Recent content by Anthony Lawther

  1. Anthony Lawther

    Is the firewood episode the first indication of Boromir's eventual fall?

    I don't see the horn blowing incident as indication of Boromir's lack of faith in the leadership. If Elrond had said to not blow the horn and Boromir had done it anyway, then I would concede. Given that the horn blowing happened first, and then Elrond said 'Slow should you be to wind to wind...
  2. Anthony Lawther

    The Witch King's vision is perfectly excellent

    Sorry, how would Sauron predict that? If Denethor is going to be the new Ring Lord he would have to go and seize it from whomever is currently holding it. At the Council of Elrond, Frodo recognised a claim that Aragorn could make on the Ring and still had a twinge of refusal to bring it out...
  3. Anthony Lawther

    The Witch King's vision is perfectly excellent

    I didn't forget Gandalf, I just don't have enough data to draw the same conclusion you have drawn, so didn't mention him. His incarnation might indeed include a shutter for his spiritual light, although there is no evidence for or against it. His Ring might also include some sort of spiritual...
  4. Anthony Lawther

    The Witch King's vision is perfectly excellent

    Perhaps a few more data points are required to understand 'wraith vision' better. I've added emphasis: A Knife in the dark Pretty clear information here Flight to the Ford This might be due to the pain. This seems fairly clear. The first paragraph could be as clear as it is, due to...
  5. Anthony Lawther

    Where has Legolas been? (session 245)

    When the crebain went overhead Legolas was resting (sleeping?) so even if his eyes were open the holly bushes probably blocked his sight. Regarding the 'wisp of cloud' incident, it is possible that Tolkien was specifically aiming for a level of uncertainty in the company and the reader that...
  6. Anthony Lawther

    Why speculate about disembodied Nazgul occluding the stars when a Nazgul on a Fell Beast is a better supposition?

    emphasis added I agree, and the more I think about this, the more I think the first-time reader is likely to be simply mystified rather than drawing a conclusion as to who (if anyone) is controlling the crebain. I think that most first-time readers would simply take what is written at face...
  7. Anthony Lawther

    Why speculate about disembodied Nazgul occluding the stars when a Nazgul on a Fell Beast is a better supposition?

    Try this for size: Gandalf escapes Orthanc, is flown to Rohan and then rides Shadowfax to the Bree-land and the Shire where Saruman already has spies who will likely report Gandalf’s arrival. Apart from getting Shadowfax this is quite predictable, so no need for Crebain spies. When Gandalf gets...
  8. Anthony Lawther

    Of Hymnals, Metrical Indices, and Gilligan's Island - Ruining Bilbo's Poem for You

    It also has the benefit of not needing to repeat any lines, and having the same retrospective feel.
  9. Anthony Lawther

    Frodo's defiance of the Nazgul at the Ford of Bruinen

    The difficulty I have with your explanation is that the 'Ring-lust' generally presents a promise of being a supreme power (e.g Gollum the Great or Samwise ruling a garden swollen to a realm), rather than encouraging an appeal to higher powers, and doesn't seem to amplify the bearer's sense of...
  10. Anthony Lawther

    Why would we think that Saruman despatched the Crebain to Hollin?

    I follow your logic. A first-time reader isn't aware of a simple Sauron/Saruman dichotomy of opposition powers here. There's no reason presented in the text that there couldn't be a third power that has previously been inactive: Maybe Treebeard sent the crebain from Fangorn? Only a re-reader is...
  11. Anthony Lawther

    Why would we think that Saruman despatched the Crebain to Hollin?

    The company's (Gandalf's) assumption (which is later borne out as true) that the Gap of Rohan isn't safe for them to pass through, in addition to the direction they are approaching from, supports an assumption of Saruman being behind the crebain. However, it doesn't settle the matter beyond...
  12. Anthony Lawther

    Class 210 Bilbo: If I am spared

    Bilbo's age isn't unnatural, only the way he looks (still 50). It is only after the Ring is destroyed that his appearance catches up, yet he only exceeds the Old Took's age on the way to the Grey Havens. One could make an argument for Bilbo outliving the Old Took even without the influence of...
  13. Anthony Lawther

    What might be the answer to Gandalf's question which Strider did not answer?

    I agree with your conclusions on these matters. What I’m suggesting is that the existence of these examples allows one to speculate on the existence of lesser ‘magics’ that allow two way communication of information between Barad Dur and selected outposts. In the primary world, prior to the...
  14. Anthony Lawther

    What might be the answer to Gandalf's question which Strider did not answer?

    I think you’ve already identified the weaknesses in both of our proposals. Ruling out ‘magical’ communication methods favours a previous overflight by the Nazgûl, but it would need to happen at a very specific distance from the company: close enough to affect the nearby wildlife without being...
  15. Anthony Lawther

    What might be the answer to Gandalf's question which Strider did not answer?

    Let's explore this possibility: Sauron can send his will forth to attempt to sense the Ring. This hasn't been particularly successful, but if it works it'll be worth the effort. This doesn't allow him to see the area that he is projecting his will to, so he needs spies. His war is not something...
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