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I'm sorry. I know that many people just love seeing something of the book finally reach the screen. I just feel sorry that so many will miss seeing the absolutely wonderful characters and events Prof. Tolkien originally created. They are masterpieces.

So many will miss it? So many MORE people will know it than would have if the films had never come out. Many adults are reading it for the first time, or re-reading it after many years. And a whole new generation is reading those books now. Sales of the books are SOARING. The film sparked their interest, and they can read the books now and find how much more there truly is. The movie has shown us wonderful images of the highlights. The books do the rest.

I agree and I'm so happy that some will take up the book and read it. I was one of those who read it for the first time with my son before seeing Fellowship of the Ring. But, we are the exceptions. Most who see the movie will never bother to pick up the book. Some of the young children who have seen the movie may someday read the book and be bothered because it's not like the movie.

This concerns me because there are already people -- mostly young, who argue that Lord of the Rings stole from Star Wars. We live in a society today that has little sense for what they haven't seen in moving pictures. And, if they've seen it, they believe that's the way things are. The impression has already been made on their minds. It will be very difficult for them to accept the amazing depth and follow the importance of Lord of the Rings as Tolkien wrote it. That's my lament, for what it's worth.