Chapter IX: The Last Debate Legolas and Gimli are walking through Minas Tirith on their way to the Houses of Healing. Gimli thinks the place needs improvements in its stonework, and Legolas thinks it needs more gardens. Both vow to send their people to improve the city, assuming they win the hopeless war, but in … Continue reading LotR Reread: Once More Unto the Breach
Lord of the Rings reread
LotR Reread: “We’re in the Same Story”
Chapter VII: Journey to the Cross-Roads In the morning, Faramir bids the hobbits farewell. He gives them some provisions and a couple of walking sticks cut down to their size. The sticks have a virtue of finding and returning, and he hopes they will aid the hobbits in their journey. They walk together for a … Continue reading LotR Reread: “We’re in the Same Story”
LotR Reread: You Can’t Get There From Here
Chapter III: The Black Gate is Closed At last, Frodo and Sam have reached Mordor. As promised, Gollum led them to the Morannon, the Black Gate that guards the most direct road into that dark country. It's been a bleak journey there, and the outlook gets worse with every step. The rocky cliffs are riddled … Continue reading LotR Reread: You Can’t Get There From Here
LotR Reread: The Darkening of Frodo Baggins
The Two Towers, Book IV Chapter I: The Taming of Sméagol When I hear people discuss The Lord of the Rings, they always seem to say the same thing: The Two Towers is the boring part. I have to assume they're talking about the second part because the first half with Aragorn, Merry, and Pippin is … Continue reading LotR Reread: The Darkening of Frodo Baggins
LotR Reread: Maybe Don’t Bring a Hobbit to a Sword Fight
Chapter XI: A Knife in the Dark There’s a significant change in tone across the last few chapters of Book I of The Fellowship of the Ring. Chapter I, ‘A Long Expected Party’ is a bridge between the children’s tale of The Hobbit and the grown-up tale of The Lord of the Rings. We see … Continue reading LotR Reread: Maybe Don’t Bring a Hobbit to a Sword Fight
Traveling in Books 