[Waryone]

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.

[HairOfTheDog]

But even those who never pick up the books know more about it than they would have before, and the truth is, more people have read it than would have without the films giving the story a huge new fanbase, and many have wanted to go to the next level.

The film brings the books a net gain. And we are all better for that. Indeed, the glass is half full.