I am reading the Fellowwhip of the Ring too for the very first time. Being a fantasy fan and never reading it before seemed like blasphemy, now I finally understand why it had such a huge impact on culture. It's really special.
2025, the year of Tolkien, started with a bang. 6 extended edition movies week 1-2. Attempted to listen to a book on tape, Children of Hurin and decided that even when a book is exceptionally well narrated, I just fall asleep. Instead, read Hobbit, started Fellowship, and watched The War of the Rohirrim. I enjoyed the movie but apparently many others did not. Back to my lovely new 70th ed copy of Fellowship!
I am reading the Fellowwhip of the Ring too for the very first time. Being a fantasy fan and never reading it before seemed like blasphemy, now I finally understand why it had such a huge impact on culture. It's really special.
It seems to me, Tolkien (at least Hobbit which I have read) achieves a degree of classicism and style on par with other speculative fiction founders, like Poe, Kipling, H.G. Wells (War of the Worlds, but really all his short stories of mystery and adventure); a grade which most sci-fi and fantasy seem to me not to attain (I like Greg Egan and Heinlein but it's not the same to me), among those great writers of classic literature that has survived many cycles of hype or fame. Perhaps because so much of spec fic golden era (50s, 60s) was driven by pulp magazines which demanded quick production (like the internet today, patreon etc) and not a work of care and patience.
But I'm super curious, regardless, about your suggestions for contemporary/web or social media french writers, in poetry, in fantasy, SF or any short stories; printed books welcome, maybe a post here on this theme? :)
Well, I live in Quebec, so I am not so close to actual french literature. Im not even sure if I ever read a fantasy book written by a french speaking author before. What drew me towards more classic fantasy is the fact that I would very much like to become an author myself. So I am going back to the roots. Previously, I had read a good portion of the Royal Assassin's saga, by Robin Hobb (I am currently in the middle of the second cycle) and the three first tomes of Earthsea, by Ursula k. Le Guin. In between that, I read other books in different genres. Some of them were by authors from Quebec, but not fantasy.
There are so many options now, it’s easy to see why people come to Tolkien later in their journey. I recommend giving the William Morris source material a look once you’re finished. Also, would love to hear your thoughts after you’re finished with the trilogy!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Morris