The Treason of Isengard | 
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Absolutely, totally loved it!
I'm loving the entire History of Middle-Earth, but these volumes devoted to The Lord of the Rings are something special.
We met unknown characters. We saw familiar characters under a different light. We follow ed alternative plots.
And always with a fantastic story brewing in the background. Still not the one we know and love, but getting closer at every page.
pickBook 2 for #LOTRhistory spent a lot of time on the evolution of Aragorn. It was quite interesting, although I will miss Trotter the hobbit and his wooden shoes.
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Loved loved loved this chapter about the Rohirrim. His conception seems to have taken longer to settled as Tolkien brought the episode closer to his beloved Beowulf.
Grima Wormtangue, who has such a central part in the final book, entered the story very late. And what about Eowyn... who was supposed to marry Aragorn in the end? 😱😱😱
pickI couldn‘t help but read ahead through the last sections yesterday. Some parts of this book are descriptions of drafts that pretty much reach the published story, but others show consideration of different possibilities and fascinating development of the key aspects of the final story. I would only recommend these HoME books to serious fans with an interest in the writing process, but in that case they are well worth the reading.
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These kinds of brainstorming notes are fascinating! It‘s so interesting to see initial ideas and how they sometimes slowly and sometimes almost immediately evolved into the story we know. Eowyn is an amazing character, and I appreciate seeing how her character took shape.
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pickAs always with this series I find Christopher‘s dedication and determination to compile all of this immensely interesting and thank him for the hours and hours of work it must have entailed, and the insight to how a great writer crafts his stories is invaluable and sadly with the advent of modern word processing, something we are unlikely to see laid out in this way ever again.
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The top section shows part of Tolkien‘s draft that was rejected, and the bottom section is Christopher‘s explanatory note. These pieces that show clear development of the story and notes that reference inspiration and connection are some of the great parts of reading these History of Middle-Earth books.
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Considering how fast these last few chapters seem to have reached the published form, l find it quite surprising that the episode of Rohan is still so far from what it would become.
There's no Grima Wormtangue, there's no Helm's Deep. Eowyn appears very late and rides with the Rohirrim as an Amazon.
Theoden is distrustful of Gandalf, but still accepts to fight first again Isengard and the in Minas Tirith's aid
It‘s time for some more airport reading, and since it‘s my last day in Boston I decided I needed some Dunkin‘ Donuts for the trip. I‘m really looking forward to this chapter. I‘ve always enjoyed Treebeard as a character, and it seems he‘s going to have to go through some major development from the early notes.
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Let's face it, at this point Tolkien was extremely inspired 😂
I love this chapter in the book, but l see it isn't an easy one to write.
Apparently Tolkien went through four revisions back to back. If this isn't inspiration, l don't know what it is.
I am slowly, but surely, getting caught up for #LOTRHistory 📚 Looking forward to this chapter! Galadriel is such a wonderful character 💙
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Treebeard is a very peculiar character. He's been mentioned from the very early chapters, but he went through a huge change all off-stage.
When he is mentioned the first time, he's a giant allied to Saruman who took Gandalf captive. But then he became progressively a good giant, and when he finally appears, he's an Ent, a good-natured, ancient, wise Ent.
And he's a dear 😊
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At this stage, Tolkien must have been inspired, since it seems he wrote these chapter very fast and with little hesitations.
This chapter is only a couple of pages. Christopher didn't publish much, since the draft achieved the final form practically immediately.
I took a little time yesterday, and a little today and I‘m all caught up (good thing today‘s chapter was short)...are we all ready for the final stretch?
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I found it really amusing that Tolkien seemed to hesitate on the Rohirrim chapter, as if knowing this was going to complicate things and mess up his plans, and he ponder whether to go this way or not.
I'm so happy he did. I love the Rohirrim 💚
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After planning to make a traitor of Boromir since the beginning, and bring him back to Minas Tirith for the siege, Tolkien decided to kill him instead, while redeeming him.
There's no notes concerning this decision, which is a pity. I'd love to know why this change of heart.
This is one of those chapter born already very close to its final form.
It‘s time for some airport reading this morning. I hope to do some catching up today, but I‘m also easily distracted while flying so we‘ll see how far I actually get.
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Well, what can l say? Galadriel shoes her quality since the very beginning. Not one to let any author decide for her, that gal!
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I was so surprised to discover that the famous Line 'Fool of a Took!' started off in such a different way.
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It's surprising that after so much feverish creation, Tolkien wrote what would become the last chapter of The Fellowship of the Ring at once, and almost in the final form.
Such a cool coincidence that the beginning of The Two Towers matches our celebration of two years of reading Tolkien dangerously 😆
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It's nearly here! The second anniversary of the #YearOfTolkien team, reading #Tolkien (almost) every day.
We have come this far!
We are celebrating our second anniversary on Thursday with out very special Hall of Fire. There will be stories, and quotes, and a couple of party invitations. And who knows, maybe a new hashtag will be born!
Do come and celebrate with us!!!
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I love this early drawling of the orc cave entrance with window eyes and his notes that it has to be made more horrible, not the normal goblin stuff. Some of his Notes to Self along the way while writing are so interesting.
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It has not been the greatest day, but I have the evening to myself and am ready to enjoy it. Along with this plate of cucumbers and tomatoes, a pizza is in the oven while I start the next chapter. These semi-outline chapters which explore new developments are some of my favorites and I‘m so looking forward to reading it.
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Boy, that was a busy chapter!
But so fascinating!
Boromir and Frodo's showdow is seen in a completely different light, since in Tolkien's intention, Boromir would survive this part of story.
I think he probably thought he was quite near the end of the story, because after Lothlorien he seemed to think it was a matter of bringing Frodo to Mount Doom e all the others at the siege of Minas Tirith.
Little did he know...
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Christopher's dedication to his father's work show in the mais more than anywhere else, in my opinion.
His decriptions of the evolution of the maps and of the geography of Middle-Earth are so accurate that l doubt Tolkien himself could have done better.
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This #LOTRHistory keeps surprising me. Tolkien wrote this chapter unlikely all the others in the book so far: piece by piece, rewriting while writing.
It's one of these chapters where not much happens, but much is built, so l'm so curious to read the chapter about his notes. Coming soon.
Celeborn is such an underappreciated character.
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If I've ever seen a character take things in her hands, that's Galadriel.
The mirror was Celeborn's in Tolkien's notes and he was the one who did most of the speech when the Fellowship comes to Lorien. And still the Mirror becomes Galadriel's when the chapter starts.
A fascinating read. Galadriel isn't the complex character she's l become yet, but we can already see her formidabile personality.
I finished “Farewell to Lorien” last night. The discussion of the super confusing changing names for Aragorn is interesting to consider, and the explanation of the fragmentary revisions makes perfect sense. I also noticed this use of the term “stet” by Tolkien. The first small school where I taught was in a town named Stet, which was the only reason I knew the definition.
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I read “Lothlorien” last night and “Galadriel” this morning with breakfast but did not have time to post. I always love reading about the beauty and atmosphere of Lothlorien, and although it didn‘t seem fully there yet, I enjoy seeing its development. I also continue to find the description of Tolkien‘s quick draft writing fascinating. The example above includes a complete reversal with nothing struck out.
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Although it sounded a lot like a chapter of passage, there are surprisingly interesting quotes. Maybe the calmer moment allowed for deeper reflection.
I'm very curious about the next chapter because it sounds like Galadriel had her way with Tolkien 😆
I read through “The Story Foreseen From Moria” this evening and once again truly enjoyed this brainstorming outline section. It‘s so fascinating to see Tolkien considering possibilities and questioning the direction of the story. The questions especially catch my attention as they show the real development of the story as he thinks about and finds solutions to the problems he has created.
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“And in truth in nothing is the evil of the Enemy seen more clear than in the estrangements that divide us all.”
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Oh. My. Goodness!!!!! 😱😲
This is what Tolkien planned once he got his characters out of Moria. Not what we know!
I mean, let's talk about Sam, who might or might not fall into the Crack of Doom with Gollum. And Frodo who becomes the Lord of the ring and can commad the Nazgul???
Not to mention Aragorn and Boromir who go together to Minas Tirith, where Boromir betrays Aragorn.
I almost want to read that story!
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Loved it! Absolutely loved it!
There is nothing of the haunting atmosphere that l so love in the Moria episode, but there is rough, powerful creativity.
This is a breathtaking piece of action with little else included (Christopher says most of the chapter is barely legible, so fast it was written).
Once again, it's like watching the story coming to life.
Loved this chapter! So weird to read the brainstorming he did for the rest of the book(s)...the what if this happened, what if that...
So weird and cool to get a peek into his mind as he tried to work out how the story would split and come about...and uncanny how many of those ideas became the kernel of the idea that once teased out would become the story we all know so well.
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All in all, quite a pitiful result 😶
It turned out to be quite a messy weekend, and it was so hot that l barely had any energy to do anything.
Oh, well. I made some progress and l wrote a #NetGalley review, so no complaining p😊
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All things considered, this was a quiet chapter. Tolkien had already asically achieve the published book form in the previous version (surprisingly, considering how many things were different) so here there were just adjustments.
I was still fascinated with the studies of the moon phases, which Tolkien always tries to get right.
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Playing catch up!
Read the creation of the Fellowship yesterday night. At last, we come to the Fellowship as we know it. Such a nice feeling to see them coming into their own.
It looks like Aragorn (who Tolkien briefly named Elfstone) is going to Minas Tirith with Boromir. I wonder whether that was a different story, or just a red herring since the loss of Gandalf is clearly already on the cards.
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Although l was enjoying How to Fracture a Fairy Tale, l've discovered reading antologies isn't the best choice for a reading challenge, at least for me.
So l've gone back to my #LOTRHistory readalong.
I'm a little behind. Need to catch up!
I‘ve gotten behind on this readalong as I am trying to finish a few other books before the end of June. I enjoyed the development of the history in “The Council of Elrond” and I‘m glad to see the final composition of the fellowship coming together in the first few pages of this chapter.
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As far as l'm concerned, this chapter would be worth reading just for the enhacement in the history of the Dwarves 😍
Loved all the developments in this chapter. There's even a possible answer to those who always ask, but why don't the Eagels just fly Frodo to Mount Doom 😣
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And on the fourth version of the Council of Elrond the story of how Gandalf was imprisoned finally finished a shape, which already looks a lot like the definitive one.
Radagast appears, Gwaihir appears and finally also Saruman.
Such a pivoting step.
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I'm loving this chapter so much that l made two graphic 😍
I mean, the story of Elendil and the Numenoreans in Middle-Earth. There are so many different versions here that l can practically see Tolkien's brain-gears spinning!
Loved the older versions, so different from the one in the book. Aragorn crossed with Boromir because his ancestors drove Aragorn's ancestors away from Osgiliath, basically betraying them.
“There is nought you can do other than to resist, whether with hope or without it.”
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And l still sometimes forget what an awesome character Elrond is, then a passage in the professor's prose and l remember.
In this second version the Fellowship of the Ring was stesso supposed to be of only seven members, two of the Hobbits were messing.
Apparently at this point Tolkien thought he was near the end of the story. Can't wait to see what happened that changed his mind.
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Loved this chapter! I'm fascinated with the history of this poem, which if often citerò as the very first story Tolkien wrote about his legendarium... or what it would become his legendarium.
We know a lot about Earendil, and still, reading this poem and its evolution, l can't help but think there would be a lot more to know about him.
I started this chapter yesterday with breakfast and finished it this morning. When I first read Tolkien, I skimmed over the poetry, but I enjoy it more and more as I keep reading and rereading. The evolution of this poem was fascinating. I especially appreciated seeing the tiny section about Earendel‘s battle with Ungoliant, a story I‘ve often hoped to see in more detail.
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Like an old game of telephone....he puts a poem out there and years later two separate people come back to him trying to trace that poem‘s original. It had traveled by word of mouth and then made it back to him...with a few changes.
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