So is anyone besides me getting rather anxious for some more big news and/or pictures?

*raises hand* I am! It seems like it has been forever since we heard anything.

They do look a bit alike in those pictures. However, I think Will Turner looks significantly different from Legolas, so I don't mind the similarities between the two pictures. If Bard ends up looking exactly like that, I don't think I'll like the look much. It doesn't seem Middle Earth like to me.

I just finished reading Return of the King for the first time! (Well, I guess I'm not quite finished, I'm still on Appendix A) I think it's probably the best novel I've ever read. I really loved it! One of my favorite parts is when they come back to the Shire and have to set everything right. Several of the things Merry and Pippin did made me laugh. Is that part in the movie?

Yep, along with the rest of you, I'm itching for more news, fk.

Narnian Wolf, that's great to hear you enjoyed The RotK so much, though I'm not surprised. Sadly, the Scouring of the Shire was not included in the film. PJ felt it would be a cumbersome addition, prolonging the film too much. As it was, I think the last movie had five endings, or something. (Not that I minded, but I've heard plenty of complaints from those who did ... all the times the screen went black in that last hour, only to have it flash back on again, continuing the tale. )

I will say that I am really enjoying The Hobbit. It can be a bit confusing for me since I am busy with school now, and can only read the book in bits. I'll have to read it a few more times to understand it better, but I get the main story.

Is it a good idea to start with The Hobbit before you read LotR? Hobbit is a much lighter story I've heard, and Rings is much darker than Hobbit. I'm just curious to know.

Anyway, I might start following movie news for Hobbit if I manage to read the book a few more times in my busy schedule.

I will say that I am really enjoying The Hobbit. It can be a bit confusing for me since I am busy with school now, and can only read the book in bits. I'll have to read it a few more times to understand it better, but I get the main story.

Is it a good idea to start with The Hobbit before you read LotR? Hobbit is a much lighter story I've heard, and Rings is much darker than Hobbit. I'm just curious to know.

Anyway, I might start following movie news for Hobbit if I manage to read the book a few more times in my busy schedule.

I started with The Hobbit before I read LOTR and I think it really helps. It familiarizes you with Middle Earth and some of its inhabitants and it really helped me to get into Lord of the Rings after having read The Hobbit. Knowing some of the characters in LOTR from The Hobbit is really nice.

Hmmm.... I've read The Hobbit and I've started The Fellowship of the Ring, but it's going rather slowly.....

Finally something new Yet at the same time, no big news yet

What was that? 'Sm-ow-gg'? I thought Smaug was pronounced 'Sm-or-gg'.

What was that? 'Sm-ow-gg'? I thought Smaug was pronounced 'Sm-or-gg'.

It doesn't have an "R" in it...

The word Smaug has the vowel combination "au" which is pronounced "ow".

~Riella

I know Smaug doesn't have an 'R' in it but here the vowel 'au' isn't always pronounced 'ow'. eg. 'caught' is pronounced the same as the word 'court' - C-or-tt. Must be the difference between American, British and Australian pronounciations.

I know Smaug doesn't have an 'R' in it but here the vowel 'au' isn't always pronounced 'ow'. eg. 'caught' is pronounced the same as the word 'court' - C-or-tt. Must be the difference between American, British and Australian pronounciations.

I got the "au" pronunciation from Tolkien's pronunciation guide, included in my copy of The Silmarillion.

(That's interesting about pronunciation in Australia, by the way. Over here, we pronounce "caught" like "caht".)

~Riella

Interesting. I checked my copy of The Silmarillion (tough book, need to try and reread it and this time finish it) and you're right about the pronounciation. Still, it's an odd. I can't say I like the Sm-ow-gg pronounciation but it might have to grow on me. Thankfully, I've been pronouncing Sauron correctly all of my life.

I've always pronounced it Sm-ow-gg. By the way, what's the Sauron pronunciation? *hopes she has it right*

I've always said Smaug the way Benedict said it in his interview. Or like 'smog' but with a little more 'ah' sound.

Elanor, Sauron = S-ow-ron.

*Chuckles* Am I the only person who's ever mispronounced 'Smaug'?