Yeah, a bit funny but ultimately just silly schoolboy humour
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Barcode: 9780575073623
I started reading this around the same time i read the actual Lord of The Rings Trilogy which obviously is pretty essential to 'getting' this book as you'll be able to realise the humour in the characters names and the way they are portrayed. So, first things first, don't even bother reading this if you don't know the characters/general plot of the original novels.
And yes, when i read it i probably laughed a couple of times but i'm giving it one star because ultimately, it's just silly schoolboy humour - trying to shove in as many rude words and poor jokes as possible. I know some people like their humour in this kind of surreal way but to me it was just over the top and quickly got tiring. It plays overly on the 'mocking fantasy' theme and shoves in loads of sexual references too, another way to try and force a laugh if the other stuff didn't get you.
So, my ultimate problem with this book is that it is too much of stuff which quickly gets boring and probably isn't even that funny in the first place. If you're going to parody Lord of The Rings at least do it well. The books even got a tacky cover too to make the whole thing even worse.
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Outdated
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Firstly, it must be noted that this book was written some forty years ago. Four decades back the expectations of humour were quite different. Bored of the Rings is very much a slapstick affair, with the extraordinarily rare piece of wit slipped in. Over 200 pages of slapstick and absurdity is hard to manage, after a certain point it becomes quite stale. Bored is a clever parody, of that there is no doubt, just in today's culture it has become quite a tough read.
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The Original Parody!!!
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This is of course, the original parody. Well, that's what I think. This hilarious book spawned many parodies but this is the most funniest. I read this in under a day. It's short and the book goes along at a fast pace. It has hilarious combat scenes, funny characters and humorous situations that are memoriable and never go away. Like, "Do you mean...THERES A BULLFROG IN THE WOODPILE?" Friggin genius. Forget the Soddit, this is the best darn parody I have ever read, closely followed by Barry Trotter and the Unnessisary Sequel.
Underneath the humor, it's an adult book, with adult jokes thrown in. My only critiscm is that it's rushed in someplaces. Unlike the Soddit, which almost crawls along like snail compared to this. Get it! Or Sorhed will get you.
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Outrageously funny!
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In this outrageous parody of J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, we get to follow the preposterous antics of an unbelievable group of misfits out to unmake a ring, and destroy an evil power. Goodgulf the wizard leads Frito, Spam, Moxie, Pepsi, Stomper the Ranger (he has many names), Bromosel, Gimlet the dwarf and Legolam the elf across Lower Middle Earth, as they dodge the evil pig-riding Nozdrul, foul Narcs and other baddies, on their way to dark Fordor. As you can tell from the summary above, this book is not to be taken seriously! It is outrageously funny! Can a reader ever forget the four boggies meeting with the wild Tom Benzedrine and his magical lady Hashberry? No! Indeed, hardly a RPG session passes when one of us does not quote from this hilarious tome: "`Then we must head east,' said Goodgulf gesturing with his wand to where the sun was setting redly in a mass of sea-clouds." This book is laugh-out-loud funny, and should be read by every fan of the great Tolkien. I recommend it wholeheartedly!
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A dull, tedious little book
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I was bought this book as a Christmas present and sincerely wish that my friend had saved his money. Though I'm familiar enough with Tolkein to understand the "jokes", I'm by no means a purist and feel that LOTR is ripe for a successful parody. This simply isn't it. I have to take issue with those on this site who've argued that it will appeal to anyone who appreciates Python and Pratchett - I love both, but found this book immensely tedious. The humour is incredibly juvenile and repetitive, the parodies predictable and weak, the writing style is just plain dull. All in all, it is an extremely lame example of American collegiate humour and not half as funny as it thinks it is. If your tempted to buy this - don't. Do yourself a favour and buy something by Terry Pratchett instead.
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