Barliman's Chat Hall of Fire resumes chapter-by-chapter discussions of The Lord of the Rings this weekend as we launch into the first chapter of The Two Towers.

‘The horn of Boromir!’ he cried. ‘He is in need!’ He sprang down the steps and away, leaping down the path. ‘Alas! An ill fate is on me this day, and all that I do goes amiss.’

The Two Towers: Book Three, Chapter I: The Departure of Boromir Continue reading “Hall of Fire chat tomorrow: The Departure of Boromir”

Barliman's Chat This weekend in The Hall of Fire, we return to our Lord of the Rings read-through as the Fellowship take to the Anduin River.

‘All together, paddle! ‘ shouted Boromir. ‘Paddle! Or we shall be driven on the shoals.’
Even as he spoke Frodo felt the keel beneath him grate upon stone. At that moment there was a twang of bowstrings: several arrows whistled over them, and some fell among them. One smote Frodo between the shoulders and he lurched forward with a cry, letting go his paddle: but the arrow fell back, foiled by his hidden coat of mail.

FoTR Book II, Chapter IX: The Great River Continue reading “Hall of Fire chat tomorrow: The Great River”

Barliman's Chat We return to our read-through of Fellowship of the Ring chapter discussions in The Hall of Fire this weekend to find the remaining members Fellowship faced with a difficult decision.

“Now is the time, when those who wish to continue the Quest must harden their hearts to leave this land. Those who no longer wish to go forward may remain here, for a while. But whether they stay or go, none can be sure of peace. For we are come now to the edge of doom.”

Continue reading “Hall of Fire chat tomorrow: Farewell to Lórien”

Barliman's Chat This Saturday, Hall of Fire resumes reading through Fellowship of the Ring as Aragorn assumes command of the Company.

The Ranger leads them away from the Khazad-dum toward the Elvish refuge of Lothlórien.

‘There lie the woods of Lothlórien!’ said Legolas. `That is the fairest of all the dwellings of my people. There are no trees like the trees of that land. For in the autumn their leaves fall not, but turn to gold. Not till the spring comes and the new green opens do they fall, and then the boughs are laden with yellow flowers; and the floor of the wood is golden, and golden is the roof, and its pillars are of silver, for the bark of the trees is smooth and grey.’

FoTR Book II Chapter VI: Lothlórien

Stopping briefly to tend to Frodo’s injury, Aragorn is amazed to find Bilbo’s coat of mithril, which saved Frodo from his spear wound in Moria. Continue reading “Hall of Fire chat tomorrow: Lothlórien”

Barliman's Chat Standing beside the tomb of Balin, the Fellowship read in mounting horror of the demise of the son of Fundin’s attempt to retake Moria. The final page of the record, hastily scrawled, is terrifying in its vagueness.

“We cannot get out . . . drums in the deep . . . They are coming.”

This weekend, Hall of Fire resumes its Fellowship of the Ring read-through and we’ll delve into one of the most dramatic chapters of Book Two.

FoTR Book II Chapter V: The Bridge of Khazad-dûm Continue reading “Hall of Fire chat tomorrow: The Bridge of Khazad-dûm”