NationStates Jolt Archive

Who was a better writer?

Who was a better writer?

Lewis could tell a great story and keep it simple enough for people to understand. Tolkein had a power way with the English language and was intensely creative with landscaping words.

I'd say apples and oranges.

Yes.

I like 'em both, pretty equally. I've read Tolkien more, but I read the Narnia books last year and enjoyed them immensely. Read the "Out of the Silent Planet" series years ago, and some others of Jack Lewis' stuff, so I'd have to answer your question with, "Yes."

Lewis was too simple for my taste. Hardly any depth.

Edit: Is Judy Garland a bitch?

Say, wha...?

tolkien.

Who was a better writer?

They were both pretty good. Just let us not talk about their ideas about "good" and "evil".

Depends. "The Chronicles of Narnia" are neither as accessible or well written as "The Lord of the Rings", however Lewis' academic pieces, such as "The allegory of love", are very well written.

I much prefer Tolkien. The Silmarillion is one of my favourite books.

Tolkien was eloquent, but reading his work is like reading sand. He's a boring, dry writer.

tolkien

cslewis is too religious for my taste.

of course lord of the rings is only readable if you know to skip the poetry the first time you read it. (or the first dozen times) otherwise its just too freaking tedious to bother with.

tolkien

cslewis is too religious for my taste.

Much of Tolkien's writing is an allegory based on the life of Christ. Also, Aragorn was based on Jesus.

Tolkien was a very religious Catholic, but curiously, Lewis was an atheist! His writing is superficially religious.

Gotta love them hobbits, elves, dwarves, ents, orcs, and men.

Much of Tolkien's writing is an allegory based on the life of Christ. Also, Aragorn was based on Jesus.

Tolkien was a very religious Catholic, but curiously, Lewis was an atheist! His writing is superficially religious.

Only in his youth. He converted back after his friendship with Tolkien sparked up. Lewis was Anglican.

Much of Tolkien's writing is an allegory based on the life of Christ. Also, Aragorn was based on Jesus.

Tolkien was a very religious Catholic, but curiously, Lewis was an atheist! His writing is superficially religious.

You call the chronicles of Narnia "superficially religious" ?

Aragorn was based on Jesus.

OMG JESUS WAS GAY FOR FRODO TOO!?!?! OMG!!!! :p

You call the chronicles of Narnia "superficially religious" ?

So, if Aslan was Jesus, than the 'Emperor Under the Sea' was God, presumably? Edmund I think was Judas, with Turkish Delight being his forty pieces of silver. So who did the Queen represent?

Yes.

Tolkien is a bit more suited to my personal tastes, but Lewis is entertaining as well.

Much of Tolkien's writing is an allegory based on the life of Christ. Also, Aragorn was based on Jesus.

Tolkien was a very religious Catholic, but curiously, Lewis was an atheist! His writing is superficially religious.
aragorn is so unlike jesus that any allegory is extremely subtle. its never pushed in your face

unlike lewis who is so obvious and heavy-handed that even as a 10 year old it bugged me to no end.

aragorn is so unlike jesus that any allegory is extremely subtle. its never pushed in your face

unlike lewis who is so obvious and heavy-handed that even as a 10 year old it bugged me to no end.

He actually comes out and says it in the last book.

He actually comes out and says it in the last book.
says what in which last book?

I agree with the apples and oranges sentiment.

So, if Aslan was Jesus, than the 'Emperor Under the Sea' was God, presumably? Edmund I think was Judas, with Turkish Delight being his forty pieces of silver. So who did the Queen represent?

The enemies of Christ ?

says what in which last book?
When the children enter heaven/Eden Aslan makes it quite clear he is known as Jesus in this world.

The enemies of Christ ?


When the children enter heaven/Eden Aslan makes it quite clear he is known as Jesus in this world.

Yeah, but who, precisely? Satan? The Romans? Jews? All of those could be considered the enemies of Christ. I'd just say Satan except that Satan didn't crucify Jesus, the Romans did.

Yeah, but who, precisely? Satan? The Romans? Jews? All of those could be considered the enemies of Christ. I'd just say Satan except that Satan didn't crucify Jesus, the Romans did.

Why should she represent one specific individual ?

Why should she represent one specific individual ?

*shrug* Because it makes it easier to discuss?

*shrug* Because it makes it easier to discuss?

Harder actually. And a tad bit unfair towards Lewis creativity.

Harder actually. And a tad bit unfair towards Lewis creativity.

Okay, so no direct equivilant there. If there had to be, I'd go with Romans though. *nods*.

After that, the rest of the references are just about lost on me.

Well, except sons of Adam and daughters of Eve. That one I got.

Clearly, Tolkien. Lewis was no where near in his league. Remember what CS stands for ;)

Clearly, Tolkien. Lewis was no where near in his league. Remember what CS stands for ;)

Cerebral Severer.

Okay, so no direct equivilant there. If there had to be, I'd go with Romans though. *nods*.

After that, the rest of the references are just about lost on me.

Well, except sons of Adam and daughters of Eve. That one I got.
The Tash, the god of the Calormen (aka Muslims) represented Satan. The White Witch was, quite simply, a personification of Christian fear of sorcery.

The Tash, the god of the Calormen (aka Muslims) represented Satan. The White Witch was, quite simply, a personification of Christian fear of sorcery.

So the Wizards killed Jesus. *nods* That makes sense.

After that, the rest of the references are just about lost on me.

The dwarfs that decided to close their minds and hearts to Aslan, and therefor could never again reach true happiness even though it was in their grasp, represented the atheists.

The central message that you should trust Aslan and everything will be allright, even if it seems illogical or that Aslan mistreated you is also a very nice reference to dogma.

So the Wizards killed Jesus. *nods* That makes sense.
No. "Evil" killed Jesus. The White Witch was "evil."

Tolkien was eloquent, but reading his work is like reading sand. He's a boring, dry writer.
Agreed. I forced myself through the LOTR triology.

No. "Evil" killed Jesus. The White Witch was "evil."

I like my theory better. Almost as much as the Jesus-didn't-really-die-on-the-cross-it-was-a-look-alike theory.

Agreed. I forced myself through the LOTR triology.
That's just the way LOTR is, I guess. You really have to WANT to read it, in order to really appreciate it. Otherwise, it's just long and pretentious ^.^ It's not the kinda novel you read because you have a couple minutes to spare.

Tolkien was good but I after 1 1/2 of his books I lost interest. I loved Lewis as a kid but I went back to read it (Narnia) I hated it. Voyage of the dawn Treader (sp?) and The Last Battle where the worst of the two though. Plus it was boring. So Tolkien.

That's just the way LOTR is, I guess. You really have to WANT to read it, in order to really appreciate it. Otherwise, it's just long and pretentious ^.^ It's not the kinda novel you read because you have a couple minutes to spare.
I did want to read it, this classic book that's supposed to be so great, and that was on my list of books I wanted to read. And I'm no stranger to reading. But I just found it so very dull and uninteresting...

I find Tolkien to be quite dry in his style, but the story as a whole is really magnificent. You really do have to avoid all the poetry and songs if you want to get through at all with any sanity. That being said, I consider Tolkien to be a really great writer. But I was under the impression he was an atheist...?
Lewis, on the other hand, writes in a style that is relatively simplistic and easily accessible. His stories provide a great Christian allegory as a fun, symbolic and moral read, no matter what age you are. So it really is comparing apples and oranges. Although I don't really like oranges. So the real question is: which is the apple? Unless we're comparing granny smith apples to large red ones, that is...

I find Tolkien to be quite dry in his style, but the story as a whole is really magnificent. You really do have to avoid all the poetry and songs if you want to get through at all with any sanity. That being said, I consider Tolkien to be a really great writer. But I was under the impression he was an atheist...?
Lewis, on the other hand, writes in a style that is relatively simplistic and easily accessible. His stories provide a great Christian allegory as a fun, symbolic and moral read, no matter what age you are. So it really is comparing apples and oranges. Although I don't really like oranges. So the real question is: which is the apple? Unless we're comparing granny smith apples to large red ones, that is...

Pff...

Who needs sanity?

Pff...

Who needs sanity?

Certainly not anyone who posts on NSGeneral...

When the children enter heaven/Eden Aslan makes it quite clear he is known as Jesus in this world.
oohhhh ok. i thought you were talking about tolkien. i never got to the last book in lewis, the first one put me off him.

They're both good.

Interesting Lewis and Tolkien both knew each other. And they both wrote their books around the same time.

Tolkien.

The Narnia series starts to drag in the following books.....

Tolkien.

The Narnia series starts to drag in the following books.....
In comparision to Tolkien who drags from the first word onward.

So the Wizards killed Jesus. *nods* That makes sense.
'course it does. Wizards are notoriously inefficient at killing things in a way that makes them stay dead.

I've always loved LotR, but I can't compare the two as I have never read the Narnia books.

I've always loved LotR, but I can't compare the two as I have never read the Narnia books.


Narnia= schmaltzy gay Jesus theme.

Middle Earth= Best fantasy stories ever (even if not fantastically written)

C.S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia were way too simple and lacking in detail, because they were intended to be books for little children.

I don't care what others say, but the Lord of the Rings books are disappointing and boring. The major battles that took up a huge part of the second and third movie (Helm's Deep and Pelennor Fields) occupy a chapter in each book, and go into hardly any detail whatsoever. The writing is thick as molasses and it makes you lose interest in the book early on. The rich descriptions are wasted on insignificant persons and places, and are too sparse where they are needed. None of the fight scenes really go into any great detail, and there is virtually zero character development.

The enemies of Christ ?


When the children enter heaven/Eden Aslan makes it quite clear he is known as Jesus in this world.


I was under the impression that the parallel was that he was known by a different name. That could be anything: Allah, Jesus, the Hobgoblin.

Anyway, at what point did Edmund hang himself?

I also prefer Tolkien's subtle references to Catholicism over Lewis' whack you over the head allegorical stuff.

I also prefer Tolkien's subtle references to Catholicism over Lewis' whack you over the head allegorical stuff.

Same here. Plus, his writing was just plain better (in my opinion, anyway). Don't even get me started with how good the Lord of the Rings movies are.

Same here. Plus, his writing was just plain better (in my opinion, anyway). Don't even get me started with how good the Lord of the Rings movies are.


They omitted my favourite character: Tom Bombadil. Vandals!

They omitted my favourite character: Tom Bombadil. Vandals!

Glaring omission it was, but he wasn't really necessary for the movie.

In comparision to Tolkien who drags from the first word onward.

Hardly.

I was happy to Narnia end.

I wanted more from LotR.

So, if Aslan was Jesus, than the 'Emperor Under the Sea' was God, presumably? Edmund I think was Judas, with Turkish Delight being his forty pieces of silver. So who did the Queen represent?
ZOMGZ SHE IZ A JOO!
*runs in circles shouting*

Glaring omission it was, but he wasn't really necessary for the movie.


He was very important in the text. He was not affected by the Master Ring and without him the hobbits would have been eaten by the tree, thus ending the storyline period.

ZOMGZ SHE IZ A JOO!
*runs in circles shouting*


Did Moses kill everyone on the planet and then ask for a wake-up call too?

He was very important in the text. He was not affected by the Master Ring and without him the hobbits would have been eaten by the tree, thus ending the storyline period.
Yes, but Treebeard took his lines and role, pretty much. I felt sorry for Merry and Pippin, they had to travel god knows how long with Treebeard spouting crappy poetry >_>

Yes, but Treebeard took his lines and role, pretty much. I felt sorry for Merry and Pippin, they had to travel god knows how long with Treebeard spouting crappy poetry >_>


Bah, it's not the same. Treebeard doesn't have a book dedicated to himself.

Bah, it's not the same. Treebeard doesn't have a book dedicated to himself.
And he lacks a sexy wife to ;)

And he lacks a sexy wife to ;)

To what, exactly?