The Two Towers - JRR Tolkien - A Short Summary & Review

 The Two Towers - JRR Tolkien - A Short Summary & Review

By: a.d. elliott | Take the Back Roads - Art and Other Odd Adventures

A Rite of Fancy Book Recommendation and Review

Frodo and Sam are still trying to dodge orcs and destroy Bilbo's ring.

A short summary:

The Two Towers deepens the journey begun in The Fellowship of the Ring, splitting the narrative as Middle-earth fractures under the growing shadow of war. Frodo and Sam continue their perilous passage toward Mordor, dodging Orcs, treachery, and despair as the weight of the Ring presses harder with each step.

Meanwhile, Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli pursue a different path, one marked by open conflict, ancient grudges, and fragile alliances. As Saruman’s power rises and kingdoms are drawn into battle, Tolkien shows a world where evil is not abstract, but organized, persistent, and adaptive.

My favorite quote from the book:

"The wise speak only of what they know."

-JRR Tolkien, The Two Towers

Questions to ponder while reading:

Do you think wars are inevitable?

Do you think evil will always exist?

My review:

An epic about endurance in a world where evil does not rest.

Do you think wars are inevitable? Do you believe evil will always exist? The Two Towers does not answer these questions easily, but it refuses to ignore them. This is the book where the cost of resistance becomes unmistakable. Heroes are scattered, hopes are tested, and victory feels distant.

Dangers and evils abound, yet Tolkien never lets despair have the final word. Songs, stories, and sagas thread through the darkness, reminding both characters and readers that memory itself is a form of resistance. Even when the world fractures, meaning endures.

As the second movement of the trilogy, The Two Towers expands Tolkien’s mastery of description and scope. Battles are vivid, landscapes feel ancient and alive, and moral choices grow heavier. This is not a story of easy heroism; it is a story of persistence.

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About the Author
a.d. elliott is a wanderer, photographer, and storyteller traveling through life

She shares her journeys at Take the Back Roads, explores new reads at Rite of Fancy, and highlights U.S. military biographies at Everyday Patriot.

You can also browse her online photography gallery at shop.takethebackroads.com.

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