Reading and things

I'm sure some people remember this from ... the start of last year. And possibly this: http://justaddbooks.blogspot.com/2010/01/its-january-do-you-know-where-your.html (NB: he looks like this now >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>)

Anyway. I was possibly the slowest read-along-er ever but I finally finished Return of the King today, loaded up with a cold, and a four year old who was alternately excited about his new telescope and howling because he knocked his noggin on the coffee table.

In between the natural chaos that a four year old brings, I travelled to Mount Doom with Frodo and Sam, and to Gondor and to Rivendell and the Shire ...

There's something about LOTR that makes me ... nostalgic? every time I read it. Partly because I first read it at 14 and partly because the trilogy itself is nostalgic - so many references to the glory days of Middle Earth, which makes that teeny tiny space inside that you never, ever acknowledge ache just a little bit.

ROTK is my favourite of the series, with the last line from Sam "Well, I'm back," summing up so very very much. And. Just. Still love it.

I'm also reading The Emerald Atlas, Book 1 of The Books of Beginning. Should hopefully finish that this weekend too. I'm enjoying it - a lot - but the tagline "Be the first to read the book that will define a generation!" (it's a review copy I got through work) is a little bit ... ... desperate?

Everyone everywhere will be looking for the new Harry Potter now that all the books and all the movies are done, but ... don't do that. Let your book stand on its own and be its own awesome self. It's better that way. :-)

Didn't go to the movies this week; there wasn't really anything on I wanted to see; plus I have a cold. Well, mostly I have the blocked nose from hell which is making me tired and thirsty all the time.

So no vlog this week - the last thing people need is to watch me sniffing for 10 minutes. Maybe vlog next week ...

ROTK Mid-month post

It's the halfway point for the Return of the King part of the Lord of the Rings readalong, so let's see if we can get a bit of a discussion going with a few questions that ... I totally made up and may or may not be repeats.

let's not talk about how I'm still reading The Two Towers, 'kay?

Go here - http://novelchallenges.blogspot.com/search/label/Lord%20of%20the%20Rings%20Readalong to get the links for the previous blogs that have hosted the other books (I know. I should link them all, but I'm lazy AND a html fail - lol. And I know you gave me the links Clare and thank you but I've already done a faily Mr Linky and I don't want to push my luck - lol!)

1) Where are you in your reading? Are you still with Bilbo and Smaug? Just starting out? Or have you finished already and are tapping your fingernales on the book cover, waiting for me to catch up?

2) If this is your first time reading LOTR, how are you finding it? Are you falling in love with Middle Earth? and Legolas?

3) If you're a repeat offender reader, like me, how are you finding the return journey? Are you loving it just as much as ever? What little treasures have you found in ROTK that you never noticed before?

4) How do you feel, when you close the end of the last part; after Sam's words on the last page? Are you sad it's over, nostalgic? Looking for your next read already?

5) What's your favourite scene in ROTK?

H'm. That will do, I think? I'll save the big questionnare for the end of the month. (Don't get excited. It'll probably be five questions written on the fly again - lol)

The road goes ever on ...


Aaaaaaaaaaand Mr Linky for you!

The road goes ever on and on ...

I am horribly late to this part of the challenge, and I'm still reading The Hobbit, so I'm horribly behind as well. However. Questions for this part of the readalong can be found here:

http://theliteraryomnivore.wordpress.com/2010/02/15/challenge-the-lord-of-the-rings-readalong-part-2/

1. If you’ve been with us since the beginning, how do you feel about the narrator compared to the narrator in The Hobbit?
It's a more grown-up tale, so the narrative is more grown-up as well. I would imagine some people might have trouble with the slightly formal tone, but I love it.

2. How’s your pace going? Is it smooth sailing or have you found passages that are difficult to get through?
Um ... See above. Still on The Hobbit.

3. If you’ve read this series before, is The Fellowship of the Ring, for the most part, as you remembered? If not, is it what you expected or something else?
I'm sure it will be _ I started re-reading LOTR in 2007, and finished it ... last year? so it's reasonably fresh in my mind. There's always new discoveries to be made, though.

4. Are you using any of the extra features- maps and indexes, for instance- in your book?
I never look at the maps, I have no sense of direction at all, but I'll probably reference the appendices. :)