If you don't like Lord of the Ring, does that mean you don't like fantasy books?

[LearningTwoWrite]

Just curious because it's not my favorite. I like more modern takes on it, even if Tolkien is the great grandpa of it.

 

[amergina]

No.

It means you don't like Tolkien's writings.

 

[fadeaccompli]

I admit, I'm sort of baffled as to how this question could even be asked. It's not like the fantasy section in your average bookstore is filled with nothing but different editions of Lord of the Rings. Clearly, there is more to "likes fantasy" than "wants to read Lord of the Rings yet again."

 

[Dawnstorm]

No.

It means you don't like Tolkien's writings.

Actually, not even that. I don't like Lord of the Rings, but I still like The Hobbit. LotR just doesn't work for me.

 

[LearningTwoWrite]

Actually, not even that. I don't like Lord of the Rings, but I still like The Hobbit. LotR just doesn't work for me.

I forgot about The Hobbit. I did enjoy that very much. I never did understand why they took the shapeshifter out of the old cartoon.

 

[druid12000]

I read The Hobbit when I was ten years old and loved everything I could understand. After that I tried The Lord of the Rings and could not get into it. I stopped in the middle of the first book (don't even know the title). Why? It didn't grip me the way The Hobbit did. Do I still read fantasy? Absolutely! And always will because it stretches the imagination.

 

[amergina]

Actually, not even that. I don't like Lord of the Rings, but I still like The Hobbit. LotR just doesn't work for me.

Ah, yes. That's very true.

Still, point being that disliking LoTR doesn't mean you'll dislike every other fantasy novel ever written.

 

[Anninyn]

Why would it?

Honest question. Apply it to another genre, or another type of media

I like him, not everyone does. All it would mean is that you don't like that book.

 

[jjdebenedictis]

No.

Good heavens; it's not like Lord of the Rings has much in common with, for example, urban fantasy.

There are all kinds of tastes that can be satisfied in the fantasy section of the bookstore, but not every book in that section will satisfy every fantasy fan's tastes.

 

[Shoestring]

I'm a fan of all sorts of fantasy, but never could get into LotR. I watched the movies and read the book once (found it to be a bit of a chore), but overall it just didn't click with me.

Personal preference, like the others have said.

 

[TheRob1]

This reminds me of a conversation I had the other day w/ a guy in the shop I work in: his understanding of fantasy was limited to things like Conan and LotR and when I was talking about the western elements of my story (It's got gun fighters and six guns and wizards all in a fantasy world) I think his mind was blown. Especially when he found out that the wizard in my story doesn't use a wand ala harry potter or a staff ala Gandalf.

Bottom line is: there are no rules. A lot of writers do follow the path laid down by Tolkien, Lewis, or Howard, but those are not the only roads. Far from it. My own story is as much inspired by Louis L'amour and H.P. Lovecraft as it is by Robert E. Howard or Tolkien.

 

[Kerosene]

No.

 

[Alessandra Kelley]

Is this like "When a man is tired of London he is tired of life"? It seems oddly provincial.

LOTR is fantasy, but it does not define fantasy. LOTR is well-loved, but no one is required to love it. It is no reflection on one's character whether or not one cares for it in particular. Nor is one barred from enjoying other fantasy even if one doesn't care for this one.

 

[Oldbrasscat]

Maybe I should try The Hobbit. I'd like to be able to say I read something of Tolkien's. I'm afraid LotR collected a lot of AirMiles in my house.

 

[blacbird]

Absolutely not. The turgid writing is a struggle for me. But I recognize that as a personal preference, and also recognize the enormous and merited impact this work has had on Fantasy writing. Though I do wish aspiring writers who fall in love with LOTR would open their minds to broader vistas.

My champion Fantasy series is Ursula LeGuin's Earthsea.

caw

 

[Shoestring]

Maybe I should try The Hobbit. I'd like to be able to say I read something of Tolkien's. I'm afraid LotR collected a lot of AirMiles in my house.

I enjoyed the Hobbit, but it has been quite a few years since I've read it. I was also fortunate enough to be gifted with a graphic novel version of it around the same time, so that likely helped my opinion of it.

 

[rwm4768]

I've read a lot of fantasy, and for my personal tastes, I prefer most of it to Tolkien. His story is good, but I find the writing doesn't work for me. I've read Fellowship of the Ring, but I haven't gotten around to the others because there's so much else I want to read that I think I would enjoy more.

Of course, I'm a fantasy blasphemer. Admittedly, I prefer Terry Brooks to Tolkien (even if Sword of Shannara was a not that well-written LOTR ripoff--I like some of his other books better, though, as his writing has improved with time).

 

[Deleted member 42]

Just curious because it's not my favorite. I like more modern takes on it, even if Tolkien is the great grandpa of it.

Nah, it just means you don't like Tolkien.

What/who do you like?

 

[Deleted member 42]

My champion Fantasy series is Ursula LeGuin's Earthsea.

caw

I remember the first time I read the first two books, and having to wait WEEKS to read The Farthest Shore.

 

[LearningTwoWrite]

I have not read a lot of it, but I like Terry Brooks and am reading David Farland's, Runelord Series. I'm also reading more MG fantasy for research. I'm trying to get more into the genre (I like it ).

Funny thing is I like reading it more than watching it (fantasy). I don't care much for SyFy fantasy tv shows. LoTR are good movies. OTOH, I like SF much more on TV. I found, thus far, I'm not sure I like SF books, however. I'd have to read more to see. I know I don't like books about space marines or anything like that. I like time travel SF, though. Love Jurassic Park, movie is ok but not great. That kind of SF I like to read.

I do love Star Trek, but not any of the books, just tv and movies.

 

[KateJJ]

If you want to know if you like fantasy as it exists now, try some modern fantasy. Try Brandon Sanderson's Elantris or The Way of Kings. Read Pat Rothfuss's Name of the Wind and weep in despair because your books won't be as good. Read Lois Bujold Curse of Chalion or Brent Weeks' Night Angel Trilogy. Or at least the first book before Annoying Girlfriend Syndrome struck. Try Robin Hobb's Assassin's Apprentive or Liveshop Trilogy. George RR Martin's Game of Thrones.

Not liking Lord of the Rings doesn't mean anything except you don't like Tolkien. I think you should try to read it anyway. Modern fantasy owes a lot to Tolkien. Just as modern SF writers should read Asimov and Heinlein to understand the roots of that genre. Doesn't mean you have to write like them to write good stuff.

 

[GingerGunlock]

You're allowed to not like Tolkein but still like fantasy. Really, it doesn't even harm your fantasy cred. A lot of people don't like Tolkein, feel Lord of the Rings is too dense and dry, etc. Tolkein is there, and his work can be somewhat monolithic when you look at influencers to the fantasy genre, but there are others.

 

[buz]

If you don't like Wolfmother, does it mean you don't like rock music?
If you don't like Seinfeld, does it mean you don't like sitcoms?
If you don't like coconut cake, does it mean you don't like cake?

Neewpp

Fantasy comes in a lot of stripes, as do writing styles.

 

[Ian Isaro]

Sauron is the villain, actually, you're not supposed to like him.

 

[Buffysquirrel]

I really don't like the Hobbit. LOTR is great when you have flu, though.