Triumph!!!

[Luthien_ Tinuviel]

" Why doesn't Sam just kill gollum? He isn't very helpful."

That is an incredibly good question.

Well, I usually just make sly Tolkien references in conversation. If the person knows what I'm talking about, they usually acknowledge it or at least seem interested. That helps to detect people who know about Tolkien.. those who don't just stare. Not really helpful in converting them, I'll admit, but at least it's a good method for telling the difference.

I think you really have to appeal to them on their level - if they like books, tell them it's a good book or good literature. If they like action films, well there's that, too. If they like being 'in,' LOTR is still pretty much a part of the current popular culture, so they might simply want to know what it's all about, since there's a lingering LOTR ambience in the atmosphere.