[Knight of Gondor]

Some are annoying, yes, but nowhere near as annoying as those who know bloody everything and righteously stick it in your face, whether you asked them to or not.

Perhaps you should start a thread about annoying experts.

Myself being the most dedicated (two years and counting!) of nerds, naturally.

I first read the books when I heard rumors of the movie, and I’ve been devoted ever since.

I second that, Gil-Galad...

I met a good "amateur" today. She enjoys the movies (Frodo fancier) and she's in the middle of reading TTT. She's looking for The Silmarillion at the library. I said I'd help her read it (tough book, y'know, and I don't know that she'll like it), and guide her to sites like this. I'm so excited! I hope that she falls in love with it like I have. Then I'll have someone to talk to who I can see... I love the good newbies!

“Newbies” like that are good! They’re not annoying. We were all newbies once upon a time.

And I am betting that I will always be an amateur just because I don't have the amazing ability to read through many of Tolkien's works once and instantly know everything about it (And also I get confused while reading The Book of Lost Tales, and have recently been too cheap to go out and buy Unfinished Tales).

Don’t worry, Gorwingel! I got a little bogged down in Lost Tales 1 and 2 too! I’m only now working through UT, but I like most the stories about Númenor and Gondor and Rohan and Arnor. All those Noldor and Atari and Atani and older Elven kingdoms, while still pretty cool (as in, the stories of Tuor and Beren etc.) are so ancient, and one can get lost between all the Elven kingdoms and kings and people. I think the story of Turin is one of the saddest and unhappy tales, I don’t know what foul mood brought Tolkien to write it. But what I mean is, I prefer some of the newer stories and got a little lost myself in the older. (“Newer” and “older” meaning in terms of Middle-Earth years) If you can make it through the Silmarillion, or the Appendices if RotK, you’re probably doing good.

Although amateurs can be annoying it is funny to make them belive one of the characters dies.

*Chuckles* Yes, it is, isn’t it?

Now a few days ago he was talking to his friends and they believed that Celeborn had one of the three rings.

Even the two friends he was talking to evidently had some surface knowledge, beyond that of your average movie-goer. If you told them about Celeborn, they’d probably go “who?”

You know, there was a time not too long ago when I would have fallen into the "amatures" bin. Specifically, when I saw FotR for the first time.

Of course, we already discussed this to some extent in What Does it Take to be a Tolkien Expert, or something along those lines. No one blames anyone for being an “amateur” at all. The term is even open and subject to interpretation. What irritates us is people who pretend to know more than they do.

My parents are what you might call annoying. They care (a little) about LotR, if for no other reason than because my brother and sister love it so much. But we always have to stop and explain things for them, and repeat lines that they missed (my mom is always frustrated at Gandalf, because he really DOES mutter a whole lot, just barely able to make out his words, and she’s like “WHAT? What did he say?” and we have to repeat it), and then we have to explain and remind them of things. As in, “this guy is the guy whose brother got hit with all those arrows in the first movie. His father is the steward.” “So the steward is the king?” “No, he’s a steward, Gondor doesn’t have a king yet.” “And his son is this guy?” “Yeah, he’s the guy we saw before who meet Frodo and Sam.” “The brother with the arrows?” “Yes.”

Then there are things like “Why’s Gandalf riding out like that?” (When Mithrandir plunges forth from Minas Tirith to stave off the Nazgûl) “To frighten them off!” “Oh, with his magic wand?” “*SIGH*”. They miss a whole lot because they ask questions, then we have to remind them of things or tell them why something is going on. Mom didn’t see Théoden and Aragorn and co. riding to Edoras, so when they showed them making a toast, she was like “How’d they get there?” *Sigh* They’re fun, and it’s fun to watch a movie with someone who doesn’t know...it’s just not fun when we’re milked for all the details.