Tolkien's writing style is VERY different, and it just doesn't flow well for me. Specifically the dialogue and the random change in POV's in a paragraph are difficult to keep track of. It kept pulling me out of the story.  

I also knew the basic plot and outcome, so I had nothing to keep me engaged. I think that's probably the biggest reason I didn't enjoy this read very much. Yeah, seeing the original story and comparing it to the film trilogy was fun, but that's all I really got from this. 

I'm now even more nervous to try reading LOTR. I just hope it's more dense and the writing flows better. I hope I can enjoy it.