I read and watched The Lord of the Rings for the first time 

[edit 6/5/21: For those curious, I do plan on continuing with The Silmarillion 😃 It will just be much further down the line though. You know- so many other books to read, so little time] **More thoughts in the description!** Ooof, I just got so nervous once I hit publish! To anyone reading this, thank you for watching! I am definitely not a pro at being a reactor/commentator and wondered if I should scrap the film reactions altogether. But it has been fun to look back on, especially my sisters comments lol. Anyway- I will leave you with a link to the funniest LotR video I have come across: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-RaV6rOXnTU0.html

The fact that you included EVERYTHING in one video, instead of dividing it into ten videos... respect.

Obligatory "Viggo Mortensen broke his toe when he kicked that orc helmet in Two Towers" comment here

"I kinda just think of it as one long story." Good, Tolkien wrote it that way. His publishers made him split it into 3 books.

"I hate this old guy" has to be the most universal and common feeling felt for Denathor

1:01:40 "what is the fandom like?" I don't know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve.

One of the most profound lines of all time is one of Gandalf, when Frodo says he hates Gollum and deserves to die, and Gandalf says “Many that live deserve death. And some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them? Then do not be too eager to deal out death in judgement. For even the very wise cannot see all ends.”

You, young lady, are an absolute delight. Taking the time to read the source material and then do a reaction not just to the movies but the books as well... I applaud you, truly a rare specimen in these waves of reactors. Never allow anyone to diminish your opinion or tell you how to think. You are in possession of a very fine brain. As for the fandom, I am a 60 year old retired former Army Corps of Engineers geodetic surveyor. I was always fascinated by the maps of Middle Earth and the distances traveled. Funny you thought the Nazgul were bad at their jobs. Consider there were 9 of them, on horseback and they kept finding the ring bearer. Couldn't catch him, but they were always around. Visit the American west like Utah and Nevada and imagine riding around on horseback looking for something the size of a ring.

I always enjoy people watching the Balrog fight. Most people think "Oh, it's this old wizzard fighting this deamon" When in reality, Gandalf, as well as the Balrog are both Maiar, so this is less a fight of a Mortal against a Demon but two demigods fighting to the death.

Fun Fact: Tolkien rewrote an entire chapter, because he realised it couldn't be full moon.

My own personal favorite moment in the book was sadly not in the movie. At the council of Elrond, Bilbo volunteers to take the ring to Mount Doom himself. Boromir, having no idea who this tiny old man is, starts laughing, only to find that he is the only one. Everyone else present, most of them ancient and powerful beings, show nothing but deep respect for Bilbo. They all know who he is and what he accomplished. I'm off now, to look up that part again.

I read the book when I was 12, I remember the shivers when Gimli sounded the horns of Helm's Deep. I waited in line at the cinema for the movies when I was 22, I remember crying when Boromir fell. It's so great to see a young fan experience the same emotions for the first time. Thank you for sharing this.

This might be my favorite video on RU-vid. Someone being introduced to the books and movies in 1 video? With great reactions and insight? And an adorable cat? A+++.

"I know there's a Dumbledore looking character.. or Dumbledore looks like this character" phew, well played

Videos - like Wizards - are never early or late. They arrive precisely when they were meant to.

It took me nine months of bed-time reading to finish LTR with my children when they were in little. We read with an Oxford dictionary beside us. I would read until I thought they were asleep. I would quit and they would protest, "We're not asleep!" So I would read on, and have to back track the next night to where they drifted off. They were enthralled constantly. I think the book is intended to be read to children as bed-time reading. I think that Tolkien himself told stories to his children as they prepared for bed.

The Hobbit definitely feels more light-hearted than the rest of the LOTR trilogy. I always felt struck by the tonal dissonance, but from what I understand is that the Hobbit was originally bedtime story that Tolkien told his son that he later published as a novel. Where LOTR came more from a personal mythology he was building for fun. Keep in mind, Tolkien is a _stupidly smart_ man. The man popularized literary study of Beowulf, and is probably the reason why it was even mandatory reading in high school for me.

“Gandalf gives big camp counselor vibes,” may be the best description of his character I’ve ever heard.

This was such a delight to watch! Thank you :)

The first time I read "The Lord of the Rings", nothing I tried to read after seemed worth finishing. I really got scared that I'd destroyed my ability to enjoy a book for life, because nothing seemed comparable to it in depth. Thankfully it did wear off eventually.

You side-eyeing your sister to see her reaction when they reveal that Gandalf is still alive- I do that with all my friends 😂 Edit- made me so happy that the younger generation gets and appreciates the films too. They truly are timeless.

I just realized something. The reason that Merry is so competent during the battle despite expectations is that he was trained by one of Gondor’s foremost warriors, Boromir.

God even listening to people talk about LOTR makes me cry. To me it is the peak of fiction. Its so heartfelt and sincere, it reflects our world in subtle and clever ways and creates characters that stay with you. Whether it's Gandalf and his stern but kind manor, or Sam's never ending loyalty to his friends, or Saurumans clever cruelty. The world is the best realized fantasy world both on page and on film. I also love that Tolkien never sacrifices his prose. Its so consistent, thorough, and intelligent, but not pretentious. It often just sounds like a person describing something earnestly. Im so glad you enjoyed it.

Two things that are great to dive into with LOTR: 1. The interviews with Tolkien on RU-vid. It's cool to watch him speak about the book while he puffs on a pipe like Gandalf. 2, A guy named Phil Dragesh did an audiobook of the entire LOTR trilogy. He did all the Foley noises and he did all the accents from the movie himself. It, in itself, is an amazing work of art.

I love Frodo and Sam. While reading the first time I always thought Frodo is Courage, and Same is Hope. Such a beautiful friendship.

There is so much "deconstruction" of Tolkien going on at the moment that its a delight to see somebody young read and watch the series and enjoy it for what it is.

I've never understood the feeling of living vicariously through someone until I watched this video. It was like I got to experience the books and movies for the first time again with you. Thank you so much for doing this video! I couldn't stop smiling the whole time!

I cried when you were rooting for Gandalf saying "That's right Gandalf, give them hope". In general I just loved that you chose to do this review and in the order you did it. So much respect from me.

This video ended up being much more than I expected. I've been a huge fan of Tolkien since I first discovered him when the Fellowship came to theaters in 2001. I've been in that world for so long I tend to take it for granted and seeing someone with fresh, vibrant eyes discovering it for their first time was great to behold. Hopefully you'll stick around and dive deep into the roots of Middle-Earth. It's something that stays with you.

"What is the fandom like?" "DID YOU KNOW THAT WHEN ARAGORN KICKED THE HELMET IN THE TWO TOWERS AND THEN SCREAMS, IT'S A SCREAM OF PAIN BECAUSE THE ACTOR ACTUALLY BROKE HIS TOE IN THAT KICK" That, and arguing against people asking why the eagles didn't fly the ring all the way to Mordor, is 70% of the fandom. Thank you so much for your thoughts, I loved this video! Also how disappointing were the hobbit movies? Bilbo and Thorin were great, but they tried to turn a kid's book into an epic, and just had lots of juvenile fart jokes, but none of the real comedy, like the dwarves being introduced to Beorn

CS Lewis, who wrote The Chronicles Of Narnia, had this to say... "The Fellowship of the Ring is like lightning from a clear sky. . . Here are bauties which pierce like swords or burn like cold iron; here is a book that will break your heart. . . ."

The Silmarillion is definitely more difficult to read, but I've been listening to the audiobook on repeat over and over for a while now because it's just so beautifully written and thrilling and emotional. I needed to check maps and genealogical charts and RU-vid videos to really understand it but it makes the depth in LotR so much more meaningful, right down to small details like Gimli asking Galadriel for 1 hair but getting 3, and the star that Frodo and Sam see is Earendils ship, literally Elronds father wearing a Silmaril on his brow. This legendarium has depths of wonder that only increase as you learn more!

I’ve watched probably every LOTR reaction video in existence and I can confidently say your reaction is the absolute best one and it’s not even close! I love the fact that you didn’t just watch the movies, but that you took the time to dive into this world! Nothing but huge respect to you! (Btw I absolutely LOVE that you included a cooking recipe in this video, what an awesome idea!) Looking forward to maybe one day see a review of the Silmarillion. Keep going! And thank you so much for this video! :)

A point often missed is that the Nazgul cannot see anything at all. They are blind. They have no physical body, only a force to support a cloak or armour. That's why they smell for things. The 9 rings shifted them into the Unseen Realm. That's what a Wraith is. When Frodo puts the Ring on at Amon Sul (Weathertop) he shifts into the Unseen Realm and sees the Witch King's spirit form. The Witch King was able to see Frodo for the first time and stabs him. :)

"I don't want to finish this" --> Don't worry, Silmarillion is waiting for you.

I love how you can see her grow more love for Tolkien’s writing with each book. He’s much more old school, but you can see how he meticulously built a whole new style of fantasy Also, I can’t hear the Rohan theme without tearing up, my god

31:44 it's fine we all look the same. It's amazing how timeless Tolkien's books are, and I think it's very much to do with the authenticity with which he wrote. It's no secret he was crafting an alternate mythology for England, a people who's history was supplanted first by the Romans, then by Nordic invaders, then by the conquest by the Normans. All civilizations have their Odyssey, and this collection is England's because it speaks to universal values, those being the inevitable defeat of evil and the steadfastness of good. Although, people often mistake the lesson as good always defeating evil. This doesn't happen in LotR. Frodo fails, his virtue falters, and it is only through the desperate treachery of Gollum that the ring is destroyed. The true theme is that, while good may fail, evil will inevitably destroy itself.

“Embarrassment” is never a word I would have used to describe Saruman before but it’s just perfect.

Hot take of the fandom: Farmer Maggot is the most badass of Hobbits (and his dogs are very good bois). We love that legend telling the Nazgul to get off his property

3 minutes in and this is the most precious and wholesome thing I've ever seen.

The practical effects in LotR bring me joy, I'm glad when other people feel the same. The orcs and all their pals look fantastic and believable, the craftwork behind it all was amazing. I've got a ton of nostalgia about the films and also the idyllic portrayal of the shire, obviously it's meant to be a lovely place but it also hits that specific feeling of "home" for me because I'm from a fairly rural spot in the UK. I rewatch Gandalfs introduction fairly often just because it's so relaxing and Concerning Hobbits is just distilled comfort music.

When the LOTR was published, the American publisher kept correcting Professor Tolkien's spelling of dwarves to dwarfs. Tolkien wrote back telling them that HIS spelling was correct. The American Publish wrote back to Tolkien telling him that THEY are SURE their spelling was correct as it was taken from the Oxford Dictionary. Tolkien returned by saying, "Yes, I know Im a Professor of English Literacy from Oxford, I do remember writing a lot of that book . They never corrected him again LOL!

No matter how many times I watch these movies, the part I always get choked up at is the line "My friends, you bow to no one."

J.R.R Tolkien went through WW1 (arguably the worst war in history to be a soldier in). He got a ton of inspiration from the horror.

"He kind of looks like Ned Stark." Funny you should mention that...

The whole time I was just thinking "god let her watch the extended editions not theatrical please"

Since we are posting "fun facts" during the filming of Christopher Lee's death, Peter Jackson wanted Lee to scream when stabbed in the back. To which Sir Christopher Lee responded and I'm paraphrasing "Have you ever heard the sound a man makes when stabbed in the back? Because I have." Christopher Lee served in the SAS during WWII. I believe in the African Campaign.

"The forest wasn't there..." "THE FOREST WASN'T THERE!!" Lol!!

After seeing the extended versions in the theater in 2019, I became obsessed and started reading the books in quarantine. I have about 4 chapters left of ROTK I've been dragging it out because I don't want it to end, so it's fun to re-read the series vicariously through you! Thanks (:

During Fellowship: "Some of it seems a little longwinded." After Return Of The King: "I wish this was more drawn out!" :D

Really spot on about camp counselor Gandalf. Seeing him as Gandalf the White was badass, but nothing compares to curmudgeonly old grandpa Gandalf.

This was an absolute joy to see. This is a series I re-read almost every year, and it's very dear to me.

this video was so fun to watch!!! random small thing that made me really happy: my dad introduced me to the lord of the rings from a young age and would randomly pull out the family copy to read from it. one of his favorite scenes/quotes was always the conversation between legolas and gimli in helm’s deep talking about seeing caves and forests together. I was so excited to hear you mention it, that convo holds a special place in my heart 🥺

"I keep checking the maps." - Like "I can't wait to transfer the stickies." - Subscribed

I can't get over the fact that you read 4 books (and slow burners at that) AND watched the movies for this one video!! That's amazing! Reading the LOTR-trilogy took me an entire summer! Love your reactions and thoughts on it too

So glad that you have discovered this great work! It's been 42 years since I first read it, when I was 16. I still go back and re-read it frequently. Please be patient with the Silmarillion! It's a hard read, took me two attempts. It is quite a different style. But it is fantastic! Tolkien worked on it most of his life, parts of it go back to his time in the First World War. Take your time, don't turn the page until you are sure you understand it, and every time you see a new name go back to the index to be sure you know who it is (every major character has 5-6 names). Then once you master the Silmarillion, go back and re-read Lord of the Rings. You will be amazed at how much you didn't notice the first time. Finally, if you know the Silmarillion you will be able to appreciate all of the books (a lot of them!) Tolkien's son published after his father's death (1973). There is so much you have yet to discover! Big as Lord of the Rings is, Tolkien's universe is far bigger than you yet realize. You will be so thrilled! I am envious.

Simone: How old is Gandalf? Cat: **having a seizure in the background**

One thing I love about Tolkien's storytelling is that he doesn't give himself full control of the story, which he could. He's the author, he can change or add anything he wants, but he doesn't always and the Entwives are a great example of that. He could very easily have come up with an explanation for what happened to the Entwives, but instead, the way he tells these stories is as if they are actual events that happened and he is simply a researcher relaying what he has found out to the reader. He tells about how there are rumors about what happened to the Entwives and when asked about it, he said he had some theories and ideas about what might've happened. He never gave himself full control over what happened in the world of Middle-earth.

Can we all just pray and give her strength for when she reads the Children Of Hurin.

This is one of my favourite youtube videos ive seen so far, I'm not even a book reader or even a particularly big LoTR fan, I just love watching your journey

This video was an absolute joy. Thank you for taking us along on your epic LotR journey. Your enthusiasm, infectious smile and comedy cat helped make it a lot of fun. May your beard grow thick and strong.

"Cavemen singing about the Misty Mountains" ... I mean... I guess dwarves are men who live in caves?

Your interpretation of themes would probably make Tolkien himself happy. What a stellar video, thanks for cataloging your journey here

I love the way you're doing this with reading the books and then watching the movies. Frodo is the ring-bearer because he is pure of heart, but Samwise the Brave is truly a hero. He didn't have to go on the quest, but he did to take care of his friend. Aragorn has a great story arc, going from a self-isolating ranger to accepting his role as king. Also the friendship between Legolas and Gimli really develops over the quest from grudgingly working together to true friendship. The Lord of the Rings was one long story. Tolkien's publisher told him that it was too long, and he should split it up into three books, which obviously he did. You say that you'll be reading The Silmarillion, which I do recommend. It is dry as heck, but informs a lot about the entire saga of Middle Earth. Also, when Peter Jackson was making The Hobbit, he drew a lot of material from the Silmarillion to fill the space of the trilogy, so basically the Hobbit trilogy is Hobbit/Silmarillion. It makes a lot more sense after reading Silmarillion. The main complaint I've heard from fans of the books is that the Scouring of the Shire was almost completely left out of the movies, other than Frodo getting a horrible vision in the first movie, and in Return of the King, Sam says, "That's for Frodo! And that's for the Shire! And that's for me old Grandpa!" Without knowledge of what happened in the Shire, those last two sentences don't make a lot of sense. I don't know anyone who missed Tom Bombadil, however. When I read the book, I was like, "Why the heck is this chapter here?" I think Peter Jackson made a good decision in leaving Bombadil out. A little aside: a friend of mine, when moving house, had a box of books labeled "Hobbit Porn". It was his cookbooks. He was also such a geek that he labeled many of his boxes in Elvish.

The details with the lighting IE "The full moon" is so readers can tell what TIME the characters are doing something since Frodo and Sam are doing things at the same time that Aragorn and company are. IF it's a full moon it's the same day/night of events happening simultaneously.

In the books, Denethor was supposed to be far stronger-willed than he's presented in-film; He simply had been confronting Sauron through the Palantir for a long time, and had been tricked into despair by him. That said, he was still a bastard to Faramir.

Clever idea to review the books and then react to the movies. I've never seen that before in reactions. Your review of the books and your reactions were great. Very articulate. Your smile and laugh throughout the movies was awesome to see. Thank you for this post. It was amazing.

Wonderful review! I can’t wait to hear and see your reaction on the The Silmarillion. Maybe it’s a little hard to get in to but when you finished it I think you’re amazed by how one person can make such a beautiful detailed world that feels like it really has existed a long time ago. And if you’re really into Tolkien I also highly recommend the children of Hurin. That story is also included in The Silmarillion but the children of Hurin tells the complete story and is a novel like the lord of the rings.

This was such a joy to watch. I’m actually very happy you didn’t touch too much on the Hobbit movies. To be frank, they were a mess. Lindsay Ellis did a fantastic series on what really went wrong with that particular series- it’s a great watch. I would recommend the behind the scenes clips, which are movie length on their own. That infamous wig video is incredible. I’m so happy you enjoyed and I hope you will continue to enjoy everything Tolkien for many years to come :)

"In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort." I've known this sentence by heart for 22 years now. :) Seriously, get the Silmarillion on audio book, it's pretty dense in vocabulary.

It's been discussed a LOT among the years, but I still must say it myself that Tolkien is a great writer of positively masculine men. They are courageous, have grit and great leadership qualities, but at the same time they are tender, considerate, compassionate towards the weak and even physically affectionate towards their friends without coming across as weak or demasculated because of it.

"I think practical effects and CGI when you need it is best" There is yet hope for this generation!

I almost cried watching this and being reminded of how much i love this series. The films 100% did my boy faramir dirty though, he was one of my favourite characters in the books :(

okay, no joke, the "mordor" not being the hobbit door was hilarious. XD

Even Tolkien said that the true hero of the entire story was Samwise.

Samwise The Brave supported Frodo, mentally, emotionally and literally physically.

"This book is like lightning from a clear sky; as sharply different, as unpredictable in our age as Songs of Innocence were in theirs." C.S. Lewis.

I airways feel like there is a generational divide between those of us who are older and read the books long before the movies were made and suffered through all the early attempts to get the Hobbit on film and the younger generation who have not read the books. That might be why I appreciate you reading the books first and then watching the movies, not as an attempt to follow the books line for line, but separate entertainment unto themselves.

When the extended versions of these movies came out on DVD, my friends would have LOTR slumber parties. There would be like 10 of us in our pajamas on sleeping bags on the living room floor, with bowls of popcorn and ice-cream, and we'd try to stay up all night watching LOTR. We were adults in our early 30s.

This was probably the best reaction video I've seen. It was really a dream seeing you discover these books and films and enjoy them as much as I did when I was a kid. Reading all three books with notes and a review and then watching all 12 hours of the movies at once is great work! Thank you! 🤗😇🙏

I am very late but I loved your video. It's relatively rare to find people taking all this efforts to read the books and THEN watch the movies, I am glad I found it. Thanks. Now, what made me write this was your comment about how people critic each other saying things like "you didn't get it". Of course you can read but that doesn't mean that you or anyone can get everything about these huge books and movies the first read or watch. I have read the books every two years aprox for about 15 years now, and I have watched the movies even more times, and every time I give them another go, I find something new, or I change my opinion about something. For example, the first time I watched the movies I was very angry about how Aragorn dealt with the mouth of Sauron, I thought it was very unlike Aragorn. But after the third or fourth time I watched the movie I came to the realization that was the perfect reaction for that time of the movie. After so many hours, people want no more shit. Just a little example. I was confuse at first by the way Peter Jackson treated Faramir but now I get it too. Faramir is a very grey character in the worst possible way: He is too perfect, which makes him boring at a moment in the trilogy where boring doesn't fit. He needed conflict, some gimmick to make him interesting or resembling an arc. Peter Jackson gave it to him and I think it works. And after reading the books a few times I got to the conclusion that the nazgul are a double edge sword for Sauron. In one hand, each of them has the power of an army, just through fear alone. But in the other hand, if someone is able to beat that fear some way or just hold the line, they lose a lot of their power. And the fear they create in the hearts of anyone nearby is a problem when they need to disguise, to infiltrate. They announce their presence even if no one sees them. That was a problem when looking for the ring, then again, Sauron is arrogant as hell. In his mind only raw power can become problematic so sending his most powerful creatures make complete sense for him. Saruman thinks the same but he knows he can't beat Sauron in raw power so instead he sent half orcs that looked like humans, and bribed humans to do the dirty work. Saruman in the books was more worrisome in the books compared to Sauron because you knew when Sauron was involved, but you were not sure when Saruman was. That's completely removed from the movies too which is sad but understandable, they are long enough. However, the point was, everything made sense. Even the problem with the eagles (I mean, why not fly directly with the eagles?). Tolkien recognized that was a plot hole actually, but even that may be excused. The eagles obey Manwe, maybe he didn't want them to solve every problem in Middle earth, just help the people to solve it by themselves. In the end, LOTR is a masterpiece to me, books and movies. In some ways the books are better and in some others, the movies are better. And I love them both ^^

Boromir Meme : "One Does not Simply Hire Sean for a Film ... And Expect Him to Live to the End Credits"

I've never seen a reactor actually sit down and read the books for LotR just in preparation to watch the movies! Geez, that's some dedication. Thanks for filming your reactions to both the books and the movies, it was great to relive the experience again vicariously through you. :D

The death of Saruman the White only happens in the extended edition of Return of the King whilst in the theatrical version his entire death scene is nonexistent and you can still assume that he still alive at the end of the movie.

This was such a joy to watch wow! I'm really glad you enjoyed both the books and the movies and seeing your opinions evolve, or seeing you reach certain milestones was so fun! This video was really enjoyable thank you!

This has been covered by other comments, but it's worth pointing out again: Tolkien worked in the opposite way to all other world-building fantasy authors. Whereas it's normal to come up with a story and then create a world behind it to support it, Tokien started writing languages as a kid, then created peoples and races to speak the languages, then histories and legends for those people, and then finally begrudgingly wrote a narrative set in his world. There's no illusion of depth in his stories, just genuine depth. Almost any question you can ask about anything in his world, there's a real answer. Great reaction!

There is a Lord of the Rings theme park. It's called "New Zealand" The entire trilogy was filmed there and many of the sets like Bag End are still lovingly preserved. They are some of the most popular tourist attractions in the country. People from all over the world come to see them

I am nearly 60 and have lost count of the times I have re-read lotr over the years. But I still remember falling in love with Strider, aged 11.

I absolutely adored watching your journey in this video. Top-tier reactions throughout. I read this thing once a year during the month of September (being Frodo and bilbo’s birthday month) because it’s my comfort read lol. Having watched the directors commentary, I can say that their intention with Faramir’s difference between the movie and the book, was that if faramir had refused to be tempted, like he did in the book, visually in the movie, it would’ve killed the overall threat of the ring. It was some thing to the directors minds that needed to be changed to really emphasize the power of the rings, narrative device. But personally… My absolute favorite take is that (canonically) the actual Lord of the rings, and the hobbit books are a translation of a translation of a record in Gondor of a translation of the original Redbook of West March, being the personal journals of Bilbo and Frodo published in the shire. Discovered and ultimately “Translated” by Tolkien. For example, the actual names of the four hobbits translated into the Westron language, the language, the book would’ve ended up into Tolkiens hands, would’ve been… Frodo Baggins was Maura Labingi, Samwise Gamgee was Banazîr Galbasi, Meriadoc Brandybuck was Kalimac Brandagamba, and Peregrin Took was Razanur Tûk. Which adds more mystery, more real world, relatability and less reliability to the narrators POV, especially in anything that concerns the ring. You can see how nearly immediate the ring begins to affect Bilbo in the hobbit in the description of how violent his thoughts are when trying to escape the goblin tunnels by “stab its eyes out, it had meant to kill him “ in reference to gollum. A total 180 of the personality type we knew Bilbo to have. In the book gollum after biting the ring from Frodo’s finger, dances for joy and celebration and trips, and falls into the cracks of doom. Where in the movie there was a struggle between Frodo and gollum and gollum was pushed accidentally in an effort to retrieve the ring. In the hobbit book, thranduil the Elven king is not actually named. He is known forever as just the king of the woodland realm, and there were complaints in the fandom of Legolas’s presence in the films of the hobbit. But if we go back to the idea that the books aretranslated in-World, first account journals, we can come to the conclusion that Bilbo never was officially introduced to thranduil, and therefore didn’t know his name, other than who he was. And Legolas being Thranduil’s son, prince of the Woodland realm, would have naturally been present, but Bilbo and him never met so he is not in the book (his journal) it’s little things like this that make, these works so incredible and potent even after almost 80 years later. they’re not perfect by any means, but they sure are fun and one wild ride.

I am a huge Tolkien fan and was recommended this video without ever having heard of you before. I watched the whole thing, and had a blast. I absolutely loved watching your journey, definitely if you are jiving with Tolkien's worldbuilding, the Silmarillion will blow you away, it really is a masterpiece, especially with the audiobook. Welcome to the best fandom on earth (middle or otherwise)!

I'd recommend the Behind the Scenes for these movies if you're at all interested in how they were made. They're feature-length and are basically their own trilogy of films.

Absolutely brilliant video. Filling all the books and movies into one video, rather than spreading them thinly across a bunch of videos which I'm sure would have brought you more views, was great. You've got a lot of integrity for doing it this way. Your enthusiasm was infectious. Brilliant.

Absolutely loved the video. A unique take that I haven't seen anyone else do. Hats off & thumbs up.

The Hobbits weren't really Peter Jackson's fault. It didn't work out with the original director, and Peter was sent in literally the last minute. The fact that he put together a coherent movie at all was a miracle. And both directors wanted 2 movies at most, but the studios insisted. And I just want to add my favorite things about The Hobbit and the trilogy. Besides the beautiful language, I love that the story is a balance between trauma and ptsd and friendship. It's heavy and warm at the same time.

Tolkien's whole approach to life is so alien to the modern world. As a professor of Philology at Oxford, before writing any of these books, he was the editor of the letter W for the original Oxford English Dictionary. He even wrote an essay about how "walrus" was the most interesting word in the English language.

This is an awesome vid, glad the recommended sent me here. The kind of reaction content i live for

Watching someone fall in love with Tolkien’s stories is such a delight 😊 I’m glad you loved them!

As a long time Tolkien fan and reader (almost 40 years), I appreciate your time and opinion. Times have changed, and I realize the pacing of the books is not very modern and fast, but there are entire college courses taught on Tolkien's works and there is always more to discover.

God damn it. Even in reactions like this, 'what about side by side with a friend', Merry and Pippin being the first to run after Aragorn, and 'I can't carry it for you, but I can carry you' alway tears me up.

This was great. From your review to your kalimba skills to your in-house mini-Nazgul. So glad I found this video..keep doin your thing!