[Miriamele]

It's not a big deal, really, but it kind of bugs me to hear people again and again refer to Lord of the Rings as a trilogy, because it really isn't. It's one book, it's always been one book, but publishers usually want to publish it in three parts because of its daunting size. I worked in a bookstore here in Canada and we sold several one-volume versions. We even sold one boxed set with seven books (6 for the story and 1 for the appendice). That doesn't mean that it's seven books, it's just sold that way.

The Lord of the Rings is a single book.

There, I've had my say, I feel better. http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/smile.gif

[Keziah]

I have never actually read LOTR but i have a fan sitting next to me right now. She says she has it in one volume, but in this volume there are six books and while it is generally published as 3 books within each of these books there are two books. Did that make sense? Anyway that was the impression i had even without reading it, that there were 6 books all originaly published at the same time and in one big book.

[Keyoke]

Amen!

Since we're posting our gripes, here's mine in regards to fantasy..

Here I was, reading my book during my break at work, and this dude ask me. "Whose your favorite author?" So, I peak up, thinking, hey, this guy reads fantasy too.. So I reply, "Well, I think Tad Williams, or Neil Gaiman.. Robin Hobb too.." He looks at me with that 'puzzled' look..

So, then he says.. "Are they like those D&D books?" ARGH!

Why must people assume cause it says Fantasy is has to be with Elves, Dwarves, and friggin Wizards.. I mean, heck, I was reading Saints of the Sword.. I cant remember the last book I read that have elves/dwarves/etc..

Can't stand when folks assume stuff like that..

Keyoke

[Rob B]

Miriamele is right, it is one book. The publishers (in the 50s)split it into three more manageable books because they thought the publici would be daunted by a 1000 plus page book.

[fortytwo]

Miriamele, are you saying The Lord of the Rings is one book? http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/smile.gif

[This message has been edited by fortytwo (edited May 30, 2002).]

[Miriamele]

Ummm...is that a trick question or something? It's too obvious. Of course that's what I'm saying.

[This message has been edited by Miriamele (edited May 29, 2002).]

[dendol]

The Lord of the Rings is a single book.

Miriamele, you should make yourself clearer next time. http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/smile.gif

[Cadfael]

The Fellowship Of the Ring - July 29 1954
The Two Towers - November 11 1954
The Return Of The King - October 20 1955

Tolkien may have wrote the LOTR as a single book... but it was published as a trilogy on different dates. So technically it is a trilogy, but I don't think there is any absolute right or wrong here...

If all three had been published on the same day... I would agree %100 with the argument, but I am in two minds here http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

Just ignore me... I is a nit-picker http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

[This message has been edited by dennizm (edited May 29, 2002).]

[Cannon Fodder]

A lot of fantasy trilogies or sagas are more or less one book just split up into seperate volumes for ease and for profit. You could even argue that something like The Wheel of Time is just one big book, one really really big book. As such I have no real problem with Lord of the Rings being refered to as a trilogy.

Though I'm with Keyoke 100% on his gripe.

[Qin]

Why must people assume cause it says Fantasy is has to be with Elves, Dwarves, and friggin Wizards.. I mean, heck, I was reading Saints of the Sword.. I cant remember the last book I read that have elves/dwarves/etc..

Remember: the predominant books on the shelves are just those kinds of books - cheap derivative fantasy. There are entire shelves at local bookstores that creak under the weight of Dragonlance book #1503 and AD&D novel #75679. The two series that take up the most shelf space: WoT and SoT, followed in third place by Shannara.

These are what sell on the New York Times Best Seller List. Any time R.A. Salvatore decides to pump out another frivolous adventure novel, it almost immediately jumps onto the NYT Best Seller List. The same with Goodkind and Jordan. This is the nature of fantasy: 90% of it is absolute crap, and the other %10 is nearly impossible to find. I've yet to find VanderMeer's City of Saints and Madmen, and I've been in at least five different bookstores! But I can find the newest Star Wars novel without blinking.

This is the nature of publishing houses and book stores - they'll ship en mass and place on shelves what sells the best. And since people all see what sells, they see the cheap derivative fantasy. Compound with this the massive success of the first Lord of the Rings movie, the abysmal D&D movie, and years and years of bad highschool D&D jokes, and everything makes perfect sense.

Mod Edit:
Qin, how many times do we have to ask you to NOT use expletives?

[This message has been edited by FitzFlagg (edited May 30, 2002).]