Tolkien Blog Party 2017 ~ The Tag!

Hello all you Tolkien fans!
Hamlette at The Edge of the Precipice is hosting her fifth annual Tolkien Blog Party!!! Last year this was my first blog part I had ever participated! It was so much fun, I can't wait to see what this year holds!!!!!

SPOILER ALERT! If you have not read The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, do not read any further. There will be spoilers for both.

On to the tag!

1. How long have you been a Tolkien fan?

Well, sometime when I was little my family and I watched The Return of the King. I was terrified.

A few years ago my sister told me she was going to read The Lord of the Rings. I looked at her shocked, "You are going to read the creepy books?" I asked. I couldn't believe it. Why in the world would she do that.

Last year in July I decided I would read The Hobbit. I was fully in after that. I just finished reading The Lord of the Rings for the first time, I am definitely a fan now.

2. Has your love of Middle-earth affected your life?

Well, yes. I would say so. My older sister and I quote it all the time. My younger sister just stares at us "Like we have lobsters coming out of (our) ears." ("Anyone...? Anyone...? Anyone...?"). And it really is amazing how many people know about The Lord of the Rings. I have made quite a few friends through them. They are amazing books, and if you haven't read them, GO!!!!!

3. If you had to take the One Ring to Mordor, which character would you choose for your sole companion?

This is the hardest question!!! Uh, well the obvious answer is Gandalf, but we can't have him now can we? We have already set out.

To tell the truth, Legolas! Even when I saw just The Return of the King, Legolas was my favorite character. I really love archery (i.e. Robin Hood, Brave, etc.) so I have always loved the archer elf. And I love 'em even more now that I have read the book (though, there is not nearly enough of him). Awesome archery would take out Orcs.

But, now that I have read the book, I do think that Sam might be the best. I don't know.

4. Which is scarier, Shelob or the Balrog?

Wow, both are almost the scariest thing ever, but I think I could take on either if I get to have the Phial of Galadriel.

5. Which two towers do you think Tolkien was referring to in the title The Two Towers?  (i.e. Orthanc, Barad-dûr, Cirith Ungol, Minas Morgul, or Minas Tirith)

You know, I never really thought of this. I always thought of Orthanc having one tower, so not that. Same for Minas Tirith. And Cirith Ungol. I guess, but my brain wasn't big enough to imagine it that way. So I'll go Barad-dûr AND Minas Morgul. I thought it meant that both sides were even, they both had two towers. (I'm very creative, I know.)

Wait a minute. I read that question wrong. I understand it now. I'm going with Barad-dûr and Minas Tirith.

6. Whose wardrobe would you like to have?

Um, this is referring to the movies and I have only see two of the movies (part of The Return of the King, and The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies.) and it has been a long time since I've seen them, so I don't really know. I'll go with what I think of from the book: I'll take whatever as long as I get an elven cloak with the leaf clasp!

7. What do you think an Ent Draught would taste like?

When I read that I thought of fresh dew and sunshine. You know the song, Morning has Broken? I have always thought that it tasted like that.

8. Where in Middle-earth would you like to live?

You are kidding me. How in the world am I supposed to answer this?

Hobbiton would be absolutely wonderful (with all the trees, please). But, my inner elf + tree climber says Lothlorien.

9. Do you have any Tolkien-related opinions that surprise other people?

Legolas is my favorite character (okay, also Sam, Gandalf, Blibo, Treebeard, and Tom Bombadil. I won't get into dwarves.).
I am not Frodo (That is the answer I always get when I take quizzes.).
The Hobbit is my favorite book of them.
I have cried reading them.
I have not read the Appendices because once the book says THE END, it's the end. I am not going to read how everyone dies!
Pippin is annoying. He said don't touch it and what do you do?
I'm not sure how surprising those are, but it's what I could come up with.

10. List up to ten of your favorite lines/quotations from the books or movies.

Yes! Last year I didnt' know many, but this year I AM PREPARED. *goes to dig out books*

1.

Three Rings for the Elven-kings under the skies,
   Seven for the Dwarf-lords in their hall of stone,
Nine for Mortal Men doomed to die,
   One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne
In the Land of Mordor where the shadows lie.
   One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them,
   One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them.
In the Land of Mordor where the shadows lie.
~ The Lord of the Rings

Doesn't that just give you the shivers!? This isn't one of my favorites, but do you really think I could do this post without saying that. Also I am very proud of myself to say that I wrote that out from memory (okay, I forgot three words so I had to ask my sister, and I used my book to make sure I did it right, I missed a tiny bit and my little sister hates it so she made up her own version which I always get confused.) but still, I did a pretty good job.

2.

"Far over the misty mountians cold
To dungeons deep and caverns old
We must away, ere break of day,
To claim our long-forgotten gold."
~The Hobbit

*shivers* This is what got me loving Tolkien, and it is why The Hobbit is my favorite. I know there are many different verses, but this one is my favorite.

3.

I got tired of writing these out, sorry it is a little small, if I make it any bigger it is blurry. That's what I get for being lazy.
Anyway, deep down we all love Strider, even if it is not as much as other characters. And this...!!! Beyond words.

4.

The Road goes ever on and on
   Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the road has gone,
   And I must follow, if I can,
Pursuing it with weary feet,
   Until it joins some larger way,
Where many paths and errands meet.
   And whither then? I cannot say.
~The Fellowship of the Ring

*sigh* How lovely.

5.

In Western lands beneath the Sun
   the flowers may rise in Spring,
the trees may bud, the waters run,
   the merry finches sing.
Or there maybe 'tis cloudless night
   and swaying beeches bear 
the Elven-stars as jewels white
   amid their branching hair.

Though here at journey's end I lie
   in darkness buried deep,
beyond all towers strong and high,
   beyond all mountains steep,
above all shadows rides the Sun 
   and Stars for ever dwell:
I will not say the Day is done,
   nor bid the Stars farewell.
~The Return of the King

I love Sam!!

6.

"It is a lovely language, but it takes a very long time to say anything in it, because we do not say anything in it, unless it is worth taking a long time to say, and listen to."
~The Two Towers

Right so, Treebeard, right so.

7.

As far as he could remember, Sam slept through the night in deep content, if logs are contented.

Haha! I was laughing over this.

8.

"If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world."
~The Hobbit

Oh yes, oh yes.

9.

"Bilbo Baggins, a bur--a hobbit," said poor Bilbo, shaking all over, and wondering how to make owl-noises before they throttled him.
   "A burrahobbit?" said they a bit startled. Trolls are slow in the uptake, and mighty suspicious about anything new to them.
   "What's a burrahobbit got to do in my pocket anyway?" said William.

10.

'Books ought to have good endings. How would this do: and they all settled down and lived together happily ever after?'
~The Fellowship of the Ring

Be sure to go check out all the fun HERE!!! Thank you so much Hamlette!!

MovieCritic