Rating: 
Summary: A good solid work
Review: A concise well-written, well-organized critique. Stanton includes many tantalizing nuggets dug out of the rich ore of The Lord of the Rings (LOTR) increasing the reader's wealth of understanding and appreciation for J.R.R. Tolkien's masterpiece. Stanton is a seasoned guide who knows the terrain well, pointing out sights along the way, and helping us through the fogs and mists but savvy enough to get out of the way to allow the reader to see the grand vista for himself, even prompting us to do more exploring on our own paths of discovery. He writes in a manner that will enlighten the first-time reader of LOTR and add dimension to the seasoned LOTR affecianado.
Stanton never grandstands or gets in the way of the subject. I've read several criticisms on LOTR, and this is one of the best. Stanton looks at LOTR without the dated cultural bias and skewed pop criticism that mars so many other critiques and reviews of Tolkien's epic fantasy. The author is not presumptuous, or pompous, or arrogant, a tone that prevails in many other similar works. Stanton's book provides an excellent index, something that is lacking in many other criticisms of Tolkien's works, and a reasonable bibliography to broaden the perspectives of the more interested reader.Hobbits, Elves and Wizards is a welcome addition to my library, and the one book that I recommend to all my friends who want a crisp, smooth overview and sympathetic interpretative criticism of The Lord of the Rings.
Rating:
Summary: A good solid work
Review: A concise well-written, well-organized critique. Stanton includes many tantalizing nuggets dug out of the rich ore of The Lord of the Rings (LOTR) increasing the reader's wealth of understanding and appreciation for J.R.R. Tolkien's masterpiece. Stanton is a seasoned guide who knows the terrain well, pointing out sights along the way, and helping us through the fogs and mists but savvy enough to get out of the way to allow the reader to see the grand vista for himself, even prompting us to do more exploring on our own paths of discovery. He writes in a manner that will enlighten the first-time reader of LOTR and add dimension to the seasoned LOTR affecianado.
Stanton never grandstands or gets in the way of the subject. I've read several criticisms on LOTR, and this is one of the best. Stanton looks at LOTR without the dated cultural bias and skewed pop criticism that mars so many other critiques and reviews of Tolkien's epic fantasy. The author is not presumptuous, or pompous, or arrogant, a tone that prevails in many other similar works. Stanton's book provides an excellent index, something that is lacking in many other criticisms of Tolkien's works, and a reasonable bibliography to broaden the perspectives of the more interested reader. Hobbits, Elves and Wizards is a welcome addition to my library, and the one book that I recommend to all my friends who want a crisp, smooth overview and sympathetic interpretative criticism of The Lord of the Rings.
Rating:
Summary: Great work on LOTR
Review: An excellent guide to the world of J.R.R Tolkien's. A really enjoyable book for a good read for vacation or on the airplane or the beach. A must read for all Lord of the Rings fans!
Rating: 
Summary: An interesting insight to Tolkien's Middle Earth
Review: Hobbits, Elves and Wizards is a broad over-view of the Lord of the Rings. In it, Stanton goes over the trilogy, and analyses the patterns in Tolkien's writing, historical relevence, Tolkien's life, and his writing.
The book is divided into two parts, and each cover different things. The first half covers the trilogy itself. There are six chapters, one for each of the books in the Lord of the Rings. In each chapter, he points out similarities between scenes, how the characters are progressing, and the geography.
The second half covers the races of Middle Earth, Languges, and Good and Evil, and how they play a role in the story. Overall, this is a fairly good read, if you are not a die-hard Tolkien fan. Stanton was a UVM (University of Vermont) professor, and taught LOTR for a long time. This is his reactions and conclusions from the books, presented in a book form. It reads like he's there talking in front of you.
But if you are familiar with the Lord of the Rings, this book will just be a reiteration of what you can get out of the books yourself.
The only gripes I had about the book are the signifagance of the Gray Havens, for I would have liked to know more, The Hobbit. This book does not cover it, but it would be good to see in included. Some of Stanton's conclusions are a little off. At one point in the trilogy, Gollum is fantasizing at taking over the world, while Stanton says that he is not ambitious. He could have explained that more.
Also, the hardcover edition was released before the Fellowship of the Ring movie was released. The paperback version has his own comments on the movie, but not in the hardcover. Even for Tolkien or Lord of the Rings fans, this in a good read about the style and writings of Tolkien.
Rating:
Summary: A good place to start exploring Middle Earth.
Review: I just reread "Lord of the Rings" (having not read it since high school) and picked up Stanton's book as the first criticism in advance of seeing the film. As a starting point, it's a very good guide to the initial critical arguments surrounding LOR. It's a fine an affectionate summary of all the work done to date and it really provided some good insights, at least to my mind, about how to read the books as a whole. After you read Stanton, you can use his thoughtful bibliography to go further in Tolkien criticism. I'm now on to the work of Jane Chance, but Stanton's book was a solid bedrock from which to go forth.
Rating:
Summary: A good place to start exploring Middle Earth.
Review: I ordered this book with much anticipation -- there hasn't been a good critical study of the LOTR for a decade. Highly disappointing, mostly a retelling of the story. Tolkien fans will find this a superfluous rehash of tired ideas, and non-fans will just be bored. Tolkien's Elves are not the flittery creatures of Victorian storybooks? Middle Earth is a translation of the Old Norse/Anglo-Saxon term for our world? Is there anyone on earth who hasn't known that since 1972 (or if they're under age 30, since they first encountered "The Hobbit" in grade school?) When Stanton does hit upon an idea that may be interesting, he drops it immediately, with no development. If this book is for Tolkien aficionados, it needs to be about 100 pages longer, with a better scholarly apparatus, or at least an acknowledgement that other people have written about these books before. If it is an attempt to capitalize upon the movie, it needs to be a lot more entertaining.
Rating: 
Summary: Superfluous attempt to capitalize on the film
Review: I ordered this book with much anticipation -- there hasn't been a good critical study of the LOTR for a decade. Highly disappointing, mostly a retelling of the story. Tolkien fans will find this a superfluous rehash of tired ideas, and non-fans will just be bored. Tolkien's Elves are not the flittery creatures of Victorian storybooks? Middle Earth is a translation of the Old Norse/Anglo-Saxon term for our world? Is there anyone on earth who hasn't known that since 1972 (or if they're under age 30, since they first encountered "The Hobbit" in grade school?) When Stanton does hit upon an idea that may be interesting, he drops it immediately, with no development. If this book is for Tolkien aficionados, it needs to be about 100 pages longer, with a better scholarly apparatus, or at least an acknowledgement that other people have written about these books before. If it is an attempt to capitalize upon the movie, it needs to be a lot more entertaining.
Rating:
Summary: Great work on LOTR
Review: If you want to get more out of your readings of LORD OF THE RINGS, this book will help you a great deal. As a relative neophyte to Tolkien's grand epic, I was occasionally confused by the myriad place and name variants, and the huge vistas of time that are covered and referred to in the books. Stanton's book is extremely useful for all of these concerns, is very readable, and is also organized in a very clear way. If you want to go back and read only about, say, the Ents, you can easily do so. Stanton taught LOTR and Tolkien for 25 years in classes at the Univ. of Vermont, and it shows. He also makes a point of thanking his many students, who over the years have given him additional insights into this great work of literature.
Great reading, and very very helpful. It's going on my shelf next to my LOTR set.
Rating:
Summary: a WONDERFUL aid to understanding and appreciating LOTR
Review: If you want to get more out of your readings of LORD OF THE RINGS, this book will help you a great deal. As a relative neophyte to Tolkien's grand epic, I was occasionally confused by the myriad place and name variants, and the huge vistas of time that are covered and referred to in the books. Stanton's book is extremely useful for all of these concerns, is very readable, and is also organized in a very clear way. If you want to go back and read only about, say, the Ents, you can easily do so. Stanton taught LOTR and Tolkien for 25 years in classes at the Univ. of Vermont, and it shows. He also makes a point of thanking his many students, who over the years have given him additional insights into this great work of literature.
Great reading, and very very helpful. It's going on my shelf next to my LOTR set.
Rating:
Summary: There has to be a better treatment of Middle Earth
Review: Informative for the novice only. If you've read LOTR more than twice, pass on this, as you likely will learn little.
|
