When I was seven or eight my dad started bugging me to read The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, which he had read in high school. Eventually he got a box set of both books for me as a gift, but I still wasn't interested and put it on a shelf without even removing the plastic wrap. Close to a year later, one of my dad's friend's sons started playing the Return of the King video game (based on the movie), and I started watching him play it and even did a few levels myself. I started asking lots of questions about, such as "What are Orcs?" (the answer I received was "Men made from mud"), but I soon became too curious to be satisfied by just talking while watching the game. At that point I went back to my room, unwrapped the box set, and devoured all four volumes as fast as I could. I haven't looked back since.
Favorite Tolkien character:
Even though Book IV is my least favourite part of The Lord of the Rings, Faramir has been my favourite character since my very first reading. I have always liked the Gondorians in general, and Faramir stood out as the epitome of Gondorian culture and all it could be. His nobility, his courage, and the inspiration that he gave to those around him (especially Beregond) drew me towards him.
