--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There’s no two ways about it, Tolkien…" description: "\"“There’s no two ways about it, Tolkien fans are a funny bunch. I should know, for I was one of them. Been there, done that, read the book, gone mad. I ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d3/anthony-lane-33469_books_there-s-no-two-ways-about-it-tolkien-fan_2355135.png" --- # There’s no two ways about it, Tolkien fans are a funny… ![“There’s no two ways about it, Tolkien fans are a funny bunch. I should know, for I was one of them. Been there, done that, read the book, gone mad. I first took on The Lord of the Rings at the age of eleven or twelve; to be precise, I began it at the age of eleven and finished at the age of…” quote by Anthony Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d3/anthony-lane-33469_books_there-s-no-two-ways-about-it-tolkien-fan_2355135.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d3/anthony-lane-33469_books_there-s-no-two-ways-about-it-tolkien-fan_2355135.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d3/anthony-lane-33469_books_there-s-no-two-ways-about-it-tolkien-fan_2355135.png) > ““There’s no two ways about it, Tolkien fans are a funny bunch. I should know, for I was one of them. Been there, done that, read the book, gone mad. I first took on The Lord of the Rings at the age of eleven or twelve; to be precise, I began it at the age of eleven and finished at the age of twelve. It was, and remains, not a book that you happen to read, like any other, but a book that happens to you: a chunk bitten out of your life.”” [Anthony Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-lane/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Tolkien fans become deeply immersed, letting the story become part of their lives rather than just a read. **In simple terms:** Fans absorb the story, making it part of them. Key Takeaway Embrace stories that transform you. Themes literature fan culture identity Mood enthusiastic contemplative Type personal cultural When to use this quote - reading groups - creative writing - role‑playing games Key Concepts obsession personal growth Questions to Reflect On - What books have changed your self‑perception? - How do you balance fandom with everyday life? A Different Perspective Intense fandom can blur reality and escapism. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) ## Related quotes > [Tolkien fans reacted so strongly to 'Lord Of The Rings' as a franchise because it stayed true; the heart of it was true to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-kircher/tolkien-fans-reacted-so-strongly-to-lord-of-the-rings-as-a-franchise/) [William Kircher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-kircher/) > [I was fascinated by 'The Lord of the Rings' from about the age of eight, and that lasted well into my teens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-reeve/i-was-fascinated-by-the-lord-of-the-rings-from-about-the-age-of-eight/) [Philip Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-reeve/) > [All in all, Tolkien fans are as varied, remarkable and marvelous as the books and the worlds that they share. 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Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-w-s-anderson/) > [If 'The Lord of the Rings' is a cautionary tale about the desire for power and the use of power, then it is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamelle-bouie/if-the-lord-of-the-rings-is-a-cautionary-tale-about-the-desire-for/) [Jamelle Bouie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamelle-bouie/) > ['Lord of the Rings' was a set of books in which the world had been conceived before the characters were placed within that context.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-z-danielewski/lord-of-the-rings-was-a-set-of-books-in-which-the-world-had-been/) [Mark Z. Danielewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-z-danielewski/) > [“When my father was a young man, during the years of the First World War and long before there was any inkling of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/when-my-father-was-a-young-man-during-the-years-of-the-first-world/) [J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/) > [If you read 'Lord of the Rings' and dismiss it as a lie because it has orcs and elves, you're missing the whole point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-tennapel/if-you-read-lord-of-the-rings-and-dismiss-it-as-a-lie-because-it-has/) [Doug TenNapel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-tennapel/) ## More by Anthony Lane > [I do have one very brutal writing ritual. If I'm working in the morning, I don't allow myself a cup of tea until I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-lane/i-do-have-one-very-brutal-writing-ritual-if-i-m-working-in-the/) [Anthony Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-lane/) > [Cookbooks, it should be stressed, do not belong in the kitchen at all. 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