or some other dude. But anyways, in the dying scene, he says, "I'll be back," lays his head down, and then raises it again, "with weapons!" and then he finally dies! Or whatever he was supposed to do.
*is very Shakespeare illiterate*
*wonders if the previous statement is spelled correctly and means what she thinks it means*
Ha ha. He'd have this machine gun, and he'd be like: "Die! Die you orcs! MUAHAHAHAH!!!!" Cue machine gun noises. ("To be or not to be ... annihilated!")
*is very Shakespeare illiterate*
*wonders if the previous statement is spelled correctly and means what she thinks it means*
Ha ha. He'd have this machine gun, and he'd be like: "Die! Die you orcs! MUAHAHAHAH!!!!" Cue machine gun noises. ("To be or not to be ... annihilated!")
So, I guess we can agree that all those translation details aren't so nice. yea, somehow this thread moves into the wrong direction... 
but as long as it's fun it's not in vain.
to get back closer to the original topic: a sentence that very much impressed me, out of TT, 4th book, the passage of the marshes:
I was just reading along, but this sentence really made me attentive in a strange way... had a kinda strong effect on me... dunno how to express it otherwise...
but as long as it's fun it's not in vain.
to get back closer to the original topic: a sentence that very much impressed me, out of TT, 4th book, the passage of the marshes:
Quote:
Dead grasses and rotting reeds loomed up in the mists like ragged shadows of long-forgotten summers.
Dead grasses and rotting reeds loomed up in the mists like ragged shadows of long-forgotten summers.
I was just reading along, but this sentence really made me attentive in a strange way... had a kinda strong effect on me... dunno how to express it otherwise...
