The first one I read was National Lampoon’s “Bored of the Rings”. I was a big comic book and Mad magazine fan in my pre-teens, so I bought the parody for laughs. I became intrigued, however and around 12 or 13 began reading “Lord of the Rings”. A few chapters in, I was hooked. I stopped, went back to read “The Hobbit”, then the Rings. Each about three times.
In between, read “Leaf by Niggle” and “Farmer Giles of Ham”, then went on to Gardner’s “Grendle”, T. H. White’s “Once and Future King”, the “Mabinogion” etc.
Life was simpler then, but the world of literary imagination was rich.
So RIP Christopher, and thanks for your part in shaping what was a big part of my youth.
“...A few chapters in, I was hooked. ...”
Yeah, it IS that kind of story... grabbed me like that as well.
I remember hearing some songs by Led Zeppelin, referring to “Gollum”, “The Evil One”, and the “darkest depths of Mordor” and I think that got me into asking about it. Evidently, Robert Plant was a huge fan of the story.
Bored of the Rings is the finest satire I’ve ever read. Absolutely pitch perfect take off on Tolkien’s masterpiece, and particularly the poems and songs. I still recite this little couplet for politicos like Beto who flame out:
.. for fortune strums a mournful tune,
For those whose campaigns peak too soon.
To anyone who loves Lord of the Rings, read Bored of the Rings. In print continuously for 50 years. Available on Amazon. The footnotes in the current edition explaining the 60’s cultural references are a bit jarring for us elders, but maybe necessary for the young ‘uns
"It's a pity I've run out of bullets, he thought".
-Bored of the Rings