Joined in with a reading group to read and discuss Lord of the Rings, thanks for this to The Little Red Reviewer and Geeky Daddy for coming up with this venture.  I did come to this a little late but I’ve caught up now and I’m really enjoying reading LOTR again which I never would have undertaken without this Group.  These are my answers to this weeks questions (if you haven’t already read the book or seen the film this may contain spoilers):

1. What was your initial thoughts of Strider/Aragorn when the Hobbits met up with him in The Prancing Pony? Did you think that he was linked with the Riders?

This is a difficult one to answer because I am of course rereading the novel (and also I’ve seen the films) so, it would be easy to act all superior and say I never had any doubts about Strider but in fact I can’t remember what my initial impressions were!  That being said I don’t think it ever occured to me that he was linked to the Riders.  Plus, the Riders don’t really come across as the sort to sit in the Prancing Pony smoking a pipe – they seem a lot more sly than that.  They like to creep up on people in the dark, from the shadows.  It’s an interesting question though because I suppose Strider could have been one of their minions!!  I never thought of it like that before – anyway, as we know he isn’t.

2.What was the biggest surprise to you during this section of the Fellowship of the Ring?

Actually, I think I had a couple of moments.  First, I always thought the film was very true to the book (as much as it could be I suppose) but in rereading this you start to pick up on the small differences.  Like Frodo’s flight to the path to Rivendell – which he undertook on horseback alone being chased by the wraiths.  Also, I had totally forgotten about Boromir’s story.  I’d got myself convinced that all the people at the Council were there by invitation and this certainly wasn’t the case.  So, it’s quite eye opening reading this the second time round.

3.Do you like that Tolkien goes in depth and tells the readers of the historical events of the war that is upon the Fellowship?

I like the level of detail in the book and I do love Tolkien’s writing style.  I’m always interested in the history of events in a book like this, in fact I think it’s essential and without it I always end up with little niggles that I want answers to.  That being said I did find some of the information relayed at the council a little bit tedious (sorry about that but there it is).  I don’t remember feeling that way first time round however.  Maybe I have a little less patience than I used to.

4. How far do you think you would have lasted if you were Frodo and nearly becoming a Rider?

Well, I don’t mind walking at all, in fact I really like it.  But, that’s about where my resilience probably ends.  Going out for a good walk in the countryside is one thing, being out for days on end, having sleepless nights and being pursued and constantly in fear – that must get a little bit much!  Mind you I think I could do it (okay I couldn’t go without sleep).  But if you add to that being stabbed with an evil blade and slowly being turned into a wraith mmm, nope.  Also, I can’t ride so once that elven horse started galloping it’s way to Rivendell I would have fallen from it’s back in a New York minute!

5. As dangerous as the quest unfolds to become, the other hobbits want to stick by Frodo til the end. Would you sacrifice yourself and stick with Frodo til the end?

Oh, this is a dilema.  Yes, of course I want to say yes, yes, yes, I would stick by Frodo to the end.  But, would I really drop everything?  Okay, I’m still going with yes because I like to think I would! Ah, resolution.

So, Part 2 over.

Lord of the Rings