T is for Tolkien

I Love Sci-Fi/Fantasy Because...

...of J. R. R. Tolkien.

This one individual has probably inspired more creative writers, artists, musicians, filmmakers and dreamers than any other author. And perhaps most importantly, from my own narcissistic perspective, he inspired me.

J. R. R. Tolkien

Many call him the father of epic fantasy. I call him hero, for he saved me from an existence without magic.

He introduced me to the elves of Rivendell, the mines of Moria and magnificent eagles. I rode with the riders of Rohan, heard the shrill cries of Nazgûl and witnessed the wonder of wizards. He revealed the weaknesses of men and showed men rising to overcome them.

He escorted me through a world as vast and wonderful as any world can hope to be. And that world will forever be a part of me. If I could shake the hand of any author, I'd choose his.

In one way or another, directly or indirectly, J. R. R. Tolkien is why almost everyone loves science fiction and fantasy.

G is for Goodkind and Gandalf

I Love Sci-Fi/Fantasy Because...

...of Gandalf. No wait, it's for Terry Goodkind.  But I love Gandalf!  But Goodkind is so awesomely great! arg!

Terry Goodkind

G would have been so much easier if Goodkind had created Gandalf, but alas, I must save Gandalf's creator for later in the series.  I suppose Gandalf and Goodkind will have to share my G post today.

I'll start with author Terry Goodkind because, well, he's real. And he gave us the Sword of Truth series, from which two seasons of Legend of the Seeker came.  Richard (Cypher) Rahl, Kahlan Amnell and Zeddicus Zu'l Zorander all came from his imagination.  And for that, I thank him.

For the other G... Well, Gandalf is the very definition of wizard.  He's mysterious, powerful, seemingly ageless, wise and handy to have around when you need to cross a bridge.  He's known by many names, but I call him Balrog Slayer.

Wizard's First Rule? If you're gonna dance with a balrog, make it a dance to remember.  

Goodkind and Gandalf, both wizards in their own right, are two reasons why I love science fiction and fantasy.

B is for Bilbo

I Love Sci-Fi/Fantasy Because...

...of characters like Lord of the Rings' Bilbo Baggins.

Bilbo Baggins was no wizard.  He was no magnificent warrior nor a fulfillment of prophecy.  He stole away no princess to marry and ruled no kingdom. But he did something that has inspired me for decades.

He went on an adventure!

And what an adventure it was!

Through his eyes, I saw trolls and dragons, dwarves and gold.  I witnessed him bantering with the coolest of wizards and riddling with the most tortured of souls.  I beheld awesome landscapes and glimpsed a golden ring that would change not only his world, but mine as well.

Bilbo Baggins, who lived in a hole in the ground, was the first reason I loved science fiction and fantasy.

A is for Aragorn

I Love Sci-Fi/Fantasy Because...

...of characters like Lord of the Rings' Aragorn, son of Arathorn.

Tolkien introduced him to us as Strider, a Ranger of the North.  Only later did we learn that he was the heir of Isildur and rightful claimant to the thrones of Arnor and Gondor.

He was human and doubted his ability to prevail.  It was his ancestor that chose not to destroy the One Ring when the opportunity to do so presented itself.  That history gave him pause and caused him to doubt his own resolve.  "That same blood flows through my veins. That same weakness," he said.

But his resolve held true and his honor remained in tact.

This was no mere Ranger of the North.  Elrond's daughter, Arwen, chose a mortal life to marry him.  He returned as king and united Arnor and Gondor.  And his character is one reason why I love science fiction and fantasy.

And... A is also for Arlee, as in Arlee Bird from Tossing It Out.  All A to Z Challenge participants owe the prompting of their next thirty or so posts to him, seeing as how he created the challenge.  Thanks Arlee!  A is for you!

Top Ten Movie Countdown BlogFest

Ninja Captain Alex is hosting the...

And I decided to participate.  A true countdown requires ranking, but I cannot, in all fairness, truly rank these.  The rankings would change with the wind.  These are ten OF my favorites today.  Listed in no particular order, they are...

 Lord of the Rings trilogy (duh!)

The Two Towers was my favorite movie, but the Mines of Moria was my favorite scene.

Star Trek (the entire gambit)

But nobody does bad as good as Ricardo Montalban does.

Star Wars (yeah, all six!)

Let's hear it for the Wookie!!

The Avengers

I don't believe they could have done a better job with this movie.

Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars

I cannot tell you how many times I've watched this. I so miss the series.

Serenity (The Firefly movie)

From a series that died before its time. Not shiny!

Merlin

Several Merlin/Camelot adaptations vied for this slot; Sam Neill's portrayal won.

The Bourne Series (Identity, Supremacy, Ultimatum)

Not Sci-Fi/Fantasy, but close enough. My favorite changes with time.

A Knight's Tale

This one starred an actor that died before his time.

The Sixth Sense

The best thing (IMHO) Bruce did after Moonlighting.

I have watched these movies so many times.  I can quote way too much from way too many of them, and there is much within them worth quoting.

Any of these make your Top Ten list?

It Happened...

At work, standing in the cafeteria lunch line, it happened.  A server left his station, walked to the serving station in which line I was waiting and asked, "Are you the one writing the book?"

I nearly fell in the floor!  I made him repeat the question, certain I'd misunderstood it.  "Are you the one writing the book?" he asked again.

Hiding my grin was impossible.  "Yes.  How did you know?"

"Jenn told me."

Jenn is a coworker of mine in another department.  I'd let her read my prologue the previous week.  She told me she liked it, but you know how that goes.  All your friends like what you wrote when they're talking with you about it.  Perhaps she really did.  Or perhaps she was just impressed that I had actually completed my draft.  In any event, it made me feel like a...ahem...writer.

And it felt good!

I don't even need to tell you what the next question was, right?  Anyone who has finished a book (even the first draft) knows the next question.  "What's it about?"

So there it was.  The question I've pondered answering for months.  I've wondered what I'd say, how badly I would answer and whether I'd leave them shaking their heads acting like they understood what I was telling them.

"Well, it's an epic fantasy."  Quickly, I moved to dispel the blank look already forming.  "It's kind of like Lord of the Rings."  Whew.  The nod of comprehension.  I don't need approval, but understanding is crucial.  This way, they can walk away with an inner giggle muttering, "Ha!  The guy thinks he's Tolkien."  That much is acceptable.

So, what makes it even better?  The other server joining the conversation and asking, "Is it like Eragon?"

"A little," I answered.  "It's got dragons."

"I loved Eragon," he told me with a smile.  "When you get it published I'll have to buy a copy."

Then it was my turn to smile.  Yes, folks, it felt mighty good indeed.


Do you have similar stories you'd care to share?

A Game of Thrones

Twas a month before April and all through my house,

Lay presents unopened, but not from my spouse.

To watch first or read, that's my decision,

I love my videos, but books yield precision.

Yes, it's true.  I've neither read nor watched these insanely popular tales penned by George R. R. Martin.  But this is about to change.

My brother, bless his heart, indulges my incessant blathering about all things medieval and fantasy.  Being the benevolent brother that he is, he even accompanied me to the theater for each new Lord of the Rings viewing.  I'm not sure whether he did so to watch the movie or to watch me enjoy it, but he went nonetheless.  And even he extols Martin's masterpiece that so many have come to love.  He's never read the books, but he does have HBO.

My daughter, beloved co-connoisseur of the genre, has bestowed upon me the box set containing: A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords, and A Feast for Crows.  This act elevates her to favorite daughter status, of course.  (The fact that she's my only daughter is irrelevant.)

So, from whence cometh my dilemma, you ask?  Well, it cometh from that benevolent brother I mentioned.  It seems I'm to be the happy recipient of the complete first season as shown on HBO.  (Yes, I do have cable, but the piddly amount of time I spend in front of my very nice television in no way justifies the added monthly expense of premium channels.)  

Therefore, he has been elevated to favorite brother status.  (The fact that he's my only brother is also irrelevant, mind you.)

I believe I've decided to follow my usual pattern.  Read first.  Watch second.  Complain third.  I've done this with so many in the past, including, but in no way limited to: Lord of the Rings, Sword of Truth, Harry Potter, even Michael Chrichton's Timeline and the forthcoming The Hobbit.  Granted, this usually happens simply because the books far predate the movies or television series.  Had I not read them until the movies or series began I'd have faced the same perplexing anguish.

I imagine it all boils down to the detail provided by each.  A two hour movie has no hope of capturing the richness of the written word's narrative or preserving the many sub-plots within the book's cover.  And then there's the audience to consider.  A reader can savor a chapter, put the book aside for a while and dwell in a world the author helped him paint, then return later for another fix.  In theaters (and to a lesser degree, our homes) we're trapped.  The most innocuous activities serve to distract and detract.  Think: This popcorn does NOT have extra butter!  or  I can't even find the men's room in this place! 

In this instance, I believe I'll read A Game of Thrones first then watch HBO's season one and pick back up with A Clash of Kings.  I'm working under the assumption, of course, that season one is book one.  Do tell me if that assumption is incorrect and I'll adjust my plans accordingly.  In the meantime I'll sit back and enjoy some music.  It sounds like A Song of Ice and Fire.