by Odo Banks on Wed Nov 25, 2009 3:04 am
Trolls, stone giants, goblins, Gollum, wargs, eagles, Beorn mand servants, the spiders, etc. etc. An adventuresome fairy-story with light and dark well balanced, though always with a 'light' touch and nearly always underscored with humor. The 'immediate appeal' to children was the whole point! This 'a dark tale' emphasis is balderdash to me. The text doesn't support the view.
People seem to want either 'a bed time tale' or 'an adult fantasy,' but the book is clearly the first and not the second, however much people pretend it is. Some people (most people???) want a Prequel to LOTR, but I love TH for what it actually is.
Odo