LotR VS. ASoIaF V2

[sologdin]

there are readers of LotR the first time through who don't think immediately oh, anilingus? who are these people?

[Disturber of Peace]

there are readers of LotR the first time through who don't think immediately oh, anilingus? who are these people?

Apparently i am one of them.

I always prided myself in being associative, especially in relating anything to sexuality.

I am genuinely sad now and please do not rub it in any more.

And

Tywin > Denethor

[sologdin]

well, look at it this way: if tolkien meant rusty trombone, safe to assume that he wouldn't've minced words about it.

[jurble]

Who wins, R'holler or Morgoth?

[Stannis Eats No Peaches]

Who wins, R'holler or Morgoth?

Morgoth, because R'hllor probably doesn't exist anyway among other reasons.

[Disturber of Peace]

Maybe Mel is a glamoured Balrog. Then they could begin to be suspected as a worthy tie.

[It's Not That Littlefinger]

i dont like the idea of considering something better just because it was first or pioneering. i know im going to get hate, but i dont really like the lotr books (although the movies are awesome). asoiaf is so much more interesting, well-made, and more emotionally involving than lotr imo.

[sologdin]

know im going to get hate

give a little credit! de gustibus non &c.

[Ser Scot A Ellison]

Chuckling Tree,

i dont like the idea of considering something better just because it was first or pioneering. i know im going to get hate, but i dont really like the lotr books (although the movies are awesome). asoiaf is so much more interesting, well-made, and more emotionally involving than lotr imo.

The booka are much bettet than the films. They are different stories in my mind.

[Krakwunov]

There is one reason to rule them all as to why Martin will never beat Tolkien.

And it is this:

While G.R.R Martin created a world to write a story,

J.R.R Tolkien wrote stories to show the world that he had created.

[sologdin]

dunno. martin doesn't do hokey plot-significant numinous objects, so that's an advantage on his end. on the other hand, tolkien's narration is not set in motion by somewhat implausible domestic motivations, unless the ring really is just a metaphor for marital fidelity after all.

[polishgenius]

The one true reason that Martin will never beat Tolkien is that Tolkien is dead, and exhuming his bones just to hit them would probably ruin his career.

[First of My Name]

There is one reason to rule them all as to why Martin will never beat Tolkien.

And it is this:

While G.R.R Martin created a world to write a story,

J.R.R Tolkien wrote stories to show the world that he had created.

One isn't necessarily better than the other; it all depends one one's taste.

[Frank Fitzpatrick]

It's difficult to compare whilst one remains incomplete. For all we know George might drop the ball with the remaining books*.

*Disclaimer, I don't actually expect this to happen, but y'know, it could.

[polishgenius]

It's difficult to compare whilst one remains incomplete. For all we know George might drop the ball with the remaining books*.

He's already dropped the ball. The worry is he might not pick it up again.

[mankytoes]

I'm past halfway in Lord of the Rings, and while it's definitely gripping, I don't think it's on the same level, a lot of the dialogue doesn't do much for me, maybe it's a timeframe thing.

[Arkash]

It is not really possible to compare the two. Lotr was written in a world crisis situation were holding to and providing values and morals was a necessity and in the spirit of the times. So Lotr is a fairy tale of black vs white.

Asoiaf is way more modern in a world which is in a way much more subtle and complex and this is felt on the story as well as it is felt on quite all modern fantasy (Hobb, Gemmell (in a way), Erikson...)

And yeah, the dialogue in Lotr is nowhere to compare to the one in Asoiaf, but again, I take Lotr as a fairy tale and characters expressing themselves like in one.

[Shryke]

There is one reason to rule them all as to why Martin will never beat Tolkien.

And it is this:

While G.R.R Martin created a world to write a story,

J.R.R Tolkien wrote stories to show the world that he had created.

I had to reread this several times as general that would be a point against Tolkien.

[Jo498]

If I want interesting characters and subtle development, I usually don't read fantasy (or most other genre fiction). I wouldn't hold this against ASoIaF, but which characters are really interesting qua character and development? Some bits of Jaime and Tyrion (Prae-DWD), maybe.

(And why the generally horribly written sex scences should count in favor of ASoIaF is also beyond me...)

[Darth Richard II]

Actually GRRM and JRRT are the same guy! LOOK AT THE MIDDLE INITIALS! ITS A CONSPIRACY! THEY ARE ALSO KJ PARKER AND um DANIEL ABRAHAM AND STEPHEN KING AND JK ROWING. SHAPE SHIFTERS!