Hellooo!

We are nearing the end but first battles are a calling and what about the poor Mordor tour?

Chapter 6 – The Battle of Pelennor Fields aka Rohan 2 – Angmar 1

Interesting chapter – we get a little bit of a feel for Sauron at the start. He’s an od villain more presence than ever a character in their own right but Tolkien is dangling it ain’t over yet. The actual battle of the fields if quick and very swiftly attention focuses on Theoden who is in one page swiftly despatched via Nazgul’s hard landing. The Witch King is indeed dauntingly described and yet Merry and Eowyn are the two not men (oh death by pun!) and it’s a neat victory that still feels hard won. Especially as the two are themselves near death. You do wonder though as Theoden then breathes his last how the battle doesn’t hit them while they’re all down.

Then things get frenetic again with ebbs and flows all over just a few pages. You can sense the author having fun letting this all sweep along. All again seems lost with the Black Ships appearing only for Aragorn to turn up and win things! This feels a mighty battle and yet we know its not over yet. Lovely bit of writing

Chapter 7 – The Pyre of Denethor aka Burn Steward Burn

While all of that is going on we have trouble in Minas Tirith and Pippin has to try to save Faramir from being burnt alive by his Dad. That family has issues. We get the final battle of wits with Gandalf and Denethor and what impressed me here is Denethor is simply mad and bad – he feels tortured. We soon realise this is due to Palantir. It reminds us Sauron is a nasty but smart piece of work breaking Denethor like that. It also means the city is leaderless….hmm who could do that job?

Chapter 8 – The Houses of Healing aka Aragorn MD

Battles tend not to focus on the glory not the injured, so I really liked how this chapter reminds us war has a cost. Its also a useful chapter to make Aragorn not just a cunning warrior but a miraculous healer. Divine Right of Kings has to show the Divine? Three miracles and then he’s done. But before it all goes a little too saccharine, we do geta nice bit of teasing between Aragorn and Merry. He is not the king yet but hard for anyone now not to say he is worthy.

Chapter 9 – The Last Debate aka I Have a Cunning Plan

So we get the tale (told alas in third person recap and a missed opportunity for ghost army scenes that would take a few decades to film) but we then find out where the ships come into things.

The more interesting part of this chapter is that the gang decide the best way to help Frodo is a foolhardy last attack on Mordor. Everything is about to be put on the line and it could all go wrong. I actually liked that this felt never at all certain of outcome. The stakes are high and yet weary, wounded and outmanned they’re going for it.

Chapter 10 – The Back Gate Opens aka The Final Countdown

Ah we had to have some more walking scenes as the troops enter Mordor but things get interesting eventually with the arrival of The Messenger – Sauron again is not here but we have his Herald. Interestingly a man who just wants power. Showing Frodo and Sam’s clothes though is a nasty reveal and again things feel lost. Things quickly escalate but we get a cliffhanger just as we sense the battle of all battles beginning and someone mentions Eagles – what does it all mean???

Chapter 1 The Tower of Cirith Ungol aka Sam Gamgee Action Hobbit

This chapter reminds us why Sam is so popular. He isn’t the hero, the noble and yet he ploughs on. Not giving in or up. I really liked how we get into his head and heart (if only this happened more in the book). Cirith Ungol though is made to feel sinister and we finally meet the eerie and strange Silent Watchers – no explanation of them but they just feel wrong (again good cosmic horror). Slightly disappointed to find that orc civil war has made things easy for Sam but at least Sam gets a few orcs to fight before finding Frodo – it’s a great epic tale in miniature. A little ungrateful of Frodo to just want his ring back but hey ho! Great cliffhanger though as the gang are setting off the alarms.

Chapter 2 – The land of Shadow aka Long Orc to Lack of Freedom

It’s a bit of walking chapter again. We realise its a long way still to go. The gang get mixed up with orcs and we know Gollum is around. This is a set-up chapter and not much else. I am intrigued the orcs mention rebels and curse copyright laws that it will be 2044 before someone uses that.

Next week – The End(ings) and My Final Thoughts!