Hunter Thompson’s Reviews > The Lord of the Rings > Status Update

Through Book II, Chapter V: "The Bridge of Khazad-dûm"

Mar is so surprised that all the swords have names. I guess I never thought about it, but yeah. Narsil/Andúril, Glamdring, and Sting all get name-dropped in this chapter not to mention Aiglos, Guthwine, and Herugrim from other chapters, not to mention all the ones in The Silmarillion. It's so fun getting to experience these books through her eyes.

Through Book II, Chapter IV: "A Journey In The Dark"

Mar grieved the Fellowship letting go of Bill the Pony harder than Erika Kirk grieved for her dead husband lmao

Through Chapter XV: "The Ring Goes South"

I think Mar is finally starting to invest in the story, which is appreciated. Right now she's just annoyed that the book calls them the Company instead of the Fellowship.

Through Chapter XIV: "The Council of Elrond"

This is such an important chapter to the novel. Shame it's such a trudge to get through at times... there's like 80 characters, I kept mixing up people's voices, and I think Mar fell asleep during Gandalf recounting his story for like ten pages more than once.

Through Chapter XIII: "Many Meetings"

Every time Bilbo Baggins is mentioned Mar really loves screaming his name like Gandalf does in the Fellowship movie. Also, reading his song in this chapter led me down such a long tangent of trying to explain The Silmarillion to her... Not sure if she remembers literally anything I said. I wouldn't, tbf.

Through Chapter XII: "Flight to the Ford"

This is funny because when I told Mar there was a character in these books whose name was Glorfindel she genuinely didn't believe me, said that was a stupid name and started calling him "golf guy"

Through Chapter XI: "A Knife in the Dark"

Sometimes I forget how much time Tolkien spends describing things that don't matter at all... I love it, but reading this aloud to someone who isn't as big of a fan of these books as I am, I forget how tedious it can be to get through some of the wilderness scenes, lol.

Mar's top 5 characters so far:
1. Tom Bombadil
2. Sam
3. Goldberry
4. Pippin
5. Merry

Through Chapter X: "Strider"

It was really fun having to explain to Mar that when Tolkien uses the f-slur in this chapter he's referring to British meatballs and not gay people.

Through Chapter IX: "At the Sign of the Prancing Pony"

Mar's very excited that she finally met Aragorn, lol. Hard to imagine how she'll react once Legolas shows up. Although so far she definitely prefers the sort-of one-off characters like Tom Bombadil, Farmer Maggot, and Barliman Butterbur. Maybe because I do funny accents for those guys and she laughs every time. God, I love her laugh.

Through Chapter VIII: "Fog on the Barrow-downs"

I try to do different voices for all the characters as I'm reading this to Mar, like for Frodo I do an upper-class sort of voice that's elegant as I can make it. For Sam I try to do a sort of half-Bristol, half-Devonshire accent that's rustic and simple like Sam should be.

For Pippin I've been doing a Glasgow accent that I have fun doing but I can tell she hates it.