Further in Honor of the opening of The Return of the King, I am reading, or rather rereading the last book in the Trilogy. I'm only four chapters in, but I'm finding it a much easier read than I have in the past.

Let me qualify that statement. I'm not dumb. I feel dumb reading Tolkien sometimes, though. Have you ever REALLY tried to follow all the names, titles, lands, kingdoms, rivers, lakes, streams, and names of stories that come up in casual conversation between characters? Not to mention the ridiculously minor characters who walk into the story, are referred to as if you know their back history, one event in the history is glibly mentioned in passing, and then the story moves along without a hitch. It would take at least three reference books to follow every piece of information that Tolkien throws off in passing; the Silmarillion, the Atlas of Middle Earth, and The Maps of Tolkiens's Middle Earth. I lied. You'd also need This.

So anyway, as I was saying. I am still finding it easier to read this time. I am very much in favor of reading any book before you read the movie that is based on it, but the converse is sometimes true as well. I find watching the movies for any Jane Austin book will keep all of the characters straight in my mind, as well as identifying who is speaking in the pages of back and forth dialogue with no names attached. Having the Lord of the Rings movies as reference, for me, makes the battle scenes more bearable. I hate fighting scenes. I can't picture it, can't keep track of who's on what side. The first time I read LOTR I skipped nearly the entirety of part 5 (The final battle for Middle earth). All the human kingdoms had united...The kingdoms of Rohan, Gondor, and the Riders from the North are there. Each person is fighting for their own nation, region, state, city, family.....oh brother! So I missed it and skipped directly to Frodo and Sam's journey to Mordor.

This time I'm trudging my way through. It is very slow going. I started last night and, as I mentioned, am only on chapter four. So far, Pippin has ended up in Gondor with Gandalf. He is there to "stay out of mischief" after touching one of the palantir. (Those round seeing stones that aren't all accounted for. By the way, for those interested in reading the last book before seeing the movie, you have to start several chapters from the end of the last book. The movie broke off in a different place.) He has sworn his allegiance to Boromir's Father. Merry is riding with the horsemen from Rohan. Eowyn was guarding the women and children in a place of safety. Aragorn and his host rode past on their way to Gondor. She begged to be taken along and not left to wait, but Aragorn said that she is the steward of her people and must stay with them. He leaves to travel through the road of the Dead. Theoden (King of Rohan) and his host arrived several days later. Again Eowyn begs not to be left behind, but she is refused. Theodin rides off to battle, and Merry is left behind. He catched a ride, however, with a very young and small young soldier on horseback and they follow the host. So now you're up to date.