[retrokitten]

Different strokes for different folks. All my classmates loved “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe”, but I couldn’t get past the first chapter. Same thing with the Lord of the Rings. I know they are popular, but I just couldn’t get into them.

[grellis]

LOTR is as tricky as it gets, and I'm not kidding. I must have started the book a half dozen times and only got a chapter or two in--I was kind of into it, but it seemed like such a slog!

After having seen the first of the movies, I made myself read the book--made myself. The going was a million times easier, since I had a rough idea of what was going on. By the end "Fellowship," I couldn't put the book down. Now, I can't believe I waited so long to read it--by far the most engrossing, most enriching fictional reading experience I have ever had. I've since read The Silmarillion (EXTREMELY difficult!) and The Hobbit, as well as LOTR, several times through. They start out as work, no doubt about it, hard work. The payoff, however, is beyond imagination.

I've gotta go put my pom-poms away now!