Tolkien Character Book Tag

I can’t believe I’ve made it this far into Wyrd & Wonder and haven’t yet done a book tag! Things have been too busy lately. Anyway, I’m hoping to do some tags over the next few days and get some blog-hopping in as well to see what everyone else has been posting.

Well, I’ll be doing the Tolkien Character Book Tag, which was created by booktuber Things Lucy Reads. I’m not a fan of the Lord of the Rings series (blasphemy! I know), but I enjoyed The Hobbit and prefer the movies to the books. I’ve toyed with the idea of trying the core trilogy again, but… I’ve yet to act on that and doubt I will. However, I do appreciate Tolkien’s creativity and all that went into creating this story and world. And, of course, I enjoyed the movie adaptation as well as many fantasy stories that are inspired by Tolkien’s work.

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Aragorn: A book that ended up being everything you wanted it to be

DCeased by Tom Taylor, illus. by Trevor Hairsine

It’s the first in a comic book series set in the DC universe about a zombie apocalypse and how the superheroes try to save the world and stop its spreading. I’ve always wanted a superhero, zombie apocalypse story, and this delivered. I enjoyed seeing how certain superheroes react and spread the virus based on how their power works. It was a very entertaining story for this zombie-apocalypse-stories fan.

Celeborn: Your favorite character who often gets overlooked

Crummock-i-Phail from Last Argument of Kings by Joe Abercrombie

Lol! Crummock immediately came to mind. I’m currently buddy-reading Last Argument of Kings with Emily at Embuhleeliest, and I can’t help liking this weird chief of the hillmen. He has the oddest sayings, everyone thinks he’s mad (he probably thinks he’s mad too), he’s beloved of the moon, I don’t get why he has his kids in the middle of a war carrying his heavy-ass weapons around, and he’s probably the only one who’s excited for the Bloody Nine to make an appearance (even Logen doesn’t want that to happen).

“They say you can see all the beauty in the world in the way a hanged man swings.” — Crummock-i-Phail

He’s so odd.

Celebrían: A book or character that you wish had got a better ending

Black Witch Magic by Mila Nicks

It’s a fantasy romance about a young man visiting a small town with his friend for the holidays and begins investigating a local family that’s supposedly cursed for his paranormal show. Of course, he ends up falling for the young woman who’s one of the last members of the cursed family. It’s a light, fun read, but some parts didn’t work for me and the end was unsatisfying.

Círdan: The first book you bought/received or the oldest book you own

Cinderella

The oldest book I own (which I actually don’t have in my collection but is most likely on my parent’s bookshelves) is this old Cinderella picture book that I think I brought here with me from Jamaica. It was one of my favorite books as a kid.

Elrond: A book that helped you through a hard time or that you related to the most

Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

It was a very helpful, motivating book when I was going through a rough patch. It was very popular couple years ago, especially when the movie starring Julia Roberts came out. It’s Gilbert’s memoir about going through a divorce and then travelling to three countries after, which helped her heal.

Elwing: Your least favorite fictional character

Nynaeve from the Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan

At the moment, it’s Nynaeve because I’m currently rereading the first three books for the umpteenth time, which is making me realize how much I enjoyed the first and second books. I haven’t progressed past the sixth book yet, and I really should give up, but I also really want to know what happens and how things wrap up. So far, even at halfway through the sixth book, Nynaeve annoys me the most, probably because her go-to emotion is anger and tugging her braid and I’m SO tired of that!

Éowyn: A book with the most badass, or just your favorite, female character

Granny Weatherwax from Lords and Ladies by Terry Pratchett

I thought it fitting to go with Granny Weatherwax for this category since she is a badass from Badass who could do badass things if she wants but instead uses her badass, penetrating stare to resolve most situations. Lords and Ladies is one of the Witches books from the Discworld series.

Faramir: A sequel that ended up being better than you expected

The Wicked + the Divine, Vol. 6: Imperial Phase, Part 2 by Kieron Gillen, illus. by Jamie McKelvie

This comic book series was a very satisfying read. It’s about gods from various pantheons that are reincarnated every couple years. This time, the appear as pop stars, such as Rihanna, Kanye West, and David Bowie (those are just the ones I immediately recognize). It’s a very interesting read, and the series is complete at nine volumes, so I highly recommend it. But this one was way better than expected because of all the shocking reveals, and so too a couple of the other volumes after this one.

Fëanor: A book where the characters consistently make really stupid decisions

The Colour of Magic by Terry Pratchett

I am tempted to say Elayne and Nynaeve in The Shadow Rising and The Fires of Heaven by Robert Jordan. I really hated being stuck in their chapters in those books.

Anyway, Twoflower in The Colour of Magic won out because his antics causes a city to burn (can’t remember if it was the entire Ankh-Morpork or just part of it). The Colour of Magic is the first book in the Discworld series and is about the wizard Rincewind trying to keep the tourist-to-the-Discworld, Twoflower, out of danger.

Frodo: A book that didn’t live up to the hype

The Belles by Dhonielle Clyaton

It’s YA fantasy set in a kingdom where everyone’s goal is to be considered beautiful, so young women called Belles are trained in magic that allows them to make people beautiful. It was a good read but not as amazing as I was led to believe.

Gil-Galad: A fictional death you will never get over

Assassin’s Fate by Robin Hobb

I’m still holding out hope that this is not the end and my favorite characters will return in some way.

Gimli: Your favorite fictional friendship

Fitz and the Fool from Fool’s Errand by Robin Hobb
Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg from Maskerade by Terry Pratchett

Both of these friendships have so much experience and history and respect packed in that the friend is almost like an extension of the person’s self, although the individuals are very different from each other. And in the books featured, we see how close these friendships are.

Legolas: Prettiest book

A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske

It’s the prettiest of the fantasy books I’ve bought so far this year. (The cover is more impressive IRL.)

Maedhros: Most physically damaged book

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling

I prefer to keep my books in tip-top shape, so I hardly every lend them out. However, one of my copies of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone is falling apart because I’ve had it for a very long time and have reread it many times, or just picked it up to hold it. The cover is falling off and I’m pretty sure some pages are falling out too. But I refuse to get rid of it or to use it much (due to its current state), or to allow anyone else to handle it.

Tom Bombadil: A book you’ve forgotten

Land of Love and Drowning by Tiphanie Yanique

I think this is fantasy or a story with strong magical realism in it. I bought it long ago, probably when I started running this book blog, and haven’t remembered to consider reading it until I made the Fantasy Books I Haven’t Read Yet post (btw, the Lies of Locke Lamora is the popular choice in the poll of fantasy books I should read).

Bonus Question

Haldir: A character that got ruined in their book’s film adaptation

Mat from the Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan

I know no one likes fun-loving Mat from the earlier books because he’s so immature and annoying, but I enjoyed that, especially since it seems that his immaturity developed into the cavalier attitude he puts on later when acting as if nothing concerns him. So I’m not a fan of the withdrawn, down-on-his-luck, sad Mat in the Amazon TV adaptation. I hope that changes a bit for season 2, but I doubt it.

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That’s it for this tag.

Fingers crossed that I do another one this week.