Lord of the Rings: The Musical?
 

I'm reading this book for the first time, after seeing and loving the first 2 movies (I'm 30 and should have read it sooner, just never did....). And while it holds my interest, there's a few things about it that I just don't like...

First of all, Aragorn/Strider is a wimp. Seriously. Granted I haven't read the whole thing and I'm just a chapter or 2 into the 2 towers part so far. In the movies, he comes across as a mysterious, dark traveller who is very skilled, powerful, strong and destined for greatness. In the book, I just keep picturing him wearing robin-hood tights. So to put it simply, I like the movie version of Strider better.

And next... what's with all the singing? I mean, I could see it here and there, especially coming from the hobbits, but it seems like every main character has a song to sing... all the time. The songs help add history and depth, I guess, but I really just don't get it. I know the book was written in happier times (the 60's?) but even back then people didn't break into song every other hour or so. When I first started the book, I read every word and verse of every little song.. and by now I'm sick of em, I skim or skip them so I can get on with the actual story.

And asside from those 2 things, I think the book is great so far, so don't get me wrong :) Just wondering if anyone else shares the same thoughts? :)

Do some research on the importance of songs in folklore and mythology, then perhaps you'll understand the book a bit better.

You didn't have TV or radio - songs and tales were the ways to entertain and communicate.

If you want modern sensibilities - just imagine them putting in a DVD or CD and watching it instead of singing.... :)

By skipping them, you're actually missing a lot of important details.

Tolkien was influenced by a lot of scandinavian folk tales, which were passed down in an oral tradition for hundreds of years through song.

The songs fill in a lot of the backstory, but I found them to be pretty much skippable (or, at the least, skimmable.)