I dont know whats wrong with you people. Considering the time they were written the books are absolute genius to anyone who is willing to lend some imagination to them.
Peter Jackson did an outstanding job in translating the books into film... if you found them boring then maybe you should just avoid any films that are that length, as it isnt the content that is boring (and if you thought it is then you shouldn't see the films in the first place) and certainly not the duration between the 'battle scenes'.
Having a huge interest in the visual arts, i was in awe of the beauty of every frame of those films and am not sure why anyone else with the same interest wouldnt think the same. Sure they can be boring if you allow yourself to fall asleep and then have to rewatch the same parts over again.
But each to thier own of course... and the above is a good example of why i try not to talk about film on this board, because im such a film buff and i never believe anyone else's opinions are good enough.