While Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings movies are undoubtedly beloved—or, at least, the original trilogy movies are—the truth is, J.R.R. Tolkien’s books gave Jackson the foundation that he needed to make brilliant movies. In fact, as much as Jackson’s movies are hailed as some of the greatest movies of all time, Tolkien’s books are considered so much more than just the greatest fantasy novels.
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Rather, many Tolkien fans consider The Lord of the Rings books to be just about perfect. It goes without saying that these books are excellent; their legacy and lasting impact speak for themselves. However, nothing, especially when it comes to books, movies, shows, and similar mediums, is truly perfect. And, while not every one is a true failing, these 5 aspects of Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings books are among the more complex things that fans often don’t want to admit.
The Pacing Is Very Slow At Times—Sometimes Too Slow
Jackson’s trilogy of movies based on The Hobbit is frequently criticized for being boring or paced too slowly. On the one hand, Jackson really shouldn’t have tried to turn The Hobbit into a trilogy; it was an effort to replicate the magic of his first trilogy of movies that largely didn’t work because it drew out the narrative far too much.
However, a much tougher truth that many Tolkien fans won’t want to admit is that some parts of The Lord of the Rings books really are paced that slowly. Particularly given how much these stories center on journeys, it’s completely understandable that there would be quite a bit of walking. The fact that it makes sense doesn’t mean that it’s untrue, though.
Women Are Significantly Underrepresented
Some Lord of the Rings fans have made it quite clear that they either don’t care that women are massively underrepresented in both the books and the movies or don’t think it’s an issue at all. Arguments can be made that the stories reflect the times, among various other counterpoints, but that doesn’t change the objective fact that they are few and far between in the stories.
While a lack of women more generally warrants its own conversation, what’s really disappointing about this aspect of the books is that, when he wrote women, Tolkien actually wrote them quite well. Galadriel and Éowyn in particular are dynamic, well-written characters in the books, so it’s a shame Tolkien didn’t have more major characters who were women in the books.
Some Book Characters And Stories Really Were Better Left Out Of The Movies
There are myriad changes to The Lord of the Rings movies that fans weren’t happy with, one of which was the absence of the incredibly powerful but also rather mysterious character Tom Bombadil from the books. While Tom Bombadil has since actually had an on-screen appearance in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (and signs indicate he might be about to have another one in The Lord of the Rings: Shadow of the Past), it makes sense that Jackson opted to exclude him from the movies.
Among the biggest reasons this omission in Jackson’s original trilogy of movies makes sense is that Jackson had a complex, layered narrative that he had to bring to life on the big screen. Already, with the cuts he made, the run times for each of the three movies were all just under or slightly above three hours. Jackson simply didn’t have the time to include everything, and Tom Bombadil is a complicated character who just didn’t fit at the time.
Some Readers Skip Over The Songs And Poems
While this isn’t an issue with the books themselves, something that fans may find difficult to accept is the fact that many readers skim through or entirely skip over the songs and poems throughout the Lord of the Rings books. Of course, diehard fans who love the books will be outraged by this both because Tolkien’s writing deserves the recognition and because they are, in fact, important.
Yet, the average reader or casual fan may not have that same dedication, which means that some readers are going to pay them little mind. As devastating as that may be to fans who love and respect the poems and songs, that is a sad reality within the franchise.
You Don’t Have To Know The Books To Love The Movies
Finally, something that serious fans of The Lord of the Rings may struggle to admit is that someone doesn’t have to read the books to be a (totally valid) fan of the movies or the franchise more broadly. Over the years, there have certainly been tensions between fans who have only seen the on-screen adaptations and those who know the books backwards and forwards.
The latter group is, of course, often going to feel like they are the true fans of The Lord of the Rings. Yet, the truth is, there are many ways to be a Lord of the Rings fan, and those who are only familiar with the movies are still legitimate fans.
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