Of hobbits and grammar

I can’t fly to New Zealand and take my own picture, so this stock image will have to do.

I am almost done with The Fellowship of the Ring audiobook. I am near the part of the book where they are about to meet Galadriel after having escaped the mines of Moria. Specifically, they are at the part when they could remove their blindfolds after word got to their elven guides that they were no threat to Lothlorien.

Oops, I forgot to add a spoiler alert! Oh well, spoilers for a nearly century-old set of novels and two-decades-old movie, I guess.

I have really enjoyed the audiobook. Much credit goes to Andy Serkis, who narrates this version. He adds a lot of energy in when he reads dialog of the characters. You lose a bit of the dreaminess and subtlety of Rob Inglis’s narration, but I think both are valid performances in their own right. I think Serkis’s reading is the more entertaining of the two.

A screenshot of this blog being evaluated by ProWritingAid

On to another topic, I am in the market for a proofreading app. I have mentioned previously that I want to improve my writing. I have also concluded that I cannot do it alone. And, since I do not have any friends to subject my crappy drafts, I will, instead, turn to technology.

I looked into Grammarly. It’s hella expensive, with the best features being locked behind that pricy premium membership. I am using ProWritingAid extension right now. Their tonal suggestions are also behind a paywall, but their reports are free, or at least more obviously available than Grammarly’s. We’ll see if this works out.

I may end up paying for either of these two services sooner rather than later.