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Title: A Good Story Buried in Plodding Narrative
Review: Tolkein has created a world of hobbits, elves, dwarfs and wizards that's so real you feel you're reading a history book. Unfortunately, I wanted to read the rollicking good tale that Tolkein buried with plodding details of topography, weather, and history instead. The pacing is so off that several chapters are given to a character that has nothing to do with the plot, while a pivotal scene involving Galdalf is told as a puny, bland page or two flashback. Luckily, the movie excavated the story and showed us what this book could have been if Tolkein was as skilled at storytelling as he was at world inventing.
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