I picked it up off a friend's bookshelf when I was 14 and devoured it in a matter of days. I picked it up again during a long illness several years later, and re-read it once more shortly thereafter. Some time after that, I went looking for an online discussion group who would be as interested in the story as I was, and found TORN.
Favorite Tolkien character:
It's a toss-up between Aragorn and Book Merry.Aragorn because he's nearly perfect.And Merry because he's resourceful, intelligent, and has a great sense of humor.