Re: OT: Tolkein Non-Fanism

On Wed, 1 Aug 2001, David Peterson wrote:

> In a message dated 8/1/01 7:33:39 AM, microtonal@SERICAP.COM writes:
>
> << >     I'm not a Tolkien fan,
>
> Heresy! A conlanger not a Tolkien fan? Unthinkable! :) >>
>
>     I've tried to read The Hobbit and The Fellowship of the Ring on two
> non-consecutive occasions (Simpsons joke), and have failed at both.  I made a
> serious attempt at the latter just this summer--could not do it!  I'd much
> rather read Tom Robbins's new book.  :)  Anyway, I say it's okay to be a
> non-Tolkiener on Conlang!  Stand with me, brethren; I know ye exist!
I'm here, and I've read the Hobbit, the LotR, and the Silmarillion; I
have to confesst he Silmarillion was the only one I enjoyed parts
of.  I just couldn't relate to the characters.  (What with all the
class emphasis on equity and democracy, I would blame it on being an
Asian female, but I've *read* Western fantasies with no females in'em
and enjoyed them, so that can't be all of it....)  Alex Winbow
(friend from way back in middle school) would probably kill me.  :-/
Along with a couple other of my friends.

But then, I *admire* what Tolkien's work did for conlanging and
fantasy.  I just don't enjoy reading them.  One of my friends found
this distinction incomprehensible.  <sigh>  Surely it's not so
difficult to be fascinated by the conlangs and worldbuilding yet
unenchanted by
elves, racial typecasting, and the nearly-all-male cast?

YHL

Replies