I always get a kick out of "Orcs." Now even moreso, in that I'm re-reading "Lord of the Rings" for the seventh time. Prolly the first since college. But this time with a Kindle, so it's easy to look up all the archaicisms he used, that I just guessed at before. Man, it's still intense. So far--through Chapter 3 of Book 5, in The Return of the King, which is comprised of Books 5 & 6 plus the superb Appendices--I count 5 absurd and bizarre, and highly unnecessary, changes, by that damned movie guy (The Hobbit was worse, at least, the final movie. Effin garbage.). Lots more changes that I get the reasons for. Anyhoo ... yeah ... very readable despite the purposely archaic usages, and not at all dreary. I had to take a break from the unrelenting woe of "The Silmarillion" after 70% of it, couldn't take any more ... that one's almost as tough to bear as "Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee." Or "Lies My History Teacher Taught Me."
Almost.