Ben and Jacob seemed to have a gloomy take on this chapter, criticizing the lack of character development, the length, the pacing, and relevance to overall plot.
I actually found this chapter to be pretty engaging (though I read it on a Florida beach, so maybe the relaxed environment gave me greater patience). I also don't think it's that much of a diversion from overall plot because the chase results in an important alliance between Eomer and Aragon. (And chasing after the Hobbits themselves tells you something about these characters--they do not easily abandon their friends.)
The descriptions of the hills and ravines, and the weather added the right touch of mood. You immediately sympathize that theirs is quest doomed to fail. The orcs seem to not slow and have a significant head start, but catching the orcs may result in something even worse. Three against a hundred? That's the tension that exists here.
Of course, the Riders of Rohan intervene, and there's a beautiful confrontation between Eomer and Aragon, Gimli, and Legolas. Gimli gets depth by standing up for the Lady of the Wood. You can tell it is rare that a dwarf if complimentary of an elf.
And while Gimli and Legolas aren't three dimensional at this point, the lack of focus on them merely focuses Aragon's change from a Striding Woodsman to a king. The other two trust Aragon's judgment. And while characters in fantasy novels certainly seem to always want to fight just because someone said something a little offputting (Gimli threatening Eomer because he said he heard rumors about the Lady that she might be evil), Aragon seems to have a little bit more sense by stopping the fight.
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