The Two Towers
Table of Contents
The Two Towers
The Two Towers is the latest novel to be checked off my to be read list. It is the second book in J.R.R. Tolkien’s three part The Lord of the Rings books.
This is my husband’s favorite series, and has since become a favorite of mine as well. This is a series where the more I read, the more I want to keep reading and finding out about everyone’s adventures. It is also likely that I will go back and read them a second time. Which says a lot for me.
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Have you read The Two Towers? Come on in and let me tell you about it!
About The Two Towers
The Fellowship is scattered. Some prepare for war against the Dark Lord. Some fight against the treachery of the corrupt wizard Saruman. Only Frodo and Sam are left to take the accursed Ring to be destroyed in the fires of Mount Doom.
Mount Doom lies in the very heart of the Dark Lord’s realm. Their only guide on the perilous journey is Gollum, a deceitful and obsessive creature who once possessed the Ring and longs to wield its power once again.
As dark forces assemble, the fate of Middle-earth rests with two lonely hobbits – but is Gollum leading them to their deaths?
Frodo and the Companions of the Ring have been beset by danger during their quest to prevent the Ruling Ring from falling into the hands of the Dark Lord by destroying it in the Cracks of Doom.
Now they continue their journey alone down the great River Anduin—alone, that is, save for the mysterious creeping figure that follows wherever they go.
Thoughts on The Two Towers
Nathan and I have been listening to this series via audiobook, which is narrated by Andy Serkis. I’ve come to the conclusion that Andy Serkis could read the ingredient list on a shampoo bottle, and I would gobble it all up and listen repeatedly, like it was gold. I personally think he should narrate every audiobook ever created. But, that is what a great narrator does. They bring the book to life.
This has long been a favorite series for Nathan. I’ve never been much of a fantasy genre person. I’ve often found them too long, too hard to follow, and way too many characters. But given this is Nathan’s favorite series, I decided to give it a go, and try it out. I’ve seen the movies with him more than once, and he always says the books are better. Which I’ve come to agree with.
This is also the book where we really start to see Gollum, and Andy Serkis’ narration shines even more. The funny thing for me is that the more I listen to this book, the more I want to continue. Which is the sign of a great author, where I am driven to keep going. I am not even going to lie when I say that this surprised me. I wasn’t expecting to enjoy this book as much as I did.
I am so very glad I decided to read and listen to these books with Nathan. It was a fun thing to do together, which I think couples should do more often. Try out a hobby, a book, or something else your spouse enjoys that you don’t think you will like. You may very well be surprised.
From Nathan
The second entry in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Two Towers, is a curiously-named book. There are certainly more than just two towers presented here, any of which could qualify as the titular ones. And while that answer is never outright stated in the book, it is still a thrilling continuation of The Fellowship of the Ring.
Readers will immediately notice that The Two Towers is split in two. The first half of the story details the journey of Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli in the horse country of Rohan, which has been under attack by the dark wizard Saruman. The second half tells about where Frodo and Sam went after they decided to leave the fellowship behind…and a slinking creature named Gollum is following them.
The split narrative is a curious decision by Tolkien, but it’s quite effective here. The characters in each half have no idea what the others are doing, which means the reader is similarly in the dark. Because of the way these narratives are structured, you could read the second half first without being lost.
The first half is probably my favorite section of the whole trilogy. While some chapters drag on interminably (the Treebeard chapter is the biggest culprit), they all flow so well together. Aragorn and his companions, while searching for the kidnapped Merry and Pippin, suddenly find themselves thrust into an ongoing war between Rohan and Saruman. And it is during this story that we finally get the first large-scale battle of the series.
Frodo’s story, on the other hand, is much quieter. Much of his story here is literally him, Sam, and Gollum walking through the wilderness on their quest to destroy the Ring in Sauron’s domain of Mordor. Tolkien doesn’t skimp on the descriptions of all the fantastic locations that they pass through. There’s even one whole chapter dedicated to Sam trying to cook a delicious rabbit dinner!
Gollum is an ever-treacherous companion for Frodo and Sam. While he’s invaluable in leading them to Mordor’s gates, he actually wants the Ring for himself. He will stop at nothing to reacquire his “Precious,” including leading them to an alternate route into Mordor where, he hopes, he can lead the hobbits into a trap.
Final Thoughts on The Two Towers
The Two Towers is a wonderful continuation of the rich tapestry that is The Lord of the Rings. And the fact that it ends in a cliffhanger leaves the reader wanting more immediately.
Nathan and I are both calling The Two Towers a five star read. Nathan always has, and I agree with him. One of my criteria for five star reads is if I will read it again, and in this case, the answer is, absolutely. I will read this series again later down the road because I’ve enjoyed it so much.
Discussion
Have you read The Two Towers or any other writing from J.R.R. Tolkien? Are you a fan? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!
About the Author
J.R.R. Tolkien was born on 3rd January 1892. After serving in the First World War, he became best known for The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, selling 150 million copies in more than 40 languages worldwide. Awarded the CBE and an honorary Doctorate of Letters from Oxford University, he died in 1973 at the age of 81.
Purchasing The Two Towers
If you are interested in buying the paperback version of The Two Towers, click here.
For the hardcover version, click here.
For the audiobook version, click here.
Click here for the Kindle version.
Click here for my favorite Kindle I currently own.
More From J.R.R. Tolkien
If you’ve enjoyed my review of The Two Towers and want more, check out these other books!
The Two Towers
The Return of the King
The Silmarillion
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