This is as good as it gets folks; wizards and magic, orcs and Ringwraiths, hobbits and elves - who could ask for more? This is the original fantasy in all it's glory - Tolkien may not have been the first to write about such things, but he made it good... no, he made it great.

The best part about this book (as well as the other two in this trilogy) has got to be the characters. I couldn't help but love the hobbits, and hate the orcs! His descriptions (which sometimes get in the way because you are so desperate to know what happens next) bring you right into the story. Sweeping mountain ranges, mucky swamps, rolling hills, and many others, do a great job of making the setting more realistic.

Before I continue with the plot of the story, a brief note. I am about to describe the main events of the story. Simply because of the nature of the story, if you haven't read this book yet (and are planning on doing so in the future), there many be more information than you want to know. Some people are picky about knowing what happens in books (I won't even read the back cover!), some people don't care. Wherever possible, I have left out major details while at the same time describing the events that take place.


The Two Towers

The Two Towers is J.R.R. Tolkien's second part of his Lord of the Rings trilogy. This novel is composed of two 'books' (parts). The first 'book' is actually book III so far in the trilogy - books I and II were in The Fellowship of the Ring. Book III starts where The Fellowship of the Ring left off and follows the pats of Aragorn, Boromir, Legolas, Gimli, Merry, Pippin, and Gandalf. It isn't until more than halfway through the novel, in book IV that we finally get to read about Frodo and Sam's travels, but I will get to that later).

This first part of the novel describes how Merry and Pippin were taken by orcs after the attack at Parth Galen, and how the others followed them in an attempt to rescue them.

It is here that we meet Treebeard the 'Ent' (ents are tree-like creatures), and the travelers also meet up with Gandalf again, with only a brief description of what happened to him after his fall in the Mines of Moria.

This book also describes the fierce battle at Helm's Deep, and the fall of the evil wizard Saruman.

In book IV, the second part of The Two Towers, we finally get to find out what happens to Frodo and Sam after their secretive departure from Parth Galen. When we first hear about them, they are wandering the mountains of Emyn Muil. It is here that they meet up with Gollum, and Frodo decides to allow him to travel with them, to be their guide. Sam despises this, as he doesn't trust Gollum. He proves to be trustworthy enough however, as he guides them through the Dead Marshes with no signs of betrayal. Gollum leads Sam and Frodo right up to the Black Gate of Mordor, but the hobbits realize that there is no way that they can possibly pass through the gate unseen. Gollum claims to know of another way into Mordor. Having no reason to distrust him, the hobbits follow him.

That's as much of the story as I will divulge in this review, since I don't want to give away the ending!


My favorite character in this novel (which is different from my favorite character in each of the other two novels, The Fellowship of the Ring and The Return of the King), is Treebeard the ent. He, along with the other ents, add an unsuspected twist to the story, as well as increase the character of the novel. There is just something about his "Hrum"'s and "Hoom"'s as well as his manner of speaking that is just so loveable and comical; I can just hear his deep voice in my head, making those noises. I'll be interested to see how close my version of him is matched in the upcoming movie! (though I'll have to wait another year before the movie version of The Two Towers comes out!)

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For more information on this trilogy, check out my review of:

The Fellowship of the Ring:
http://www.epinions.com/content_46598557316


The Return of the King:
http://www.epinions.com/content_47424573060

Recommended: Yes