The Council of Elrond (FOTR) - by Hildie

It looks like I'm the only one keeping up with the reading schedule right now.  I know everyone else is probably a bit more busy than I am, so I'll just continue on my merry path.

The Council of Elrond is one of the longer chapters we've come across thus far.  It's not a boring chapter but it isn't action packed and fast moving like some of our other chapters.  It is what it says, a chapter about a council held where Elrond presides over the discussion. 

I actually didn't mind the history, and updates given in this chapter.  I found the info Gloin gave to be interesting and I actually wish that he'd have told more.  I do prefer the way this Boromir speaks to the way they've got him played in the movie.  He seems like a better person here, though still sure of himself, and really in favor of anything to help his homeland. 

Ooo we find out something about Moria here!  Very interesting, so where is Balin and what's happened to them.  A bit of foreshadowing that I've not really noticed as much before this.

All in all I have to say this chapter means a heck of a lot more to me now that I"ve read the Sil and Unfinished Tales.  The names of people in history (middle earth history that is) make a lot more sense and I can connect events and stories better.

This council seems to have more important people and actually be more of a discussion than the one in the film.  I think that is good for a book but I definitely think that it would have made for a bit of a boring part in the film that only Tolkien fans (of the book) would have wanted to sit through. 

We find out something about the rings here.  I know it's forbidden to speak about The Three Rings of Elven Kings... so was it a slip when Galdor said "Power to defy our Enemy is not in him (Tom Bombadil), unless such power is in the earth itself.  And yet we see that Sauron can torture and destroy teh very hills.  What power still remains lies with us, here in Imladris, or with Cirdan at the Havens, or in Lorien.  But have they the strength, have we here the strength to withstand the Enemy, the coming of Sauron at the last, when all else is overthrown?"  I mean those locations are where the Three Rings are (or thought to be since we know that Gandalf was given one of the rings by Cirdan to keep safe).  Just something to think about... did he just stick his foot in it and say something that could have gotten them in trouble if people would have made a couple connections?  (For those who don't know, Elrond, Gandalf though previously Cirdan, and Galadriel have the rings of the elves).

Ah so Frodo does his line: "I will take the ring though I do not know the way... " However here it seems that they figured he would be the one to do it.  I do like the fact that Gandalf was hoping he wouldn't be the one in he movie.  I think it made it all seem a bit more distressful, serious and urgent...

Ah a very long chapter (sorry for the shotty review) and now we're ready to start another part of the adventure.  The Fellowship is decided upon!