May 14, 2015
As I read this book, I realized how little I remembered of the film version. I remember a little of the battle between the soldiers of Rowan and Saruman's forces (especially Gimli and Legolas's competitive tally of their kills), the tension between Sam and Gollum, and the giant spider (Shelob) who almost killed Frodo. That's about it, so besides one point that I'll explain, I have no clue what the movie neglected to include. I'm thinking I ought to re watch the trilogy once I've read the third installment.
I do seem to recall that the film version of Frodo (played by Elijah Wood, a hometown hero where I live) seemed more willing to trust Gollum, and was almost naïve about it. Frodo in the book has more complex feelings about the wretched creature. He shares Sam's feelings of mistrust, though he isn't openly hostile to him. He basically keeps him around to guide them into Mordor because he thinks that's what Gandalf would want him to do. But he's not blind, and he knows what Gollum is capable of.
I remember being really confused about why the other surviving members of the Fellowship had gotten wrapped up in a battle. But it all ties together, as wicked Saruman was working for Sauron, though he had been trying to get the one ring for himself. So Aragorn, Gimli, Legolas, and Gandolf fighting to defend Rowan makes sense.
The Fellowship keeps getting split up. Sam and Frodo are on their own with the ring, of course. Merry and Pippin had been kidnapped by Saruman's Orcs, though they got away and were assisted by Ents, those giant tree creatures. But after reuniting with the others, Pippin and Gandolf ride off alone after Pippin had a look at Saruman's crystal ball...bringing him face-to-face with Sauron. Traumatizing!
Like the last book, Tolkien leaves things in suspense going into the next installment. I may need to read The Return of the King sooner rather than later, so I don't forget important details going into the final book. I know how it ends, obviously (if my memory is correct!), but there will certainly be many many details that I will be picking up for the first time.
A quick note on the title. I couldn't tell which towers it referred to, since both halves of the story mentioned at least a couple of different towers. Apparently Tolkien meant it to be ambiguous; the title was meant to tie together two otherwise very separate parts of the story, I guess. That makes me feel better, because I was starting to think that that was yet again something I had missed.
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