Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I've been a Tolkienite for a long time and the best advice I can give to anyone interested in learning more about Tolkien's stories and lore is to read the books! Do watch the extended edition of PJ's LOTR instead of the theatrical version (yes there's the mouth of Sauron thing, but Faramir's character is better represented). There are a lot of great companion books out there as well for those hungry for more lore. The cinematography is great, however, that seems to be the only positive thing I can say about this series. I agree with what many people have been saying about this show. The writing is terrible. Galadriel is a wise, elegant ruler over her own realm, shared by her spouse Celeborn. Elrond would most likely be serving under Gil-galad, thus spending more of his time alongside him-occasionally meeting with Celebrimbor or Celebrían (Galadriel and Celeborn's daughter). According to the lore, the silmarils are lost until the end of Arda. The origin of mithril, explained by the episode, is entirely non-canonical. Sauron's presence in Numenor (and how he got there) is clearly explained in The Silmarillion and other sources. He is defeated, captured, and taken to Numenor by Ar-Pharazôn. I am not sure what the writers intend to do, but there is a lot of speculation pointing towards Sauron using a disguise. If that's true it's also non-canonical. Amazon has produced a disaster of a show that "rides" on the Tolkien name. This is a huge loss for Amazon and I'm unsure if their mistake are fixable as they're a little more than half way through with the first season. A few recommendations I can suggest include hiring new, experienced writers that respect and honour Tolkien's work-more importantly, have a foundational knowledge and understanding of the lore! Reintroduce what is canonical to the lore and characters in the next season. Ultimately if you love fantasy and want something to watch, this show will be a waste of your time. Make yourself a warm cup of coffee or tea, grab a copy of The Hobbit or The Fellowship of the Ring, and nestle yourself with a blanket in a favourite corner of your home/room this fall. I'm not joking, please try it! UPDATE: I just finished watching episode 8. I'll be honest, episode 5 broke me (I skipped episodes 6 & 7). I stand by my initial comments. I am floored by how bad this is. Inconceivable! The Tolkien Society and Tolkien Estate gave Amazon their approval to go with this? The story was an incredibly loose, slow, and poorly written fanfic of Tolkien's masterful works. Of course, it was super predictable (we all knew Sauron was [...], go figure). We're supposed to stand by for roughly 2 years for the next season? Who's going to remember/anticipate it following that time? This show needs an entire revamp with new show runners. The Fall of Numenor is supposed to be released this November-I would definitely recommend checking it out as it would give more details on events that really occurred during the second age of Middle Earth.