I saw this challenge here and thought it looked like fun, so here I go, despite being nine days late.
Of course, the challenge starts out with an impossible question. Favorite Middle Earth book? How am I to choose? Despite my undying love for the adventures and characters in The Hobbit, and the beauty and majesty and loftiness of The Silmarillion, I'm going to have to pick The Lord of the Rings because I've read it the most and absolutely everything about that book is top notch.
Day 2: Favorite Movie
This one is much simpler for me. The Return of the King is my all time favorite movie and I am certain that there shall never be a movie that surpasses it. This movie has it all. The epic battles! The wonderful quotes! The beautiful soundtrack! The bittersweet ending!
Day 3: Favorite Quote
Hannah frantically begins to copy and paste the entire text of the Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit onto her blog. Just kidding. How about I give you a few...
"The world is indeed full of peril, and in it there are many dark places; but still there is much that is fair, and though in all lands love is now mingled with grief, it grows perhaps the greater."
"Above all shadows rides the sun"
"If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world."
"I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness; I love only that which they defend."
"I know. It's all wrong. By rights we shouldn't even be here. But we are. It's like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo. The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger, they were. And sometimes you didn't want to know the end. Because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened? But in the end, it's only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you. That meant something, even if you were too small to understand why. But I think, Mr. Frodo, I do understand. I know now. Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back, only they didn't. They kept fighting. Because they were holding onto something." "What are we holding onto, Sam?" "That there's some good in this world, Mr. Frodo, and it's worth fighting for."
"The road goes ever on and on,
Down from the door where it began
Now far ahead the Road ha gone
And I must follow if I can,
Pursuing it with eager feet,
Until it joins some larger way
Where many paths and errand meet,
And whither then? I cannot say. "
"Forth and fear no darkness! Arise, arise riders of Theoden! Spears shall be shaken. Shields shall be broken. A sword day, a red day, ere the sun rises! Ride now, ride now, ride! Ride for ruin and the world's ending!"
"It was at this point that Bilbo stopped. Going on from there was the bravest thing he ever did. The tremendous things that happened afterward were as nothing compared to it. He fought the real battle in the tunnel alone, before he ever saw the vast danger that lay in wait."
"Hold your ground! Hold your ground! Sons of Gondor, of Rohan, my brothers! I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the heart of me. A day may come when the courage of men fails- when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship. But it is not this day. An hour of wolves and shattered shields when the age of men comes crashing down. But it is not this day. This day we fight! By all that you hold dear on this good earth, I bid you stand, Men of the West!
Day 4: Favorite Scene
This is another extremely difficult one. No wonder this is called a 'challenge'. Once again I am going to cheat and give you a few. How about top five?
Inside Information chapter in the Hobbit, when Bilbo and Smaug meet and Bilbo utters his awesome riddles.
Beren and Luthien. That whole chapter of the Silmarillion. I just love it so much.
The charge of Aragorn and Theoden at Helms Deep and when the Rohirrim arrive:
The whole Black Gate scene:
The charge of the Rohirrim at Pelennor Fields:
If you aren't getting the chills at those scenes then you are a heartless person.
Day 5: Best of the Fellowship
ARAGORN. I'm sure you all saw that coming, being that he's my favorite character.
Day 6: Best of Thorin's Company
Bilbo Baggins. He is such a wonderful character. He starts out as a homebody but turns into a hero.
Day 7: Favorite Weapon
Probably Narsil/Anduril, if for no other reason than that it's Aragorn's. Although in all seriousness, I love how the line of kings is tied to that sword.
Day 8: Favorite Costume
All the costumes in the movies are perfect. But just off the top of my head, I'd have to say that Gandalf looks just perfect.
Day 9: Prettiest Dress
I have a particular fondness for this dress of Arwen's.
And there you go. I hope I have inspired each and every one of you to reread and rewatch all of the Middle Earth books and movies.
Definitely my favorite scene of all is the charge of the Rohirrim at the Pelennor Fields. Hands down.
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