So I finally decided it was time for me to read the Lord of the Rings trilogy. I am a massive fan of the films and have been ever since they were released about 15(?!) years ago! I did try to read them around that time, but my 11/12 year old brain could not cope with the complex Tolkien universe despite having read the Hobbit previously.
I treated myself to the full set in the covers that match the copy of the Hobbit that I bought a few years ago to re-read before the films were released. And thus I began reading the fellowship.
It was wonderful to be immersed in the history of middle earth at the start of the book and I enjoyed Gandalf’s long explanation of the situation to Frodo, much more detailed than the film. That was the main thing I noticed when reading, how detailed everything was.
Up until Frodo sets out, the story is the same as the film. However Merry and Pippin do not join later on in the book as in the film. And the farmer whose fields they cut across takes them in for dinner!
Tom Bombadil is of course a huge part of the books that the films chose not to include, and I can see why. He saved the hobbits, but in the film journey they are not so aware of the danger they are in at this point, nor was there the screen time available for them to wander round in the forest and then the barrow downs endlessly. I do like however that the scene with Merry and Pippin being consumed by trees is included in one of the extended films, I think the Two Towers? So it was cool to see the origin of that.
They eventually reach Bree and the prancing pony, having escaped the black riders thus far. Their encounter with Strider happens much more promptly and swiftly in the film. I am sad that we didn’t get to see Frodo dancing around on a table but oh well.
Strider takes them on the journey and eventually they make it to Weathertop. Frodo is silly and puts on the ring once the black riders find them and gets stabbed. No fun fight with Aragorn and fire in this story, they just kind of vanish.
The race is now on to save Frodo by getting to Rivendell as quickly as possible. This time it is not Arwen who comes to the group’s aid but Glorfindel, an elf of Elrond’s house.
They make it, only it is Gandalf in the book who creates the Horse stream that washes the black riders away, not Arwen (obviously as she isn’t there…)
There actually isn’t much mention of Arwen and her relationship with Aragorn is only described fairly briefly so we only really know it exists now much more.
Frodo has survived. Yay! Gandalf fills him in on what happened. Then it is off to the Council of Elrond. This goes down pretty much the same as in the film, but with added details from characters such as Legolas and Gimli, who get to explain what they are doing there and relate themselves to events that have passed and those that are to come in the story, mainly Gollum’s escape from custody and Balin’s disappearance.
Gandalf also gets to explain his encounter with Saruman in great detail. It is also spoken of the rising power that began in Dol Goldur with the necromancer who turns out to be Sauron and the driving of this out of Mirkwood. This of course is actually part of the Hobbit in the films, and I am really glad that it was included as I enjoyed that part of the film a lot and like hearing more about middle earth and its history.
So the company of nine is chosen and they set out. The trip over Caradhas does not go too well. They decide to head through the ancient but questionable halls of Moria.
This also plays out much like the film, minus the film’s inclusion of the awesome cave troll battle scene. Gandalf is defeated by the Balrog. Which was cooler and way more emotive in the film.
Now they head to Lothlorien and the forest. There they are found by the elves. This scene is included in the extended cut of the film.
There is a very long time spent with the elves in the books, which to be honest I found quite tedious so I am glad that the film skipped over some of this! Then the company heads off down the river. One point that I didn’t like in the book is that Legolas and Gimli have already become friends. In the films they are still quite adversarial and their growing friendship is really fun to watch.
They set off down the river to the forgotten land of Numenor, where Sam and Frodo realise that they are being followed by Gollum, here confirmed by Strider, whereas the film it is Gandalf who confirms this fact in Moria. Orcs shoot at them from the eastern bank, and some big flying shadow advances on them which is omitted from the film. A shame, cos Legolas shoots it like the badass he is.
Frodo has to decide where they go next, East to Mordor or West to Gondor. While he is off deciding, he is costed by Boromir, who wants to take the ring to use against the armies of Mordor. Frodo put on the ring and escapes. He decided he must go to Mordor alone. Whilst everyone is searching for Frodo, Sam realises that his master will try and make the journey alone and goes to join him. They leave secretly.
Here the book ends. In the film of course Boromir dies in the fight with the orcs on Amon Hen and Aragorn has an epic battle with the head orc. Merry and Pippin are taken and the others set out to save them. Guessing that happens in the next book?!
Now I am going to watch the film as my reward for finishing.
Read time: 2 weeks (although I did read all the Harry potter spinoffs during this period, including Cursed Child!)
rhonnareads 