Hobbit rant

A new beginning and a Hobbit rant!

I am now preparing for my first day at work. I am thankful that I was able to find work as quickly as I did. I am grateful of the opportunity and of the chance to learn new aspects of my profession. However, I am even more grateful for being able to provide for my family and for being a productive member of society.

Change is inevitable in life, I know that, but I think that the new routine, the new hours and the new workplace will be a difficult challenge to get used to. Before, I was accustomed of setting my own timelines, of being able to take a vacation whenever I wanted, or to take a day off when I felt like it. I won't be able to do that anymore, and I am looking forward to facing these and many other challenges. Although I have to admit that I am excited, feeling like I did when I changed schools from grade school to high school. I did not know anybody there, but I wanted to be there. Destiny gave me long life friends and a kick-ass education, so everything turned out to be ok.

So, I raise my glass towards the sky and toast life with a defiant: Challenge accepted!

Hobbit Rant

Well, I do not know where to begin. I am an avid Tolkien fan; his books shaped my burgeoning teen-age years. I was 12 when I read the Hobbit for the very first time, and it was my introduction to fantasy. I have not looked back, having read hundreds of fantasy books over the years. Still, the Hobbit has that special place in my heart. When Peter Jackson made the Lord of the Rings, I was really excited at the prospect of seeing my favorite characters on screen (especially Gandalf and Strider). However, even though the movies are stunning, beautifully shot, with great music and great acting, I was disappointed at all the changes made to the original story. I mean, the non-inclusion of Tom Bombadil is not a big deal per se, but the way the wanted to play the love story of Arwen and Aragorn, the scenes where Galadriel simply looses it with Frodo, how Frodo is loosing it in the presence of the ring, Gandalf's staff is broken by a Nazgul, etc...all of this made up elements are not necessary. Galadriel's casting, along with all the Elves is also highly questionable, but I understand that Cate Blanchett is an Oscar winning actor that will generate buzz and money (but why did they have to show her GINORMOUS FEET? WHY?).

Again, I want to stress the fact that I liked the movies, the movies are gorgeous and well made, but I did not like the artistic licenses and the story deviations. And this brings us back to Peter Jackson and the Hobbit.

He announced that it will be made into a trilogy.

A TRILOGY!

The shortest book of Middle Earth will be made into a trilogy.

Why?

This move reeks of senseless greed to me. There is no other way of putting it. Jackson says he is going to incorporate things from never before seen material Tolkien had written, and of some of the other books that deal with Middle Earth as well, and of using the appendices found in the Return of the King. Again I ask, why?

The story is a classic because it is a simple tale about a simple hobbit thrust into the precarious task of reclaiming the Dwarves' ancestral home, aided by a good friend and Wizard, Gandalf. That is it. Along the way he will meet the Dwarves that will become his companions and he will meet Elrond and Galadriel and Gollum. The story will then take care of itself. There is no reason to drag the simple story into three movies and I, for one, will not be flocking to the cinema to see it, even though I do want to see the movie.

Many of my friends believe that I am being overly dramatic, and they are probably right. But what good is a story written if it is changed completely in the movie? I am not a fan of the Game of Thrones series because of the changes made to the story (and yes, Martin is the one guiding these changes). I am not going to lie, the presentation of the series is beautiful, the acting is superb and the setting hits the nail in the head. The creators of the series have more time to develop and impose any changes made because they have the time to do so, thus the series is much more cohesive than the Lord of the Rings movies.

I understand that sometimes things need to be changed, and when you make a good movie like Jackson did; these changes do not alter the story as a whole.

Bur three movies out of the Hobbit is ridiculous. I will not support them.

What do you think?

Book

I am in the last stretch of writing the novel. Editing has gone well, and it is flowing. This week I want to advance it as much as I can because my new job means a lot less time to write.

It will be a great challenge to juggle the job, family life and writing in the upcoming months, but I am still aiming to publish it in December.

See you all later!

P.D. I used to write the blog weekly, but time constraints and life issues have made this timetable impossible. I will update it once a month, hopefully more.